The indices below are important for the producer to understand the reproductive situation of the herd, and thus be able to set short, medium and long term goals. See the importance of each index and understand how to calculate it to control your herd’s numbers. Numbers that will make a difference when making important decisions in your Breeding Farm:
Fertility Index: It is the ratio of the number of females in mating that became pregnant in the breeding season. It is the first indicator within a breeding system. He will be able to show how fertile the cows on his property are and ready to receive a calf during the breeding season.
How to calculate = Number of pregnant females/ Number of females in mating
Birth Index: Once pregnant, other indices begin to be generated. Foot loss after childbirth, after it does
Example: There is a 90-day breeding season, 45 days in which you have removed the bulls, you will diagnose the pregnancy. Based on the number of pregnant cows, until the last calving, a recount is carried out. This is when we will have the number of calves that were not calved.
How many females gave birth to calves in relation to the number of females in coverage
How to calculate = Number of calves born/ Number of females in coverage
Prepartum loss index or Merma = Measures losses from pregnancy diagnosis to birth, that is, intrauterine mortality.
How to calculate = Number of pregnant females – Number of females that gave birth / Number of pregnant females
Weaning Rate (% WEANING) or Reproductive Efficiency: Indicator based on reproduction. Shows the total number of calves weaned in relation to cows exposed to reproduction.
How to calculate = Number of calves weaned / Number of females in mating
Weaning Ratio (%): informs the ratio of the calf’s weight as a percentage to the adult weight of the mother.
How to calculate = Weight of the calf/Weight of its mother x 100
Age at First Calf: Age at which the heifer gives birth for the first time in the herd.
