Making The Most of PD Results – Autumn Calving

PDing an autumn calving herd at turnout (providing bulls have been away from the cows for at least five weeks) can give valuable management information eg –

• Predicted calving dates for next autumn allowing cows to be managed, weaned, grouped accordingly.
• Identifies barren cows which can be run as a separate group or even weaned now so they can be finished and sold ASAP.
• Identify how well individual bulls have been working ie how quickly they got cows pregnant. Units which also run a spring calving herd then can get questionable bulls rechecked and if necessary replaced before mating starts in the spring herd.

Basil Lowman, basil.lowman@sac.co.uk