Herd testing can take the guesswork out of culling poor performing cows as well as those with sub-clinical high cell counts and will ensure de-stocking is done efficiently.
This information can also be used to identify poor performing cows for early dry off which will mean more feed for the better producing and more profitable animals.
To get the most out of herd recording, you can pregnancy test cows at the same time using the same milk samples taken for herd testing.
The IDEXX milk pregnancy test is an accurate, no-mess pregnancy detection method and accurately identifies 98.7 percent of pregnant cows, and 94.4 per cent of empty cows.
The cost per test has no hidden fees so all you have to do is tick the box next time you do herd testing.
The IDEXX milk pregnancy test can be used to identify open cows from as early as 28 days, giving you the benefit of making early decisions.
This can give farmers time to re-try open cows or think about removing them from the herd.
The milk pregnancy test is a useful tool for a final pregnancy check before drying off, when you don’t want to risk the stress of other pregnancy detection methods.
The cost of drying off a cow, labour, lost production, and feeding, all adds up and is an expensive loss if the cow loses the pregnancy.
Up to one in every four pregnancies can be lost particularly between 28 and 60 days so it is worth a final check.
For more information, contact your local herd testing provider.
