There are two sections of the Fertility Focus Report that directly relate to heat detection: ‘pre-mating heats’ and ‘heat detection’. But you can also use ‘3-week submission rate’ and ‘conception rate’ to get an idea of your heat detection performance.
If you are recording your pre-mating heats they will be displayed on the report. Aim to have 85% of the herd cycling in the 3-4 weeks before mating starts, this indicates the herd is likely to hit the 3-week submission rate target of 90%. You need to hit the submission rate and conception rate targets to have a good chance of achieving a high 6-week in-calf rate.
The heat detection section of the report is a good indicator of heat detection sensitivity on farm. It includes the early calved, mature cows, ie they should have calved early enough and be old enough they should be cycling, and this section shows how many of these were submitted in the first three weeks of mating. The corresponding section on the reverse of the report breaks down which cows were included.
Missing heats
My report shows:
- Low submission rate
- Low heat detection rate
- High conception rate
If you see this scenario on your report, it’s saying the cows that were submitted conceived well, but there were plenty of cows that weren’t submitted.
What can you do differently this season?
Review your heat detection methods. Be more vigilant with observation and there could be an opportunity to include another heat detection aid. We recommend two aids in conjunction with regular paddock observation for the best results. Use recorded information to cross check cows as they as they are selected, it can indicate cows who may be due to come on and worth checking if they haven’t already been selected.
Incorrectly determining cows are on heat
My report shows:
- High submission rate
- High heat detection
- Low conception rate
Seeing this combination on your report is saying there were a lot of cows being submitted for insemination but not many of those were conceiving. This could be because heats are being ‘invented’, when someone incorrectly determines a cow is on heat.
What can you do differently this season?
Review your heat detection methods. Be more vigilant with observation and there could be an opportunity to include another heat detection aid. We recommend two aids in conjunction with regular paddock observation for the best results. Use records to help when you are unsure if a cow is truly on.
Heat detection fatigue
My report shows the graph tracking well for the first three weeks, then dropping off and increasing again once the bulls have been put in.
In this case it’s likely there’s been some heat detection fatigue. Conversely, if there’s a drop-off after insemination/artificial breeding (AI/AB) has finished, bull performance might be the issue.
What can you do differently this season?
If you’ve identified heat detection fatigue has been an issue assess your heat detection plan and see what alternatives you could include to reduce the risk of fatigue. If there are others who can assist with heat detection or other tasks during this period, share the load.
Consider implementing a fresh heat detection aid part way through the mating period, something fresh to look at can help maintain good rates of detection.
If bull performance is suspicious assess your bull management plan and ensure you have sufficient numbers to cover the period, especially if there are potential synchronisation returns. Alternatively, extend the AB period, or reintroduce AB at any time if required. Discuss with your veterinarian and herd improvement company.
