When we talk about a property’s breeding system, we have to keep in mind that it is a factory, in which each sector has its contribution to the final result. You might be thinking “but what do you mean a factory? I thought they were going to talk about the field!” This is an interesting analogy to make it clear that our breeding system is a Calf Factory, and that the final number will determine our efficiency. The good results of each sector will determine the final result of the factory’s annual production, the same happens with the breeding system over several years. And to monitor the efficiency of the system, we need to use numbers (we only improve what is measured) that show us the efficiency of each sector of this factory.
And what sectors are these?
The large pregnancy rate sector is usually the most talked about when we are discussing breeding efficiency. This sector is made up of several machines that must be treated separately (pregnancy of heifers, primiparous, secondparous and multiparous) and which will form this efficiency.
If any of these machines are not working properly (low pregnancy rates in primiparous women, which is more common) the final result of the sector is automatically compromised. But, inside each machine we still have a complex gear, where are the parts that will make the entire system work. What pieces are these? Nutrition, health and genetics!
You will say: “Okay…but, I already know these pillars”. The livestock farmer already knows the importance of these parts for production, the problem is that we are often using the same part (nutrition) in different machines and this is where we end up reducing the efficiency of more nutritionally demanding animals. In ascending order, the primiparous is the most demanding category, followed by weaned calves or calves, pregnant cows, fattening cows and so on. Nourishing and offering the best food following this premise is one of the keys to, with the same resources, obtaining better results in a breeding system. We have to use the right part, which best suits each machine, so that it works well adjusted.
And how do we achieve this?
Through nutritional planning capable of meeting the needs of each animal category. This can be done using different strategies, used alone or in combination, such as forage planning, strategic supplementation and Creep-Feeding.
Let’s talk more specifically about Creep-Feeding, which nowadays is one of the good nutritional strategies used in breeding systems, as it achieves better results both in weight gain in calves and in maintaining the body condition of cows. One of their great advantages is to achieve better results in average daily gain, as they have access to higher quality feed specific to their growth phase, enabling earlier rumen development and, as a result, in the long term, an age at slaughter smaller (in the case of males) and the beginning of reproductive life earlier (in the case of females).
In addition to achieving heavier calves at the time of weaning with this technology, the use of Creep reduces the cow’s demand for feeding the calf or calf, which helps so that the dams maintain their adequate body condition, making it possible to cycle and be able to service earlier.
The use of Creep-Feeding, therefore, can act positively in three sectors of our calf factory: in the pregnancy rate sector, due to the better body condition of the cow, in the weaning weight and, consequently, in the age of the first service, reducing one (or even two) unproductive categories in the system.
Now you must be wondering, with so many benefits, is Creep-Feeding a rule or are there conditions under which it is not interesting to use it? The answer is: conditions in which the cows are being well fed, with good pastures and well managed, their milk production is very high and, consequently, the attraction to the Creep-Feeding trough ends up being smaller and the increase in milk gain weight due to the use of the supplement as well. Most of the time, under these conditions, calves gain weight at weaning, but the increase may end up not being worth it due to the specific cost of the supplement.
Like any factory, adjustments are necessary, but the main thing is to serve each sector well, make good planning and don’t neglect the accounts to help in decision making so as not to make a mistake and spend too much for the little increase you may have. .
Text: Marcela Santana/Armindo Barth Neto
Image: SIA Archive
