Taking charge of fertility outcomes
For Gippsland dairy farmers Mick and Julie Fusinato, completing an InCharge Fertility workshop has meant better calving outcomes and healthier cows.
The Neerim South couple made the five day commitment to the workshops and have since noticed lower empty rates in their younger cows.
“I initially baulked at the five day commitment, but when you actually see what is covered over those five days, you couldn’t make it any shorter,” Julie said.
“It’s worth investing the time to get the information.”
Mick believes fertility was already a strength of the farm, but the course showed them where they could make improvements, especially with feeding younger stock to reach target weights. “It’s already had an impact,” he said. “We used to get four or five empties out of 40 two-year-olds, but now we are down to about one. So weighing them and making sure they are up to target weight has made a difference.”
Dairy Australia’s animal health and nutrition program manager Kathryn Davis said InCharge Fertility workshops allowed farmers to build confidence in an area where they may have struggled to improve outcomes.
“It is a headache for a lot of farmers, they worry about it but don’t know what the next step is,” she said.
“Because it is not just generic advice that they are given, farmers who complete the InCharge Fertility course will be significantly better informed about their own herd. It assists them to develop a fertility plan that helps them meet goals that are specific to their own herd.”
GippsDairy regional extension officer Louise Sundermann urged dairy farmers to sign on for the InCharge workshops, which will be run in Korumburra, Foster, Warragul and Maffra starting in late May or early June.
“Mick and Julie are great examples of how farmers who are already performing above the average in fertility can still find improvement by doing the course,” she said.
“With fertility rates falling across the industry, it’s an area where every farmer can improve their business bottom line and ease the stress of calving by accessing the information and skills offered by InCharge.”
Louise said the workshops can help the farm business by giving it:
Control over the timing of calving and peak feed demand; A better rate of genetic gain; More options to cull or sell less desirable animals; Lower cost of replacement stock; Lower greenhouse gas emissions, and. Reduced calving induction. GippsDairy is holding InCharge Fertility courses in Korumburra (Mondays starting May 29 - excluding June 12), Foster (Thursdays starting June 1), Warragul (Fridays starting June 2) and Maffra (Tuesdays starting May 30).
For more information, contact Louise Sundermann on 5624 3900 or email to louise@gippsdairy.com.au
When a bull calf and a heifer calf are born as twins there is a higher than 90 per cent chance of the heifer being infertile – the heifers are known as freemartins.
This happens when the twins’ blood supplies fuse together during early pregnancy and are shared by the calves, allowing for an exchange of cells and hormones between the two foetuses.
Sexual development in the heifer calf is inhibited by the presence of male cells and hormones from the developing bull.
The ovaries fail to develop in a fully-grown freemartin cow, and end up about the size of a grain of wheat. She fails to cycle and never becomes pregnant.
The uterus is also underdeveloped and the udder and teats are small (similar in size to the udder and teats on a steer).
The vulva and vagina appear much the same as normal, except there is often a tuft of hair on the vulva.
There are no such concerns with the twin bull, which will develop normally.
A freemartin appears like a normal heifer, therefore you need to get a veterinarian to diagnose her as a freemartin.
There is no treatment for freemartin cows; the best strategy is to permanently identify all heifer calves born twins with a bull and assume they will be infertile.
For further advice contact your local veterinarian or Agriculture Victoria veterinary or animal health officer.
Market report for 3rd and 4th May 2017 Wednesday Fat Sale 279 head. Thursday Bull and Cow Sale, 19 bulls, 726 cows
As the yardings remain smaller in numbers and condition starts to ease off, prices for the secondary cattle slips each week, easing prices across most categories. This week saw some lighter heifers and steers with restockers prominent in these areas and all are watching their wallets. With the cold weather here and supplementary feed costs across the winter months.
Well finished vealers are still archiving very good prices across all yardings, and managed a lift in the average this week with a top of 396.6.
4 bullocks topped at 312.2, back 14 and averaged 288, up 14.
29 heifers topped at 321.2, back 7 and averaged 262.4, back 18.
30 steers topped at 326.6, back 29 and averaged 276.8, back 16. 204 veal topped at 396.6, up 3 and averaged 343.8, up 3. There was a very big jump in numbers on Thursday with 758 head yarded, an increase of 290 head. The only problem was there were two major buyers missing and this caused a slump in competition and eased prices. 19 bulls reached 278.2, with the average easing 15 cents at 251.3. The big jump for the day was cows with 726 head penned. The top cow price was 270 cents, back 42 on last week. This week average was 171.9, back 35. The agent quote was beef cattle back 20 cents. Heavy dairy cows 15 20 cents easier and light dairy back 20 - 30 cents.
1 LimX 1 LimX 1 Lim 1 Char 1 Lim 1 SimX
Farugia & Blaney, W/doo N&O Mason, Jindivick T Lissenden, Neerim D&W Beilharz, Lang Lang J&L Oldham, Neerim The Buskers Club, Ygn
2 Char 1 B/B 4 SimX 5 AngX Heifers 1 SimX G,H&E Kestle, Lardner 2 Char D Tomasetti, Drouin Export Cows and Heifers 3 AngX D&S King, Flynn 1 Ang Elden Park, Brandy Ck 1 Ang E Jones, Tanjil Sth 1 Sim A&B Rhodes, Shady Ck 1 Ang I&A Savige, Cloverlea Dairy Cows 1 Frn S Garvey, Modella 3 Frn C&M Young, Neerim 1 Frn C&D Upston, Drouin 1 Frn S&L Finger, Yannathan Bullocks 1 Frn 8 Frn Bull
1 Jsy
D Tomasetti, Drouin M Hourigan, Glengarry G,H&E Kestle, Lardner M Cummins, Lillico P Rhodes, Shady Creek D Armstrong, G/borough
Hedrick Farms, Ellinbank
Landmark, 3. SEJ, 4. Scotts, 5. Elders.
340 396.6 1348 390 395.2 1541 400 380.0 1520 370 380.0 1406 355 379.6 1347 405 378.0 1530
475 326.6 1551 465 325.6 1512 460 324.2 1491 508 313.6 1591
460 321.2 1477 403 307.6 1238
495 270.0 1336 645 269.6 1738 585 267.6 1565 620 258.6 1603 520 253.6 1318
555 220.0 1221 713 212.0 1512 655 212.0 1388 635 200.0 1270
615 244.6 1504 453 228.6 1035
630 217.2 1368 1. Gibbon, 2.