A24-Umcaster Farming, Saturday, October 28,1989
m
Breeding Heifers
Artificially Is
Profitable
On many dairy farms, first calf
heifers make up 30% or more of
the milking held. Because of this,
they are a major source of replace
ments for the herd.
The younger, non-lactating
heifers, if they are the offspring of
good genetic matings, are die most
superior animals on the farm -
even if they are not yet producing
milk.
Heifers are also the most fertile
animals on the farm. They have
the potential to give the highest
conception rates on expensive
semen from good bulls.
For these reasons, heifers
should be bred to the same good --
or better ~ A.I. proven bulls that
you would consider using on your
better cows.
Another argument for using
good A.I. bulls over herd sires is
that A.I. sires undergo some very
intense mating, selecting and test
ing procedures. Because of this,
their daughters produce an aver
age of about 1175 pounds more
milk per year than daughters from
non-A.I. herd bulls.
By using good, A.I. proven
bulls you are more sure of the
genetics that will be transmitted to
the offspring, and of the fertility of
the bull. There is also less risk of
spreading infection with A. 1., and
less risk of being injured by a bull.
Because of the risk of spreading
Daily
Pipeline
By
Glenn A. Shirk
Extension
Dairy
Agent
infection it is not advisable to use
a cleanup bull to settle non
breeders. The reason some cows
don’t breed may be due to i ’Ac
tion, and the bull could spread that
infection to other cows, which
could make a bad breeding prob
lem even worse.
What kind of bull should you
use on your heifers? Personal pre
ferences will play a large part in
many cases. In some cases you
may want to select bulls that help
build strong pedigrees. In other
cases you may prefer high PTA
(formerly high PD) bulls that also
have a history of siring smaller
calves or have the potential to cor
rect certain type traits. A portion
of the herd could -- and should -
be bred to unproven young sires
that are being sampled by A.I.
units.
Because of all the special mat
ings and intense screening under
gone by most young sires, they
almost certainly will become
some of our best bulls of tomor
row - even though they are not
yet proven nor inactive service.
Sampling these young sires now,
gives you a headstart on the better
now, gives you a headstart on the
better genetics of tomorrow.
Remember too, chances are, the
poorest of these young sires is
probably as good as the average
A.I. bull in active service today.
Earlier, I compared the super
iority of A.I. proven bulls (all
ages) to non-A.I. herd bulls. The
same advantage exists with young
sample sires, as shown by 1988
USDA-DHIA genetic evaluations.
The PD$ of first evaluation A.I.
bulls was $5O compared to a nega
tive $5 for non-A.I. bulls. That’s a
$55 advantage for using young
sample sires. The difference
would be even greater if high PD
proven bulls were used
It goes without saying that if
heifers are bred to good A.I.
proven bulls, or to some young
sample sires, they need to be well
managed in order for their inher
ited genetics to have the opportun
ity to express itself and for you to
have the opportunity to cash in on
what the good genetics have to
offer. That means heifers need to
be healthy, well fed ~ not fat -
and properly housed.
Recently, I had the opportunity
to observe some severely
damaged lung tissue of a young
poor doing goat that probably had
a bout with respiratory problems
earlier in its life. Its lungs woe
scarred beyond repair and the poor
critter would have suffered from
his lung damage the rest of its life.
The same can happen to a calf,
and in spite of the good genetics it
inherited - and the good semen
you bought - it will never be able
to reach its true genetic potential.
A similar thing can happen to
the udders of heifers if you get
them too fat between puberty and
breeding age - between 7-15
months of age. Excess energy at
this stage of life encourages the
calf to lay down fatty tissue in the p
udder and prevents the develop
ment of secretory tissue. This can
cut first lactation production by
1500 pounds or more, and some
people believe production is
reduced in future lactations as
well.
The point is, breed your heifers
well agd then manage them well
so as not to put a lid on their
potential performance.
The next challenge is to catch
the heifers in heat, to restrain them
without too much excitement so
you can examine them, inseminate
them and treat them. Hopefully,
they will have conceived, and will
deliver a healthy calf.
If heat detection is a problem,
consider heat synchronization as a
If V
A\s)
l»F
CHIMNEY PROBLEMS?
Inflated
Pneui
Supaform
Supaflu
Pumped
Supalorm
Spacers
method for concentrating your conception,
efforts - and excitement - into a Well-bred heifers are your best
smaller block of time, for better ' animals on the farm - your here of
detection and more precise timing tomorrow. Treat them as such for
of insemination. Needless to say, your sake, and for theirs,
good restraint facilities will make The Cooperative Extension is
your job much easier; they will an affirmative action, equal
also keep heifers quieter, thereby opportunity educational
improving the opportunity for institution.
Meeting To Discuss
Current Feed Situation
LANCASTER (Lancaster Co.)
Feed quality and quantity has
been drastically affected by the
unusual growing conditions of
1989, crop diseases, weed infesta
tion, weather damage and maturi
ty. Farmers are already feeling the
impact of this and are finding it
more difficult to sustain milk flow.
Many farmers are going into the
winter with little to no hay in stor
age and the hay that is available is
high priced and lower in quality.
These conditions will dictate the
need for some major adjustments
in dairy rations.
A meeting has been set for
November 2, 1989, 7 p.m. at the
New Hollard Auction Center (the
new facility behind the fence and
across Jackson Street from the
New Holland Sales Stables) to dis
cuss the impact conditions will
have on the way dairy farmers
feed.
Dairymen and all those who
assist dairymen in balancing feed
$B.OO PER BU. OFFE
FOR SOYBEANS
if they pass our low-toxin test.
ALSO PREMIUM PRICES FOR CORN, HAY and other livestock
feed.
WHY? IT IS VERY SIMPLE. IT IS WORTH MUCH MORE. That kind Is i
usually rich In minerals and trace elements because non toxic. •
feed was usually grown with good organic mineralized fertlliz-.
er like ours which produces from 70 to 90 bu. soybeans per A,,
100 to 160 bu. spletz, and has reached 250 to 300 bu. corn per
acre, all with low input farming and some of it was without'
herbicides. w
Using such feed, the livestock do better in both health and'
production, and it takes less bought minerals because the ‘
minerals are in the crops in better balance than high priced
bought minerals because the creator knows better than
man. . . /
Smart livestock farmers really want this feed which makes
the price high. We have the buyers.
SAME IS TRUE WITH PRODUCE. The demand is growing fast,
even by chain stores, because housewives are sick and tired
of being sick and tired including their family.
Apply our fertilizer and soil conditioner in the fall to have
more time for conditioning. It doesn't dissapate. Free
literature.
ORGANIC CENTER
217 S. Railroad Ave.. New Holland, PA 17557
PH. 71^-354-7064
Call 7:30 a.m. to maybe an hour later.
H National Supaflu System* Inc
P.O Bm M. Walta* latwtrial Park
WalftM. NY IMM W7>M*-7tM
Supaflu Pump
rations are invited to attend the
meeting. Speaking on the current
feed situation will be Eh-. Richard
Adams of Penn State, and Glenn
Shirk, Dairy Extension Agent.
Discussion will be open to all who
attend.
Discontinued
The “Insights” newsletter put
out by the American Sheep Indus
try Association has been discon
tinued. A new weekly market
newsletter will be available to
sheep producers for $25 per year.
Four sample newsletters will be
sent for review. Producers will
receive industry and association
news through the monthly
“National Wool Grower” maga
zine, which is free to members of
federated state sheep
organizations.
Supaflu Fights Hot Chimney
Fires Before They Begin.
Creosote build-up, cracked chimney tiles, decaying
mortar and hot trapped gasses. This is the way
dangerous and damaging chimney flres start. A
trained Supaflu chimney professional can spot these
hazards in a hurry and take care of them almost as
fast. A fast and inexpensive cast-in-place Supaflu in
stallation makes your chimney better than new,
safer than new. A smooth, strong Supaflu lined
chimney fights creosote build-up and eliminates hot
trapped gases, reducing chimney fire
dangers.
BORDER CONSTRUCTION
RD#l Box 83 • Fawn Grove, PA 17321
Authorized Supaflu Installer Serving Southern York
and Southern Lancaster Counties and Cecil County, MD
CALL (717) 382-49 P"
“Insights”
RED