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On suckler farms that operate autumn-calving herds over August to October, breeding will most likely have started in early November.
That means cows mated early this month will be coming up on the three weeks since they were served to AI or stock bull.
As such, pay close attention to cows for signs of repeat breeding activity over the next week within these animals.
The best time to observe heat activity tends to be early morning and late in the evening. Ideally, spend 20 to 30 minutes watching cows.
Heat aid
If you are under pressure for time and know which cows are coming up on their time to possibly repeat, mark these animals with some tail paint.
This will help to show up any animals that do come back in heat. Tail paint is relatively cheap and can be quickly applied to the tail head as cows stand at the feed rail eating fresh silage.
There will always be a few cows that repeat. But if big numbers are coming back in heat, then there is an underlying health or fertility issue that needs addressing immediately.
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