—Lancaster Farming, Saturday. June 4, 1977 132 Half of cows’ heat periods missed By DIETER KRIEG LANCASTER - If you think you know all there is to know about artificial breeding and heat cydes, you may want to reassess your position after listening to Penn State dairy specialist Harvey Schaefer. The Extension dairyman says one study revealed that between 20 and 30 per cent of artifically inseminated cows weren’t even in heat at the time of service. Another report shows that 60 per cent of heats were missed by good herdsmen. One national study tells of dairymen missing 50 per cent of the cows coming into heat in their herds. There aren’t many dairymen around (if any) who will deny that breeding efficiencies are one'of their main concerns in maintaing profitable production. Realizing this, Penn State research has studied the problem for years. New concepts ere being trie< and devloped. An example of Che latter which is becoming known to a number of Pennsylvania dairymen is the pregnancy check through milk samples. It’s still only performed on a limited experimental basis, but the day may arrive when fanners can have pregnancies reported by way of monthly DHIA Schaefer also urges summaries. In trials dairymen not to assume too conducted at Penn State thus much from any one thing, far, DHIA pregnancy checks such as the time of breeding are 99 per cent correct on in relation to time of negative responses, and ®to standing heat. There are too 78 per cent correct with many variables, the positive results. specialist explains. Also, Schaefer predicts that the there’s absolutely no cost of a pregnancy checking guarantee Hut the semen is program by way of DHIA fertile except the reputation milk samples would be of tbc person you might buy TROY-HILT* 6 HP. RECOIL START moo Includes Row Marker 4 H.P. Pony Tillers Available SPECIALS Used 824 Economy Tractor w-ioader (Like New) Used 14 HP. Economy Tractor (Excellent cond.) Used 12 HP. Cub Cadet w-mower & Tiller (Good Cond.) Used Case 18 HP. Front End Loader & Tiller, Good Condition, A real work horse - priced right KORMAN H. ZIMMERMAN Myerstown R. 0.2 Phone (717) 866-4695 Vi mile west Myerstown - West Main St. Shop Hours: Mon.&Fri.-BtoB Sat.-8 to 12 Wed. A Thors. 8 to 5 Toes. Closed DHL4 milk samples used to check pregnancies “minimal.” Great Britain is already offering such a service to dairymen while continuing to study its applications. Similar work is being conducted at Cornell as well. While some circles of dairymen are discussing the shortening of calving intervals, the Penn State dairy scientist has reservatidhs and second thoughts about it. He would rather see dairymen work on the shortening of long calving intervals within a herd, rather than the herd as a whole. “We shouldn’t be as concerned if a cow goes over a 12 to month calving interval,” Schaefer tells Pennsylvania dairymen. Acknowledging tint heat detection can be a real problem, the dairy specialist recommends turning cows out at lesst once a dav and possibly employing heat detection devices. “Heat detection is most difficult in free-etall barns,” 'Schaefer reports, suggesting that five to ten minutes of heat observation four tunes a day during times when cows aren’t doing anything else will be a step in the right direction. “Lode at Hum first thing in the morning and last at night,” he recommends. Harvey Shaffer semen from. He advises that semen not be purchased second-hand or from third parties. “Buy direct, that’s the only safeguard you have,” he stresses. “Anytime yon go beyond the production source of the semen, you’re on the ice,” he affirms. Schaefer, who has devised a unique educational chart for heat cycles which incorporates a series of sliding boards, used the device to Illustrate his message on heat detection. He declares diet periods of standing heat last 18 hours (plus or minus six hours) on 85 per cent of cows studied. The time to ovulation is another 12 hours, giving an average total of 30 boors from tiie time standing beat first occurred. Carrying the ROOFING ft SPOUTING BAKED ENAMEL TM ROOFS Colors: Turquoise, Red, White (only) ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ SAMUEL B. CLICK R.D.I, Kinzer, PA Ph.(717)442-4921 Please call before 7 A.M. or after 6 P.M. No Sunday Calls Seolcrete quickly and inexpensively HYDRAULIC AERIAL EQUIPMENT illustration further, the Eztension'rdairy specialist points out that the average life of the egg is 10 hours. Bringing the sperm cells into the picture, the dairyman has quite a time range during which he could successfully breed his cow if all systems are functioning ' normally. . Dairymen and Penn State researchers know, however, that it isn’t all that easy. A common error, says Schaefer, is for dairymen to want to breed their cows too early. He recommends that the time of breeding be recorded on breeding charts, not just the dayr Also, anytime you see a cow in heat 18 hours after she was bred, it’s time to give her a second host. “The more accurately you can determine the beginning of heat, die better your chances of settling the cow,” says Schaefer. “Know your cows individually,” he recommends. The appearance of blood after breeding is meaningless as far as breeding results are concerned. “It just means the cow was in heat,” says the dairy scientist. Recording tlie blood sightings on breeding charts could be helpful in. determining a cowfs schedule. Blodd should appear 24 hours after breeding if the cow was bred MICK'S Distributor for FULL SERVICE DEALER SALES ft INSTALLATION can paint your farm buildings for ree estimate at the proper time. Cows may still settle lf bred after bleeding occurs, but chances ard pretty slim. According to Penn State specialists, the' act of breeding may hasten McGovern WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator George McGovern says that the administration arguments being used as justification for thinly veiled threats of a veto if the Congress passes the Senate Version of 1977 Farm Bill are, specious. ‘‘The administration line, which unfortunately has been picked up in news accounts describing the farm bill controversy, is that the bill as passsed by the Senate would cost too much.’ But that argument is simply a straw man.” “In its presentation to the Senate Agriculture Committee, administration representatives time after time said that they were using figures based on the best possible weather and ttSi & A ► ► SPECIAL < < C. B. HOOBER & SON CONTACT Amos Gehman Seal Crete, lIMNOFFHZI RD2.Ephnb.PA 717459-1127 ovulation. The yellow W on the ovary governs th lenghth of heat penod l Cows do not necessam, come into heat at night 2 just that the most sig® 0 heat occur at that time, sav Schaefer. ’ ys disagrees the worst possible market conditions. Doing dramatically inflates the cost figures dhich have® relation to reality.” “Over the five year hied this bill it might h reasonable to believe that those conditions could prevail for perhaps one year out of the five. It is absurd to make decisions based on the historically inaccurati USDA predictions of yield and market conditions. “I am perfectly willing fe debate the merits of tlx Senate passed version of tlx Farm Bill. But that debit should be focused on reality It is safe to say th historically no agricultn support program has en reached the point i ‘maximum exposure”. KENDALLS MASTITIS TREATMENT “ *lO. 75 CARTON OF 12 CALL PARTS DEPT. (717)768-8231 INTERCOURSE, PENNR. (WESTON OFFICE! Box 365, MirfißSbßrf 114-7 W-3716 So!esnno n Inc.
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