Breeder management and pregnancy testing workshop

BY popular demand, veterinarian Ian Braithwaite returns to the BBB in March to run a breeder management workshop.

Numbers are limited so register now with a LDC grazing support officer.

When: 9-10 March

Where:  To be confirmed. A grazing support officer will send details once confirmed.

The two-day 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; and
    • identification of reasons behind low reproduction rates (bull performance, female nutritional inadequacies, untreated diseases in mobs, or solely unproductive individual females).
  • separation of groups of females calving at the same time:
    • sale of under-performing cattle if a shortage of grass is predicted; and
    • targeted mob supplement program specific to nutritional needs (rather than blanket supplementation).

The Breeder Management and Pregnancy Testing workshop is part of an integrated program that the LDC Grazier Support Program is delivering throughout 2020.

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