Whether you’re running a stud or a commercial beef operation, the core practices for a successful joining period are consistent across the board. While the scale of operations might differ, particularly regarding the number of cows and the use of AI (artificial insemination), attention to detail and proper care of both Angus bulls and females are crucial for ensuring a successful breeding season.
Here’s an overview of practices we use at Te Mania Angus that can help you through this critical period.
Genetics
Optimising joining results starts with aligning your breeding objectives to Angus bull selection. When selecting Angus bulls, it’s crucial to consider traits that directly impact fertility and overall reproductive performance. In addition to gestation length, other key fertility traits include:
- Gestation Length EBV: This EBV measures the genetic potential for the length of pregnancy. Lower values indicate shorter gestation periods, which can lead to easier calvings and tighter calving intervals. Example: A bull with a gestation length EBV of -4.0 days is expected to produce calves that are born 4 days earlier than the breed average. This shorter gestation reduces the risk of large birth weights, helps prevent calving difficulties, and allows cows to return to cycling sooner.
- Scrotal Size EBV: This EBV estimates the genetic potential for scrotal circumference in bulls, measured in centimetres. Larger scrotal circumference is associated with higher fertility and earlier puberty in the bull’s male and female offspring. Example: On average, a bull with a scrotal size EBV of +3.0 cm is expected to have sons with scrotal circumferences 3 cm larger than those of a bull with an EBV of 0. This larger size is also linked to daughters who reach puberty earlier, enhancing their fertility and breeding potential.
- Days to Calving EBV: This EBV reflects the genetic influence on the time between the start of the breeding season and calving. Lower values indicate shorter periods, suggesting quicker conceptions and improved reproductive efficiency. Example: A bull with a days to calving EBV of -5.0 days indicates that, on average, his daughters will calve 5 days earlier than the daughters of a bull with an EBV of 0. This reduces the calving interval, allowing for more consistent annual calving and enhancing herd productivity.
By carefully selecting bulls with these fertility traits in mind, you can improve not only the immediate joining outcomes but also the long-term reproductive success of your herd. At Te Mania Angus, we strongly emphasise Angus genetics that support fertility, ensuring our Angus breeding programs produce high-performing, fertile cattle for generations to come.
Pre-Joining Preparations
One of the most important steps before the joining season is ensuring your bulls are in top health. A vet check is essential to confirm their fertility and physical soundness. Keep in mind that joining puts physical demands on your bulls, so they need to be in good condition before entering the paddock.
Once the bulls are out with the cows, observe them closely for the first two weeks. This is a key period where issues can arise, such as penile irritation or a loss of sensation, which may prevent effective mating. Signs to watch out for include excessive mounting without actual serving. Early detection of these problems can help you address them before they affect your Angus breeding programs.
Key Monitoring Periods
While Angus bulls require close observation during the first two weeks, the cows need particular attention in weeks three and four of joining. If cows are still cycling after this period, there may be an issue with the bull’s fertility, even if he appears to be working well. Identifying this early can prevent more significant problems later in the breeding cycle.
The Role of Artificial Insemination (AI)
AI offers a tremendous advantage, particularly in large operations, by allowing more cattle to be joined within a shorter timeframe, often with superior Angus genetics that would be otherwise too expensive or difficult to access. In larger herds, AI programs like the one run at Te Mania Angus use synchronisation techniques to ensure a tight calving period, followed by natural follow bulls to optimise conceptions not achieved by artificial insemination.
AI can still benefit smaller herds, but it requires thorough planning and management. Here are some tips to maximise AI success rates:
- Plan in Advance: AI programs can be costly, so careful planning is essential. Ensure that mob sizes match your facility’s capacity and that paddocks are selected for ease of heat detection and logistics.
- Stress-Free Handling: Minimise stress by quickly returning cattle to the paddocks after treatment and ensuring they are with their calves.
- Good Nutrition: Adequate nutrition is crucial at least six weeks before the AI program. Cattle should be on an upward nutrition plane to ensure they reach an optimal body condition score of 3 or higher at joining.
- Disease Management: Keep up with regular vaccinations, such as 7-in-1, and Vibrio for bulls, to prevent sexually transmitted diseases.
- Monitor Natural Follow Bulls: After AI, ensure mop-up bulls are fit, sound, and capable of covering any cows that didn’t conceive. Keep a close eye on their activity, particularly around the 21-day mark, to check for returns and ensure the bulls are serving correctly.
Following these guidelines and paying close attention to both bulls and females can significantly improve your joining outcomes. Whether through natural service or AI, the care you take during the first few weeks of joining will have a lasting impact on the reproductive success of your herd.
At Te Mania Angus, AI programs and precise management have proven successful in achieving tight calving intervals and high pregnancy rates. With careful planning, attention to detail, and timely intervention, beef operations of any scale can replicate these results and drive profitable beef production within their herds.
If you’d like to contact us and learn more about how Te Mania Angus runs our joining program, feel free to complete a form on the contact page.
Join Us for a Day in the Yards: Artificial Insemination and Joining Program at Te Mania Angus
We invite you to attend a practical learning session at Te Mania Angus, where our experienced team will demonstrate our Artificial Insemination and joining program.
When: 11.00AM – 1.30PM. Wednesday, 6th November, 2024
Where: Te Mania Angus, Reichmans Lane, Mortlake
Find out more.
