What to review after mating
Welcome to Day 7, the final day of our seven-day series on better mating results. We have looked at cow condition, heat detection, technology, bull management, nutrition, trace elements and reducing empty rates. Today, we look at what happens after mating, because the end of one breeding season is the beginning of planning for the next.
Don't pack away the lessons with the mating gear
Once mating has finished, it is tempting to move straight on to the next job.
However, the period after mating provides one of the best opportunities to assess what worked, what did not and where changes could improve reproductive performance next season.
The information gathered throughout mating, combined with pregnancy diagnosis and final reproductive results, can tell farmers far more than simply how many cows are in calf.
The real value comes from asking why the results occurred.
“A mating season should not simply produce a result. It should produce information that helps make the next season better.”
Start with the numbers
The first step is to look at the overall reproductive performance of the herd.
Submission rate, conception performance, six-week in-calf rate, final empty rate and the timing of pregnancies can all provide useful information about how the mating programme performed.
Looking at the overall result is important, but it should not be the only analysis.
A good herd result can still hide individual groups that struggled, while a disappointing overall result may have been caused by one specific issue rather than a problem across the entire herd.
Look at the calving spread
The timing of pregnancies can provide another useful measure.
A concentrated calving pattern can help create a more manageable workload and make better use of the farm's feed supply. If cows are conceiving later than expected, the impact may continue into the following season through a later calving date and potentially a shorter opportunity to get those cows back in calf.
Reviewing the spread of calving dates can therefore help farmers understand whether mating timing and reproductive performance are supporting the farm's wider system.
Photo Dianna Malcolm
Look for patterns between groups
Break the results down where the information allows.
First-calvers may have performed differently from mature cows. Cows that calved early may have produced different results from later-calving cows. Particular mobs, age groups or management groups may also show different reproductive outcomes.
These patterns can be extremely useful.
If one group consistently performs below the herd average, it creates a starting point for investigation. Was condition lower? Was feed supply different? Were heats more difficult to detect? Were there health issues?
The numbers do not always provide the answer, but they can tell you where to look.
Review the cows that were empty
An empty cow represents more than a number on a report.
Look back at the individual cow where records allow. Consider her calving date, body condition, health history, heat detection, mating history and previous reproductive performance.
Some empty cows will simply be individual reproductive failures, but patterns can emerge when enough information is reviewed.
If several empty cows share similar characteristics, that may point towards an underlying management issue worth addressing before the next mating period.
Review heat detection
The end of mating is also a good time to assess how well heat detection worked.
Were there unexpected return heats? Were there cows that appeared to have been missed? Did activity monitoring identify cows that would otherwise have gone unnoticed? Were there periods when heat detection became more difficult because of weather, staffing or workload?
These questions can help determine whether changes are needed before the next breeding season.
Technology records can be particularly useful here because they can provide another perspective on what was happening within the herd.
Photo Dianna Malcolm
Review bull performance
Natural mating systems should also include a review of the bull team.
Consider which bulls were used, whether any required intervention, whether there were injuries or mobility problems and whether any bulls appeared to struggle with their workload.
Pregnancy results can sometimes highlight areas that warrant further investigation, particularly where one mating group performed differently from another.
Good bull records can therefore become part of the bigger reproductive picture rather than sitting separately from the cow records.
Review nutrition and condition
What did the cows look like going into mating, and how did that compare with the result?
If cows entered mating in poorer condition than planned, ask why. Was pasture supply limiting? Was demand higher than expected? Did certain groups struggle more than others?
Likewise, if cows entered mating in good condition and reproductive performance was strong, identify what contributed to that outcome.
The objective is not simply to record what happened. It is to understand the management decisions behind the result.
Turn the review into action
A review is only valuable if something changes as a result.
The end of mating is an ideal time to record the key lessons while they are still fresh. Decide which areas need attention before the next calving season and which need to be monitored during the lead-up to the next mating period.
Some changes may be straightforward. Others may require more planning, discussion or professional advice.
The important thing is to avoid putting the lessons aside until mating comes around again.
By then, the reasons behind the previous season's results can be much harder to remember.
Build next season from this season
Better mating results rarely come from one major change.
They are usually built through a series of small improvements: cows entering mating in appropriate condition, good nutrition, accurate heat detection, effective bull management, timely intervention and careful review afterwards.
The end of mating provides the opportunity to connect all those pieces.
If something worked particularly well, understand why and consider how it can be repeated. If something fell short, identify the earliest point where the problem may have started.
That is how reproductive management moves from simply reacting to results to actively improving them.
After mating, take the time to review more than the final empty rate. Look at submission, conception, calving spread, cow groups, individual empty cows, heat detection, bull performance, body condition and nutrition.
Use the information to identify patterns and turn those patterns into practical actions for the next season.
Most importantly, do the review while the mating period is still fresh. The questions asked after one season can become some of the most valuable preparation for the next.
Photo Dianna Malcolm
That's a wrap
And that brings us to the end of our seven-day series on better mating results.
From getting cows into the right condition and recognising heats, through to technology, bulls, nutrition, empty rates and reviewing the final results, successful mating is ultimately about bringing many parts of the farm system together.
There is no single magic answer to better reproductive performance. It is the consistency of good management, close observation and timely decision-making that can make the difference.
Thank you for joining us for the series. We hope it has provided some useful ideas to take back to the cowshed, the paddock and the farm office as you prepare for the next mating season.