Technology news: Synchronisation by phone
You input details, and select the animal that needs to be treated, and then receive alerts every 12 or 24 hours about the required treatments, on your smartphone.
The Pridplanner App was launched at Interchem’s recent fertility seminar on how existing and new technologies, farm productivity and profitability can be improved, in order to reduce the calving interval to the desired 365 days.
The seminar was told that targeted use of synchronisation can help maximise submission rates, and hence improve calving pattern.
This is particularly relevant to non-cycling cows and late calving cows (calving within six weeks of the mating start date).
Dr Stephen Butler, Teagasc Moorepark, said a progesterone-ovsynch protocol is suitable for seasonal calving systems (requiring GnRH and insertion of a P4 device on day zero, PG and remove P4 device on day seven, GnRH 56 hours later, and fixed-time AI 16 to 20 hours later).
Dr Butler said fertility is a key driver of profitability in seasonal-calving systems.
Nationally, only 58% of cows and heifers calve within 42 days of the planned start of calving. For an 80 cow herd, moving this to 90% is worth over €20,000.
It is possible to select for improved milk production and fertility traits.
And nutritional management must focus on year-round body condition, to achieve a 3-3.25 score at calving and 2.75-3.25 at mating.
Dr David Kenny, Teagasc Grange, said beef heifers must be well grown, heat detection for AI and stock bull fertility are essential.
Oestrous synchronisation and fixed-time AI must be simple, low-labour, and efficacious.
“Synchronisation is not a substitute for good animal husbandry and technical skill,” he noted.
Carol Atkinson, BVM, Ceva Animal Health, said detecting anoestrus or problem cows early is key, preferably by scanning.
