Dairy herd fertility is a major concern for dairy producers, and it’s important to know the factors that can affect cow fertility and how to identify them. This article provides some tips on how to improve dairy fertility in your herd. And one of many that we offer to help dairy farmers understand how to keep dairy cows profitable over the long term.
If you need further support, Douglas Green Consulting is your number one choice when it comes to needing support from independent dairy farm consultants. Call 01666 817278 today to see how we can help.
First of all, let’s understand what causes low dairy herd fertility.
There are three main factors that cause low fertility in dairy herds. These are:
- - Poor nutrition
- - Poor reproductive management
- - Disease and illness
The first step to increasing dairy cow fertility is to identify the causes of low fertility and then implement appropriate management practices.
Here are some tips to follow to help increase cow's fertility:
Monitor the reproductive cycle of your cows
Checking their reproductive cycle can help identify any potential issues, and this can be done by collecting data in areas such as estrus behaviour and their vulva condition.
Evaluate overall cow health
As well as their reproductive cycle, it’s important to regularly check the overall status of their health to identify any issues, including potential issues.
This should be done by checking their physical condition regularly as well as assessing their overall milk production.
Provide high-quality feed
As mentioned earlier, good nutrition is important. Which is one of the ways to increase a cow's fertility, as well as making sure to provide a balanced and healthy nutritional diet for the herd that includes adequate protein levels.
Provide an optimal living environment
Another way to increase herd fertility is by improving the surrounding area where cows live.
An optimal, healthy environment improves the happiness and well-being of cows - and it reduces any potential stress levels that can impact fertility.
The net result of a better environment for cows is better dairy fertility.
The best way to do this is by providing cows with an environment that has good ventilation and that’s clean. This also helps to reduce the risk of viruses.
Consider using supplements
Nutritional supplements such as vitamin E or selenium help to improve the overall health of the herd and should be used when possible.
At Douglas Green dairy farm consultants, we care about the success of dairy farms, and we work closely with farms across the country to ensure that they know how to keep dairy cows profitable.
If you would like support with your farm, let’s have a chat. Contact our Farm consultants today.