Dr Ian Braithwaite

Breeder management and pregnancy testing workshop

  • 12-13 June
  • Glenden Station, Glenden
  • Register now, limited spots
  • Accommodation available in Glenden township
  • A second workshop will be available later this year
  • For more information and to register contact Brendan Smith on brendan.smith@nqdrytropics.com.au or on M: 0417 408 587

The workshop will focus on the theoretical and practical skills of pregnancy testing and foetal ageing in cattle, and will focus on how to integrate the learned skills and information into decision making practices to increase livestock efficiency and performance, business profitability and landscape resilience.

After this workshop, graziers will have the skills to readily identify highly productive females within the herd and retain ideal breeders and offspring for future replacement heifer selection.

Other uses for skills gained include:

  • Early detection of non-pregnant heifers and breeders, allowing for informed decisions on retention or culling of animals from herd
  • Early detection of some reproductive abnormalities
  • Real data on herd performance
    • Individual animal, group and herd conception rates
    • Death rates between mating and weaning
    • Accurately predict the size of the herd each season, and match actual stocking rate to available pasture
    • Identification of reasons behind low reproduction rates (bull performance, female nutritional inadequacies and/or untreated diseases in mobs, or solely unproductive individual females)
  • Separation of groups of females calving at the same time
    • Sale of underperforming cattle if a shortage of grass is predicted
    • Targeted mob supplement program specific to nutritional needs (rather than blanket supplementation)

The video below, produced by Farm Advisor, shows Dr Ian Braithwaite outlining how to optimise a beef production business plan and avoiding having an unbalanced business in terms of farming assets.

Integrated grazier support program

The Breeder Management and Pregnancy Testing workshop is part of an integrated program that the LDC Grazier Support Program is delivering throughout 2019.

The program offers BBB catchment-wide preg-testing, conducted by recognised practitioners.  Any property within the BBB is encouraged to participate. The first 500 cows will be free of charge.

Conditions will apply and participants will also be required to undertake a Herd Management Plan with an approved consultant of their choosing.