Three Key Questions for Evaluation of Reproductive Performance in a Dairy Herd

What is the current state of reproductive management in your dairy herd?  Are things cruising along well, or does it seem like things could be better?  Here are the three main questions to ask that will lead you to an answer.

Question #1:  Is there a problem?

Asked differently, is there an area where further improvement may be possible?  You might feel things are going okay, but oftentimes there is still opportunity for improved efficiency.  And improvements to reproductive performance usually result in financial gain - a very good thing.

This question is a simple "yes" or "no" question, and it's possible you may have a quick answer, but it's also possible some work will be required to give an accurate answer.  If you use herd management software such as PCDART or Dairy Comp, you can easily generate and evaluate some reproductive reports to seek your answer.  If you don't have a particular software program, you'll still want to figure out a way to evaluate where you're at.  What are your current pregnancy rates?  What is the average age at first calving?  Average days open or days in milk?  Have these numbers been changing, or steady?  Compare where your herd is at to standard industry benchmarks or to other dairymen in your area.

Remember, if you have a small herd, you're bound to see more dramatic fluctuations because of a small sample size.  If only one out of five cows conceived to their first service last month, that doesn't automatically mean you have a disaster on your hands.  It could rebound and be five out of seven that will conceive this month.  If conception rates have been low for a while, then you probably do have a problem that should be addressed.

Another option for evaluating your herd's reproductive performance would be to contact an extension educator and have them take a look at your records or visit your herd.  They can provide a different, outside perspective on things.  There's a good chance they may have already seen similar problems in other herds and know of solutions that might work for you.

Question #2:  If there is a problem, what is causing it?

There are many different directions you could end up going after determining there's a problem area with potential for improvement.  Here is an example list of some of the initial questions to ask while exploring what might be causing poor reproductive performance:

• Are any herd bulls being used that might be contributing to the problem?
• How many different people are breeding cows?  If there are multiple people, is there a significant difference in conception rates between them?  If only one person is breeding, have the problems just been a recent occurrence, or has it been a long-term struggle?
• Where does the semen come from?  How is it stored?
• What breeding strategies are being used?  Do you breed based on detected heats, use a timed breeding protocol, or something else?  Have the protocols changed, or is it possible they aren't being accurately followed all the time?
• Are you catching good heats? How do you decide when to breed?
• What is the frequency of postpartum disorders?  
• Are cows in the herd excessively fat or thin?
• Are cows in the herd comfortable most of the time?  Are pens overcrowded?  Do cows like to lay in the appropriate bedding places?  Is there decent airflow?  Are there seasonal fluctuations in breeding success that might be due to weather?
• What kind of ration are the cows getting?  How often is the ration tested?

Question #3:  How can the problem be addressed?

There might be a number of different potential solutions.  Maybe you just want to tweak one thing, or maybe there are several things you feel should change.  But remember, making several changes might make it difficult to determine which changes were most effective in addressing the problem.  This may or may not be important.  You'll also have to accept the fact that you probably won't see evidence of improvement in your reproductive records for quite a few months.  You just can't see dramatic changes as quickly as you can with changes to a ration or milking routine.

Investing some time to evaluate where you're at with reproductive management in your herd and exploring any problem areas can be a challenging project, but it will probably be worth the effort.  If you run into trouble, there are ways to get help.  Click here for a troubleshooting guide which might help point you in the right direction.  Talk to your breeder or veterinarian, call an extension educator, visit with other dairymen, or look for related information online.  You'll be glad you did.