Increased fertility in the dairy cow.

= Sustaining profitable production in the modern dairy cow

There’s plenty of incentive for modern dairy cows to produce increasingly high yields, particularly with milk prices currently looking more favourable than they have for many years. But what does this pressure to perform do to their overall productivity in the long run? The demands involved can affect a cow’s hormone levels and development of the embryo, particularly in the early stages of pregnancy.

Studies into the extent and timing of embryo loss in dairy cows indicate that at least 25%

Receptal®, a synthetic hormone treatment injected 11 days after insemination, has for many years been shown to sustain pregnancies in cows that would otherwise have been dismissed as infertile. It does this by triggering the production of progesterone, which gives the early embryo more time to develop and promote its own survival. This effect is even more pronounced when Receptal is used at third or subsequent services, so be prepared to persevere if the outcome is not positive at the first attempt (see graph below).

(ref: Sheldon I.M. and Dobson H. (1993) Vet Record 133)

Work done by Dr Dick Esslemont, updated with 2008 Kingshay figures, shows the possible savings from reducing culling due to poor fertility. Culling just four fewer cows per 100 (culling 6 animals instead of 10) is likely to result in savings of around £6,300 per annum. If you think you might benefit from Receptal in your dairy herd, contact Parkside.