Getting more cows in calf with AHV

New Zealand’s seasonal calving system is highly dependent upon a compact calving and mating period to align milk production with availability of grass. Waikato dairy farmer, Bruce Bayes, has found a new tool to condense his calving pattern with AHV. Results from the 22/23 season show that his tail end cows got in calf one week earlier.

Lyn and Bruce Bayes milk 500 Holstein Friesian cows on their 200 hectare farm in Horahora. They have a large focus on animal health and welfare and this comes through in their production. They start calving early July for their spring calving herd. They have 3 full time staff and know their calves are their future cows, so they treat them very well.

After some promising results during the spring with AHV Udder Health protocol, AHV NZ’s Managing Director, Janneke van Wagtendonk identified other areas of benefit to the Bayes farm. Getting cows in calf was the top priority. The last 60 cows to calve were given AHV Opti Bolus and AHV Milk Start Paste directly after calving.

The results speak for themselves

“Those last 60 cows, we only had 6 turn up empty when we pregnancy checked, a 10% empty rate,” Bruce said. “Normally I would have expected 15 to 20 empties from the late cows as they only have one shot at getting back in calf.”

Janneke explains, “cows given Opti Bolus and Milk Start Paste are naturally supported to start their lactation with less uterine health and energy challenges. Our data shows these cows begin cycling 36 days earlier than their herdmates, giving them more opportunities to get in calf, proactively supporting their fertility.”

AHV’s proactive fertility protocol helped to get more cows in calf; and in calf one week earlier on average.

For the season ahead, Bruce will be giving the entire herd the Opti Bolus and Milk Start Paste to give the herd a better start to fertility.

“I see this as an opportunity to get more cows in calf, tighten my calving pattern and a few more days of milk in the next lactation,” Bruce states.

“These fantastic results demonstrate what we have to offer NZ farmers. We know the top reason cows leave the herd is due to being empty. AHV has solutions to keep your cows in the herd longer, leading to more productivity and profitability,” Janneke emphasizes.

AHV (Animal Health Vision) is the global leader in quorum sensing-powered animal health solutions and advisory services, giving #PowerToTheFarmer to optimise their animal health. Since opening in New Zealand February 2022, AHV has tailored a range of protocols to New Zealand farming challenges to power herd longevity, productivity and profitability. Reach out to your local Territory Manager or call AHV New Zealand at 0800 424 869 to learn more about how AHV can support your farm.