The 7 Repro Sins You Can't Afford to Make

These commonly overlooked issues are holding your herd back.

Despite our best efforts to be perfect, sinning is human nature. We make poor choices and don’t always see the effects our decisions have. When it comes to dairy reproduction, mistakes are happening.

Two esteemed dairy technical service consultants from opposite ends of the country provide their rundown on the top seven reproduction sins that are costing your farm time, money and potentially future calves.

Inefficient Nutrition

For Todd Bilby, Ph.D. and director of dairy technical services for Merck Animal Health, a healthy diet is where a proper reproduction program begins. He believes farmers should shift their focus from what they can get out of a cow to what they should be putting into the cow to help her be at the top of her game.

“Setting a cow up for reproductive success starts well before we breed her,” the Decatur, Texas consultant says. “If we have animals nutritionally where they need to be, in the right body condition score and not being deficient in any vitamins or minerals, we should have success when it comes to breeding time.”

Bilby recommends working with your nutritionist to establish a diet that will fit the needs of your cows throughout the different stages of their lactation.

Mediocre Management

Management practices, such as proper vaccinations, spotting animal health issues and catching heats are top priorities for Jennifer Roberts, DVM and dairy professional services veterinarian for Boehringer Ingelheim. The Mason, Mich., based veterinarian says even minor problems can snowball into bigger issues down the road.

“A slip up in management here and there won’t be the end all to your farm,” Roberts says. “But if we aren’t routinely following protocols the way they are intended, then those problems start to pile up, and that’s when we start to see bigger issues down the line in terms of reproduction.”

A Tough Transition

Both Bilby and Roberts agree the transition period is a critical time in a cow’s life that can impact her health and fertility later on.

“Diligent transition cow management helps us ensure animals stay healthy through their calving experience so they can be ready to support their next pregnancy,” Roberts says. “An important component of transition cow management is monitoring their body condition score.”

Bilby concurs, adding metabolic issues during the transition phase can escalate into reproductive problems in the future.

“Any health issue after calving can take a toll on a cow’s fertility,” Bilby states. “Even if she makes a full recovery, her reproductive health will likely be compromised. It’s important to monitor fresh cows for transition issues to ensure they’ll get the chance to calve again in the future.”

Not Utilizing Data

Even the simplest technology has allowed dairy farmers to push the bar higher in terms of conception and pregnancy rates. However, this only holds true when the data gleaned from this technology is used.

“Technology has helped farmers refine their reproduction programs in so many different ways,” Roberts says. “The caveat is that producers have to know what to do with the data for it to make a difference.”

With billions of data points being generated, Roberts emphasizes the need to harness data to help make real-time decisions.

“We can use technology to identify cows who might not be cycling after calving and need support. We can also use it in combination with synchronization protocols to efficiently identify cows who are open after a timed insemination. The possibilities with technology are pretty endless,” she says.

Bilby agrees, adding that if the data is not used, it’s not worth the expense.

“If you receive an alert that an animal is in heat or is not feeling well and you don’t do anything about it, then you aren’t using that information to its best ability,” he says. “A rumination or activity monitor just becomes an expensive piece of jewelry if you aren’t taking advantage of the data it captures.”

Lack of Training

Your employees are what keep your operation ticking. But if they aren’t properly trained, they might be holding your operation back.

“It’s critical to establish a solid set of protocols and have a routine training program set in place,” Bilby says.

Roberts notes producers should also work to help employees avoid protocol drift.

“We can have the best protocols out there, but if the compliance isn’t there, reproduction will struggle,” she says. “Work to set up training sessions throughout the year to provide refreshers on what to do in certain scenarios and include the reason why it should be done that way. Employees who understand the why in addition to the how will be more engaged.”

Poor Use of Resources

A well-run dairy is made up of a team of farm employees, veterinarians, nutritionists and
other consultants who are all working toward a common goal. However, if you are not using these resources appropriately, you’re doing your farm a disservice.

“Make sure you are utilizing your vet and nutritionist as part of your everyday team,” Roberts says. “This means communicating with them regularly to discuss what is working well and what areas could maybe use some improvement. It’s important to keep that line of communication open.”

Some conversations you might find yourself having include going over health issues, addressing how long your voluntary waiting period should be and when is the right time to make the decision to not breed an animal back.

Not Setting Goals

According to the technical services duo, dairy farms are like fingerprints, meaning no two farms are alike. Therefore, each farm should have
a specific set of goals in place that
is designed to meet the needs of
your operation.

“Every farm is different, and not every farm should share the same goals,” Bilby adds. “Your goals should be unique to your operation and tailored to where your cows are at today and where you want them to be in the future.”

He suggests taking time to sit down with your veterinarian, nutritionist, herd manager and any other key stakeholders to identify the reproductive targets your farm should strive to hit. These objectives should be realistic yet challenging enough to push your operation in the right direction.

Whether intentional or not, sins happen every day on a dairy farm, and while no farm is perfect, mistakes are bound to happen. To help prevent slip-ups and avoid negative consequences in terms of herd reproduction, set aside time to thoroughly look over your reproductive program and identify areas that need improvement. To assist with this, keep these seven commonly overlooked problems in the back of your mind to provide a solid foundation for the newly renovated reproductive program to sit on.