Cattle

Estrus monitoring to maximise success in cattle breeding

Monitoring estrus intensity in cattle helps optimise reproduction and can be done efficiently with visual estrus detection aids. (Image source: ESTROTECT)

Although all estrus cycles are not the same for individual females within a herd, it is one of the most important indicators of whether a cow or heifer will be successfully bred

Animal reproduction professor at the University of British Columbia in Canada, Ronaldo Cerri, PhD is carrying out research work to improve cattle fertility by identifying which cows and heifers are the best candidates to breed using tactics like artificial insemination (AI) and embryo transfer (ET), with estrus intensity as the deciding factor.

Cattle have typical baseline activity when they aren’t in estrus. When they start to enter estrus, their activity rises as the intensity of the estrus increases. Pinpointing when estrus is about to peak is crucial to a successful pregnancy.

After analysing extensive data from estrus detection sensors, Cerri and other researchers have pinpointed patterns based on what’s occurring during estrus. Cows exhibiting low estrus intensity tend to have lower concentrations of progesterone during the growth of the ovulatory follicle and fail to ovulate more often than those with high estrus intensity. Similarly, ET recipients that show high estrus intensity have more consistent pregnancy results.

“The patterns are very consistent in many of the studies we do,” said Cerri. “Cows with lower estrus intensity always display less physical activity, but they also have lower pregnancy rates. On the flip side, cows with high estrus intensity display more activity and have higher pregnancy rates.”

Evaluating estrus intensity

Using heat detection tools to evaluate estrus intensity can help to pick and choose which cows are the best candidates to breed at a particular time. While implementing a mass breeding protocol, offers the option to use estrus intensity to direct choices on what type of genetics to use.

With breeding indicator patches, estrus can be monitored by looking for patches that have 50% or more of the surface ink rubbed off as being in high estrus intensity and are ready to breed. Females with less than 50% of the surface ink rubbed off are in low estrus intensity and could be bred with lower-cost genetics or bred later when they have reached high estrus intensity.

With millions of units sold around the world, the ESTROTECT Breeding Indicator is the industry standard for optimising cattle breeding efficiency and economics which has been tested in a multitude of university studies by researchers.

Regen Dairy Project launches report at 2024 Regenerative Agriculture Summit

The report considers current global food systems and their associated problems, focusing on dairy as a sector willing and able to change. (Image source: Regen Dairy Project)

The Regen Dairy Project launched its 'Let’s Get Serious About Making Dairy Regenerative' report at the recently held 2024 Regenerative Agriculture Summit Europe

With little research done on regenerative dairy to date or a clear vision on the transition required by all those in the supply chain and at scale, the Regen Dairy Project is defining a clear roadmap towards a positive food system for people, animals and the planet. The report considers current global food systems and their associated problems, focusing on dairy as a sector willing and able to change.

Having taken a farmer-centric approach to understanding regenerative dairy, the report outlines recommendations for transition and suggested actions for all those involved - including often overlooked stakeholders such as banks and lenders, media and wider society.

“We believe regenerative dairying can play a significant role in tackling important environmental challenges, as well as combating critical issues facing humanity, like human health, environmental degradation, animal welfare, and water use," said CEO of FAI Farms, Øistein Thorsen. "And all while producing the nutritious food needed to feed a growing global population and helping farmers stay profitable.”

He also concluded by saying that rather than telling farmers what to do, the report focused more about achieving change in a food system, which is often considered complex since it requires input and action from everyone. "We are all responsible for educating ourselves on what regenerative agriculture is and the benefits it provides, and for many this could include a shift in mindset. We are excited to see what can be achieved,” Thorsen said.

Rwanda and IFAD step up investments in sustainable and productive food systems

Official launch of Rwanda Dairy Development Project (RDDP) phase II

IFAD and the Government of Rwanda are launching the RDDP Phase II. (Image source: IFAD)

With adaptation finance needs estimated at about US$50bn a year for Sub-Saharan Africa, the UN’s International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Government of Rwanda are playing their part by launching the Rwanda Dairy Development Project (RDDP) phase II

Building on the successes of the previous phase, the US$100.37mn project will scale up sustainable interventions along the dairy value chain that improves efficiencies, access to markets, nutrition, increase productivity and reduce poverty for rural poor households in 27 districts in Rwanda over the next six years.

The dairy sector in the country has grown significantly over the years with milk production increasing nine-fold, shifting the country from a milk importer to becoming selfsufficient. To address the low milk production, RDDP phase II will encourage farmers to adopt zero grazing and replace the local breeds with improved breeds that produce more milk reducing the need to keep many cows.

To sustain the increased production, the project will support farmers establish mixed pastures intercropping fodder and food crops, increase access to water by promoting water harvesting at household level and bring extension services closer to the farmers. Also, to address the loss of money along the dairy value chain from production to consumption, the project will build the capacities of small-scale farmers to transport milk to collection centres, strengthen capacities of dairy cooperatives, leverage renewable energy and promote local smallscale milk processing.

Collaboration to enable forage analyses optimisation

Collaboration to optimise feed efficiency

Collaboration of Eurofins Agro Testing and trinamiX. (Image source: trinamiX)

Renowned laboratory, Eurofins Agro Testing Wageningen has announced its collaboration with trinamiX to enable the optimisation of forage analyses without sending samples to a laboratory

The partnership brings together Eurofins Agro Testing’s expertise in state-of-the-art analysis, their global network of laboratories and extensive knowledge of the agri-food industry with trinamiX’s technology to offer on-the-spot analytics in a fraction of the time it takes for a traditional sample to be analysed.

The collaboration is set to revolutionise the way feed suppliers, nutritionists, and farmers capture feed data to enable more accurate nutrition management. Bringing trinamiX’s technology and Eurofins Agro Testing’s analysis together in this partnership is set to provide high quality analysis with the flexibility to provide data and insight anywhere in the world.

Hans Martin, managing director of Eurofins Agro Testing Wageningen, emphasises that its customers rely on best-in-class laboratory services to run their businesses profitably and sustainably. Combining this analytical data with trinamiX’s technology is the best way for the industry to improve livestock health and productivity.

Further details of the partnership will be will be revealed at EuroTier 2024 taking place from 12-15 November in Hannover.

Rumin8 announces positive results obtained from investigational feed additive studies

Rumin8 announced interesting results from cattle trials of its investigational methane reducing feed additive involving 92 head of cattle, which recorded reductions of methane intensity of up to 86%, along with weight gains ranging 8.4-12.5% higher than control groups that were fed the same base ration

Studies mostly comprised a combination of feedlot and grazing productions systems. In the first study, 24 animals underwent three treatments for a duration of 12 weeks. Liveweights were measured weekly and animals were group housed, but fed individually. The second study comprised 20 animals that were subjected to four treatments for a duration of 77 days, while the third study comprised 48 animals that were subjected to three treatments in a grazing system for a duration of 130 days.

Analysis of these three cattle trials showed that cattle produced less methane and gained more weight each day, on average, when fed Rumin8’s development stage methane reducing feed additive. These recent results were released at the Breakthrough Energy 2024 Summit in London. In its quest to use a pharmaceutical approach to creating affordable feed and water supplements that reduce methane emissions from livestock and improve productivity, Breakthrough Energy Ventures has been a cornerstone investor in Rumin8.

“Weight gains are pivotal for the commercial adoption of methane reducing feed and water additives in the cattle industry,” said Rumin8 CEO, David Messina. “At the very least those weight gains have the potential to offset some of the cost of these additives, all while helping the planet. While our number one focus remains on reducing methane production to address the critical climate risk that this gas presents, we are particularly interested in these initial weight gain figures, because productivity improvements are of high interest to farmers.”

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