Catalina  Cabrera,  Un.  California-‐Davis   August  17,  2015  

2015  ARSBC,  UC-‐Davis   1  

Catalina Cabrera, DVM, MPVM

Timeline  to  pre-‐breeding      

1.  GeneDc  SelecDon  

2.  Fetal  programing    3.  Heifer  development    

4.  Heifer  selecDon    

How  many  heifers?    

extension.missouri.edu  

Cow  herd  culling  rate    

Calf  cropped  weaned  

%  Heifers  calves  needed  for  replacement  

100%  pregnant   90%  pregnant    15  percent   90  percent     33   37  

15  percent   85  percent     35   39  

15  percent   80  percent     37   41  

15  percent   75  percent     40   44  

20  percent   90  percent     44   49  

20  percent   85  percent     47   52  

20  percent   80  percent     50   55  

20  percent   75  percent     53   59  

25  percent   90  percent     56   61  

25  percent   85  percent     59   65  

25  percent   80  percent     63   69  

25  percent   75  percent     67   73  

Heifer  SelecDon  Weaning  •  Keep  10%  more  of  what  you  need  •  Phenotype:  

   Feminine  looking,  smooth,  well  balance      Pigmented  eyes  &  udder  

•  Records:      From  cows  with  good  udders    

     From  oldest  cows  

Heifer  SelecDon  Weaning  •  SELL:  

– Daughters  of  bad  cows  – Light  wean  weights,  big  birth  weights  &  6  frame  

– Youngest  (born  +45  d.  calving  )  – Those  that  have  received  growth  promoDng  implants  

 

Catalina  Cabrera,  Un.  California-‐Davis   August  17,  2015  

2015  ARSBC,  UC-‐Davis   2  

Heifer  SelecDon  Pre-‐breeding  •  Check  target  weight  (50-‐65%  of  mature  body  weight)  

•  Body  CondiDon  Score  (5,6/9)  •  Good  temperament    •  SelecDon  tools:  RTS,  Ovarian  Ultrasound,  pelvic  measurement  

 

Heifer  SelecDon  Pre-‐breeding  

ReproducDve  Tract  Scoring  

Score   Uterine  Horns   Ovaries    

1   Immature,  10mm  follicles  ;  possible  CL  

5   30mm  diameter,  no  tone   A  CL  present  

Heifer  SelecDon  Pre-‐breeding  

RTS    

GuDerrez  et  all,  Theriogenology,  2014  

Heifer  SelecDon  Pre-‐breeding  

Pelvic  measurement  

 

Heifer  SelecDon  Pre-‐breeding  Pre-‐breeding  ultrasound:              -‐Antral  follicle  count  is  greater  in  heifers  that  get  pregnant  in  the  first  21  days    

 Cushman  et  all,  2014  

•  2  weeks  before  cows  •  SynchronizaDon  and  arDficial  inseminaDon  

•  Sire  selecDon    •  Short  breeding  season  

•  Preg  check  and  sell    

Heifer  breeding  strategies.  

Catalina  Cabrera,  Un.  California-‐Davis   August  17,  2015  

2015  ARSBC,  UC-‐Davis   3  

Timeline  to  pre-‐breeding      

Calving     Preg  check  

Breeding  

OPEN  cows…  

•   Eat  for  FREE  !  •   Can  transmit  ferDlity    

problems  !  

v   IdenDfying  reproducDve  problems  

v   Maximizing  the  value  of  cull  cows  

v   Beker  ferDlity  in  future  years  

Preg  Check  OpDons  

•   PalpaDon  •   Ultrasound  

•   Blood  tests  

Condi;on  score  at  calving  4  5  6  7  

Number  of  cows  25  59  80  23  

%  pregnant  1st  20  days1  4  15  36  65  

%  pregnant  1st  60  days  24  51  69  87  

 1Days  of  breeding  season,  not  post-‐partum.  

Reasons  for  culling  cows  Reason Cows (%) Pregnancy status 33.0 Age/bad teeth 32.1 Economics 14.6 Other reproductive 3.9 Bad calves 3.6 Temperament 3.6 Physical soundness 2.9 Udder problem 2.7 Bad eyes 1.8 Respiratory 1.8 Other 1.8

From:  NAHMS  Beef  ‘08  

Catalina  Cabrera,  Un.  California-‐Davis   August  17,  2015  

2015  ARSBC,  UC-‐Davis   4  

The  Ideal  Cow  

v High  ferDlity  v Early  puberty  v Longevity  v Low  maintenance  v Calving  ease  v ProducDon  and  raising  of  healthy  calves  v Cows  must  maintain  their  BCS  v Must    not  be  crazy  

Herd  health  

Herd  health  •  PrevenDon    

– QuaranDne/tesDng  new  animals  – VaccinaDon  programs  – Biosecurity  plan  

•  DiagnosDcs  •  Treatment  •  Monitoring      

1.  Presence  of  the  parDcular  diseases  in  the  herd  

2.  Medical  and  economic  consequences  of  infecDon  

3.  Adverse  side  effects  associated  with  vaccinaDon  

4.  Vaccine  efficacy  

5.  Vaccine  cost  

Factors  to  consider  when  deciding  on  a  vaccinaDon  program  

•  The  disease  agent  is  killed  and  cannot  replicate  in  the  host  animal  –  Killed  virus  –  Killed  bacteria  (bacterin)  

•  Requires  an  adjuvant  to  produce  a  strong  immune  response  •  Advantage:  Will  not  become  virulent  and  cause  disease  

–  Already  prepared  (stable  storage)  •  Disadvantage:  Adjuvant  may  cause  adverse  effects  

–  Shorter-‐lived  immunity    

InacDvated/Killed  Vaccines  

The  organism  is  akenuated,  replicates  and  creates  an  immune  response  in  the  host  animal    •  Advantages:  Fewer  adverse  reacDons  when  used  properly  

–  Longer-‐lived  immunity  than  killed  vaccines    

•  Disadvantages:    –  Requires  proper  storage  and  mixing  at  the  Dme  of  use  –  DO  NOT  GIVE  TO  PREGNANT  ANIMALS  –  Unless  they  were  properly  vaccinated  with  that  vaccine  pre-‐breeding  

Modified  Live/Akenuated  Vaccines  

Catalina  Cabrera,  Un.  California-‐Davis   August  17,  2015  

2015  ARSBC,  UC-‐Davis   5  

Brucella        Recommended  between  4-‐12  month  (females)  IBR            Recommended    Annual  (killed  or  intranasal)      BVD            Recommended    Annual      PI3            Recommended    Annual      BRSV          Recommended    Annual      Leptospirosis  (5-‐Way)    Recommended    Annual  (every  3  to  6  m  in  some  areas)    Vibriosis          Recommended    Annual  (30  to  60  days  before  breeding)      Trichomoniosis    OpDonal      Annual  (30  to  60  days  before  breeding)    Pink  eye        OpDonal      As  needed    Blackleg  7  way      OpDonal      Annual  Anthrax        OpDonal      As  directed    

   

VaccinaDon  •  Calves  •  Pre-‐Weaning  •  Pre-‐Breeding    •  Pre-‐Calving  

QuesDons