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The herd at Tullamore Farm is 80% first-cross Limousin from the dairy herd. The reasoning behind this stems from Teagasc’s Derrypatrick herd, where this type of cow weans calves 31kg heavier than continental breeds, with the difference being maintained at slaughter as an 8kg increase in carcase weight.When assembling the herd, we worked from just seven source herds, with the bulk coming from a single herd in Limerick. The aim was to put together a high-index group of cows. This is important, as we will be selling all of the heifer progeny as bulling heifers in a special sale and buying in all of our own replacements.
The herd at Tullamore Farm is 80% first-cross Limousin from the dairy herd. The reasoning behind this stems from Teagasc’s Derrypatrick herd, where this type of cow weans calves 31kg heavier than continental breeds, with the difference being maintained at slaughter as an 8kg increase in carcase weight.
When assembling the herd, we worked from just seven source herds, with the bulk coming from a single herd in Limerick. The aim was to put together a high-index group of cows. This is important, as we will be selling all of the heifer progeny as bulling heifers in a special sale and buying in all of our own replacements.
The herd is in the top 1% for milk on the replacement index (10.2kg), but at the national average level for carcase weight (9kg). To give the herd a beef injection, we purchased two high-replacement index Limousin stock bulls with strong terminal characteristics – Tomriland Kestral and Newtown Luke 2. An Angus was bought for heifers (Doonowney Noel).
Given that the bulls came in relatively immature, AI was used for three weeks at the beginning for the breeding season to take the pressure off. During this period, 77% of eligible animals submitted for AI with a 65% conception rate among these.
Ulsan (SA) and Turbridmore Gizmo (AA) were used on heifers and Clondroon Calling (SI), Auroch Deteur (SI) and Castleview Gazelle (LM) on mature cows. Heat detection was carried out four times daily and AI once daily at lunch time.
Five repeats to one of the bulls raised the alarm earlier this month and the decision was taken to fertility-test both Limousin bulls. Both bulls returned poor results for semen motility and morphology. Both were semen-tested prior to purchase and had passed the pre-sale checks on scrotal circumference and fertility tests. One bull had served 19 cows in the month previous and the other 21 cows.
Bull disaster
The vet advised to stand the bulls off for five days and get them semen-tested again to see if the result changed. In the meantime, the two groups of cows were joined together and the Aberdeen Angus bull was put out with this large combined group. The third group of cows and heifers that was originally with the Angus bull was artificially inseminated to standing heat over that period.
The bulls were blood-sampled and tests came back clear for Johne’s disease, BVD and IBR; they were also OK for mineral status.
The two bulls were semen-tested again a week later and Tomriland Kestrel bull tested fertile (four out of five), while Newtown Luke 2 (pictured) returned another poor fertility test. The bull is insured under the Irish Limousin Cattle Society fertility insurance scheme.
Those cows served by the stock bulls and over 30 days in calf were also scanned. Eight cows were scanned in calf to Kestrel, while no cows were scanned in calf to Newtown Luke 2.
While we will take a hit with slipping cows, lighter weaning weights, more Angus progeny than budgeted for and an increased labour strain on farm manager Ger via more AI, things may have been much worse were it not for his vigilance.
The sheer number of proposals tightening controls on farms where significant or repeated TB breakdowns occur angered farmers at an ICMSA TB meeting in Gorey.
I would like to see the people who put in the hard work of breeding and calving cows getting well paid for it, because God knows we’ve done it long enough for nothing.
This is a subscriber-only article
Given that the bulls came in relatively immature, AI was used for three weeks at the beginning for the breeding season to take the pressure off. During this period, 77% of eligible animals submitted for AI with a 65% conception rate among these.
The two bulls were semen-tested again a week later and Tomriland Kestrel bull tested fertile (four out of five), while Newtown Luke 2 (pictured) returned another poor fertility test. The bull is insured under the Irish Limousin Cattle Society fertility insurance scheme.
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