There are very few farms that could not reduce the average days in milk and culling rate by spending a little more time and effort on heat detection. Cows should be observed at times and at a location where they are likely to express estrus. Establish a hormone program to induce estrus in cows not detected by 60 days in milk. Breeding wheels, calendars, and heat expectancy charts are inexpensive and effective tools. Cows in heat and cows that will be in heat in the next 48 hours commonly congregate together.
Cows usually alter their normal routine of behavior when approaching heat.
Trimming hoofs on a regular basis and treating infected or sore feet as soon as possible is important. Pedometer based systems and the HeatWatch electronic heat detection system requires management decisions on suspect cows and interpretation of information for timely insemination. To achieve accurate and efficient heat detection requires extra effort and organization, it doesn't just happen. Dairy Pipeline, Ray Nebel, Blacksburg, VA Health Management Reasons for treatment failures Mastitis results when bacteria penetrate teat duct keratin, overcome the defenses in milk, and multiply within the gland. The establishment of an infection is greatly influenced by the interaction of bacteria with milk leukocytes.