New and improved technology has made these assay tests both reliable, and user friendly by providing quick results. As U.S. herd sizes keep growing and our heat detection rates continue to be less than adequate, overall herd fertility continues to suffer. To improve the situation, we should take another look at the cowside milk progesterone test as an accurate aid for estrus detection.
Progesterone is a cyclical hormone.
By using an MPA, we can pinpoint the time of estrus and plan insemination. This particular technology could be used successfully to improve dairy cattle fertility in the U.S. and Canada. S everal dairy herds in the UK are successfully using this technology to maintain high fertility rates. To see first hand how this technology can be implemented, I visited the United Kingdom last fall. A.I. T o correctly time A.I., they are using alternate day milk sampling for progesterone to identify the time of insemination.