Cornwal Uchaf Project Update - Final Update

Key Outcomes

  • Gained practical experience with heifer synchronisation and AI.
  • Developed an action plan for ongoing herd health and fertility monitoring.

KPI

Cornwal Ucha

Doing Well

Improvement Needed

Review Performance

Age @ first calving

25 months

23-24.5mths

24.5-30mths

30-36mths

Number calved in first 6 weeks 

80

85-70%

70-50%

50-35%

Herd Replacement rate

20%

14-16%

16-19%

19-22%

Calves alive @24hrs

100%

105-95%

95-85%

85-80%

Calves weaned

94.2%

102-94%

94-84%

84-80%

Background

The Limousin suckler herd is split into two groups during the summer at Cornwal Uchaf with half the herd and all the heifers running with the youngest bull and the other mob running with another older bull.

All 9 heifers and 50% of the cows were empty after 12-15 weeks. Dylan and Gwion have decided rather than selling these heifers as store cattle, they will make the most of what they already have on the farm and get these heifers in calf through synchronisation and Artificial Insemination, and hopefully get them to realign with the herds calving for the following seasons.

Purpose of the work

The project aims to;

  • Identify any health/hidden issues with the bull or heifers which would result in them being empty after 12-15 weeks running with a bull
  • Develop a synchronisation programme to get the heifers in calf and to join the spring calving suckler herd’s future seasons

What we did

  • Firstly, all the heifers were blood tested for disease screening and mineral deficiencies.  
  • Three heifers had marginally low copper levels. No heifers displayed the classic “spectacled” appearance characteristic of copper deficiency. The decision was made to use a trace element bolus in the heifers to provide 6-months of supplementation. 

Table. 1- Schedule for synchronisation

PRID-Protocol Cornwal Ucha 2024

Date

Time

Action 

20/02/2024

10:00

PRID Inserted and 2ml GnRH (Ovarelin) injected IM 

26/02/2024

10:00

2ml Prostaglandin (Estrumate) injected IM 

27/02/2024

10:00

PRID Removal

28/02/2024

18:15

2ml GnRH (Ovarelin) injected IM

29/02/2024

12:30

Artificial Insemination 

  • DIY AI was carried out by an experienced technician.
  • Heifers were monitored carefully following insemination to watch for bulling activity.
  • All the heifers/ cows were scanned 5+ weeks following insemination to determine the conception rate and success of the project.

Outcomes

  • 7 out of 13 heifers conceived after AI, resulting in a 54% conception rate.
  • This result is average and is expected after one insemination date on an artificial synchronisation programme. 

How to apply on your Farm

  • Bulls should come from a high-health status herd with good maternally derived EBVs.
  • Cows should be in good condition pre-breeding and checked for “whites” or Endometriosis which would impact on her fertility.
  • Heifers selected for the herd should come from the best, earliest calving cows in the block.
  • Heifers should be 14-16mths old and 55-60% mature weight pre-breeding.
  • Heifers should be served first to allow for greater recovery time post-calving.
  • PRID synchronisation of the heifers allows for compaction of the block and saves on time on heat detection – however this comes at a financial cost.
  • The bull should be with the herd for 9 weeks maximum.
  • Scanning the herd earlier will allow for greater calving-date accuracy and culling choices to be made sooner. 

Please contact timtechnegolcff@mentera.cymru if you would like to receive a copy of the full final report for this project.