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In suckler herds that generally calve from August to October, the breeding season should be nearing an end.
Cows calving in late summer to early autumn should be settled in-calf by this stage.
As such, give thought to scanning these animals in the coming weeks.
Scanning can be safely and accurately carried out around 40 to 60 days post-service. Going into late January, this should apply to cows served in November and early December.
Technicians can also identify the sex of the calf and, again, the accuracy of this task is increased when scanning is completed around 60 days post-service.
Cull options
With a red-hot beef trade at present, there are greater options open to farmers on cows that scan empty. In most instances, it will only be a handful of cows that do not go back in-calf.
Cows scanning empty can be fed hard and weaned early, before offloading through the mart or sold for direct slaughter later this spring.
Separating these cows out from the main herd allows higher levels of concentrate to be offered, encouraging animals to gain condition.
The calves being reared by empty cows can also have meal levels increased, preparing them for weaning in early spring.
Bear in mind that an August- or September-born calf is likely to be seven months of age by March and at a suitable liveweight for weaning.
If there is a genuine reason for cows not to be in-calf, there is the option to slip these animals into a spring-calving herd. But at current market prices, culling may still be the most profitable option.
SHARING OPTIONS: