Allison Hahn

You might be using tail paint or chalk in your breeding program for several reasons. “It’s cheap.” “It’s what my neighbors do.” Or maybe, “It’s what my A.I. company prefers.” Tail paint is better than nothing, but that doesn’t make it the best tool to get heifers and cows pregnant.

Even in harder years, the best farmers recognize that breeding the next generation of money-makers is not a good place to save a few dollars. That doesn’t mean doing the same things you’ve always done; it means continuing your commitment to your future herd by looking at how you’re making mating decisions and whether you can make it easier and more profitable for the same money.

Will the sun soon set on heat-detecting tail paint? Certainly the technology for heat detection is evolving, says CRV Ambreed.

Sound planning and simple strategies will help dairy farmers achieve their objectives on calving patterns, and get good quality heifer replacements, says CRV AmBreed.

Pre-mating heat detection can improve mating season success and help everyone brush up on their heat detection skills, says CRV AmBreed

What does profitable dairying mean to you? Each farm owner, manager or sharemilker will answer this question differently: milk solids in the vat, cows in calf, high-value progeny, longevity, cull value, easy-manage cows and more.