Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Pen Area for Herd Bulls

Herd bulls should not be allowed to run with the cows the entire year. They should be kept in a separate enclosure during the non-breeding season. Plenty of exercise as well as a good feeding program is necessary if you expect bulls to stay strong and vigorous. Pastures or large paddocks are recommended as confinement areas for herd bulls. Bulls can be run separately or in a group. The practice of running bulls together is more economicaland saves labor; however, due to temperament, there can be more injuries when bulls are handled in this manner. This is particularly true when older bulls thathave not been raised as contemporaries are intermingled. Bulls should be grouped according to age so that their respective feed requirements can be met more easily. Good pasture is an ideal feed for bulls of any age. Therefore, well-fenced, clean, dry and productive pasture (about 2 acres per bull) will provide needed room for exercise and ideal grazing. These pastures or paddocks should provide adequate shade via trees or shelter and provide easy access to water and a free-choice mineral mix. It is also advantageous to locate these pastures at some distance from the open heifers and the cow herd during the off-breeding season.


Source:

Development and Management of Bulls
EDITED BY J.W. Lemaster and R.S. Sand

Feeding Mature Bulls

During the off-breeding season, mature bulls in moderate flesh can be maintained on spring and summer pasture. During the fall and winter feeding periods, mature bulls should be conditioned for breeding. The importance of having bulls in propercondition upon start of the breeding season cannot be over-emphasized. Herd bulls must be in good condition to be fertile and sexually active. In the fall, start feeding mature bulls hay or silage plus one pound of protein supplement before they start to lose weight. Mature bulls will consume daily amounts of feed equal to 1 1/2 to 3 percent of their body weight, depending upon condition and individuality. It is suggested to evaluate body condition score of bulls prior to the breeding season. A small amount of extra feed may be needed 60 days prior to the breeding season to get mature bulls in moderate condition. Five pounds of grain daily should be ample for most bulls; however, if a bull is lacking in condition, he may require as much as 15 to 25 pounds of grain per day. It is important to realize that "hard-keeping" bulls, which require excessive amounts of grain to maintain moderate body condition, will likely sire offspring that are also "hard-keepers" and probably should not be used for breeding due to the economics involved with feeding such animals.


Source:

Development and Management of Bulls
EDITED BY J.W. Lemaster and R.S. Sand

Vibriosis in Cattle

Vibriosis is a venereal disease causing infertility and, occasionally, abortion. It is caused by the bacterium Campylobacter fetus, which lives in the crevices of a bull’s prepuce (foreskin), but usually does not become established in the bull until it is about 4 years old or older.

Vibriosis is spread from an infected bull to a cow during the breeding act. Bulls also may be infected by breeding infected cows. Although semen from reputable bull studs is usually “clean” because of proper health examinations of the bulls and treatment of semen, this disease can be transmitted through artificial insemination if these precautions
are not taken.

Untreated, infected bulls can remain carriers for a long time. They also can be “clean” yet transmit the germ from an infected cow to a “clean” cow.

Vibriosis in females causes endometritis (infection of the inner lining of the uterus), resulting in failure to conceive or death of the embryo. Affected cows may conceive and not return to heat 21 days later. However, the newly formed embryo may then die, become absorbed by the cow and then she may exhibit estrus from 27 to 53 days after breeding. Abortions late in gestation can occur, but are unusual.

Diagnosis is difficult and depends on identifying cultures of the organism from the genitalia of the infected cow or bull, or from the abomasum (fourth stomach chamber) of an aborted fetus. Prevent vibriosis by vaccinating cattle, using artificial insemination, treating infected animals, or combining all three.

Source:

Reproductive Diseases in Cattle
EDITED BY L. R. SPROTT AND ROBERT W. FIELD

Learning Artificial Insemination

Supervised instruction and guidance are essential because without adequate training, valuable AI equipment and semen could be seriously damaged. In order to ensure high fertility, frozen semen requires very special storage and handling techniques. Adequate training is also essential to minimize risk of injury to either a valuable animal or to yourself.

AI Training Schools are available from several semen suppliers. The objective of these schools is to teach the skills required to handle semen, inseminate cows, and manage a successful AI program. Three basic areas of instruction should be provided by AI
Training Schools including:

1. Insemination technique, developing through live animal practice, the ability to skillfully and accurately place semen at the proper location within the reproductive tract using sanitary and correct techniques.

2. Semen handling, developing through practice, the ability to properly handle, thaw and prepare semen for insemination, according to the recommendations of semen-producing organizations.

3. Reproductive management training in the importance of heat detection, herd health, and total herd management for the development and continued success of an AI program.

The National Association of Animal Breeders (NAAB) is an association of companies that service the artificial insemination business. NAAB has recommended minimum standards for AI Training Schools. Address inquiries to: Technical Director, National Association of Animal Breeders, P.O. Box 1033, Columbia, MO 65205. A potential student should ask if the school considered meets the following recommendations:

1. Six hours of live cow insemination practice done over a minimum of three separate sessions.
2. At least two cows per student per course, with each student having access to a minimum of ten practice cows.
3. A maximum of eight students per instructor.

Do not expect an AI Training School to do it all for you. Supervised training is just the beginning; after that, continuous practice is necessary to fully develop the required skills.

Source:
Artificial Insemination for Beef Cattle
EDITED BY Glenn Selk
Extension Animal Reproduction Specialist

N.B. Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Fact Sheets are also available on our website at:
http://www.osuextra.com

History of Artificial Insemination

The history of AI is interesting. Old Arabian documents dated around 1322 A.D. indicate that an Arab chieftain wanted to mate his prize mare to an outstanding stallion owned by an enemy. He introduced a wand of cotton into the mare's reproductive tract, then used it to sexually excite the stallion causing him to ejaculate. The semen was introduced into the mare resulting in conception.Anthony van Leeuwenhook, inventor of the microscope, first observed human spermatozoa under magnification.This finding led to furtherresearch. Spallanzani is usually considered the inventor of AI. His scientific reports of 1780 indicate successful use of AI in dogs.

In 1899, Ivanoff of Russia pioneered AI research in birds, horses, cattle and sheep. He was apparently the first to successfully inseminate cattle artificially. Mass breeding of cows via AI was first accomplished in Russia, where 19,800 cows were bred in 1931. Denmark was first to establish an AI cooperative association in 1936. E.J. Perry of New Jersey visited the AI facilities in Denmark and established the first United States AI cooperative in 1938 at the New Jersey State College of Agriculture.

The AI industry has grown tremendously in the United States since its beginning. In 1970, USDA reported that 7,344,420 dairy females were bred artificially, 46% of the female dairy cattle population.


Source:
Artificial Insemination in Dairy Cattle
EDITED BY D. W. Webb

Artificial insemination (A.I.)

Artificial insemination (AI) is a process by which sperm are collected from the male, processed, stored and artificially introduced into the female reproductive tract for the purpose of conception. AI has become one of the most important techniques ever devised for the genetic improvement of farm animals. It has been most widely used for breeding dairy cattle and has made bulls of high genetic merit available to all.


Source:

Artificial Insemination in Dairy Cattle
EDITED BY D. W. Webb

Feeding Yearling Bulls

Yearling bulls should be fed more liberally than mature bulls, because their growth requirements must be met before any improvement in condition can take place. From 18 months to 3 years of age, bulls should consume 2 to 2 1/2 percent of their body weight daily in dry matter of a complete diet, so they continue to gain about 1 3/4 to 2 pounds per day. Yearling bulls should be fed a grain mixture at the rate of 1 to 1 ½ percent of their body weight daily, with the percentage of grain decreased and the percentage of roughage increased gradually as they mature. Regardless of condition, the young bull's daily requirement of protein, minerals,and vitamins may not be met without concentrates. During the spring and summer grazing seasons, good pasture will provide most of the yearling bulls' nutritional needs, however; they usually require some supplemental grain (5 lb per day) to maintain satisfactory flesh. If used sparingly during their first breeding season, yearling bulls are likely to lose 50 to 100 lb during the breeding season. Therefore, they must regain this weight in addition to maintaining normal growth and development in preparation for the next breeding season. Again, diets should be growthpromoting rather than fattening.

Source:

Development and Management of Bulls
EDITED By J.W. Lemaster and R.S. Sand

Developing Young Bulls

Postweaning development of bulls 8 to 10 months of age plays an important role in their potential ability as future herd sires. Their usefulness as yearling bulls depends to a large extent on how they are handled from weaning until the onset of the breeding season. From weaning to three years of age, bulls should be separated by age. Weaned bulls should be dewormed, defluked (if flukes are a problem in your area), and vaccinated for 5-Way Leptospira, Campylobacteriosis (Vibriosis), and Trichomoniasis (Trich), according to the disease incidence in your region. Your veterinarian is a good source to determine the diseases that are present in a particular area. In addition, bulls should test negative for brucellosis (Bangs) and tuberculosis (TB). Healthy bulls should then be developed to attain adequate growth and size so that their inherited characteristics for production can be determined. To insure adequate growth in the year following weaning, bulls of British breeding should gain at least 2 pounds daily, while bulls of the larger breeds should gain an additional 1/4 pound per day. The practice of feeding high energy concentrates to young bulls in dry lots or commercial tests to attain maximum gains of 3 to 5 pounds daily, when these bulls are to be used as yearlings in the breeding program, has been questioned due to the association of excessive fat cover with reduced fertility andsoundness problems. Recent reports from the University of Tennessee, however, indicate there is not a relationship between excessive backfat and low-quality semen as previously thought. Therefore, bulls that are raised on high energy diets should be acclimated to pasture prior to the breeding season. Commercial bulls in the Southeast are primarily developed by maximizing the use of forage grazing with limited use of concentrate feeds.

Bulls gaining 2 pounds per day from weaning should weigh over 1250 pounds at 18 to 20 months of age. Rations used to achieve this level of production should be 65 percent TDN (total digestible nutrients) and 10 to 12 percent crude protein. One will need to feed about 2 1/2 to 3 percent of the bull's body weight per day. A recommendation can be given to the self-feeding of high quality forages and a concentrate supplement equal to about one percent of body weight per day. A complete trace mineralized salt and a balanced Ca and P mineral mix, which should be at least 0.41% Ca and 0.21% P for lighter bulls and decrease as bulls become heavier, should be provided free choice at all times. The quantity and type of supplemental feed needed depends on the season and the quality of the base forage provided.

Source:

Development and Management of Bulls

EDITED BY J.W. Lemaster and R.S. Sand

Leptospirosis in Cattle

Leptospirosis is a widespread problem in the South, especially in unvaccinated herds. It causes repeat breeders, low-grade uterine infections, abortions, mastitis and occasionally systemic infection. Of the five or more strains of the organism, the three most common causing problems in cattle are Leptospira pomona, Leptospira hardjo and Leptospira grippotyphosa.

Leptospirosis can build up unrecognized in a herd. Closely confined cattle are particularly susceptible. Droplets of urine from infected cows can infect normal cows after contact with the eye or mucous membranes of the nose or mouth. The disease infects more cattle each day, preventing cows from settling and lengthening their calving
intervals.

To prevent leptospirosis:

1.Vaccinate cattle with bacterins containing three or
five serotypes every six months;
2.Drain stagnant bodies of water; and
3.Eliminate rodents, especially rats, from any barns or
sheds where cattle congregate.


Source:

Reproductive Diseases in Cattle
EDITED BY L. R. SPROTT AND ROBERT W. FIELD

Brucellosis in Cattle

Although most states are now brucella-free, brucellosis still causes abortion and infertility in some regions. It is important to understand that not all brucellosis-infected cows abort, produce weak calves, retain placenta or have trouble breeding back. A brucellosis reactor cow may be normal in every observable aspect. However, each time she calves or produces a genital discharge, millions of brucella organisms may be present on the surface of the placenta, calf or discharge. The discharges then contaminate the pasture and other feeds, such as hay, threatening other cattle. If susceptible animals ingest these bacteria, they are likely to become infected.

Although infection usually occurs via the digestive tract, a susceptible animal may also pick up bacteria through the skin or eye. Contaminated feed, bedding, water or the premises may remain infective for a few days up to a few weeks, depending on environmental conditions.

The infection is spread mainly when infected cattle are introduced into the herd, either through purchase or when they break into a pasture with “clean” cattle. To keep your herd “Bang’s free,” maintain a closed herd by raising all your own replacements if possible. If you must buy replacement cattle, know the seller’s reputation. Be sure that all cattle you buy originate from clean herds, and that the females were vaccinated as calves and are negative to the Bang’s test if they are of testable age.

Isolate breeding stock for 30 to 60 days upon arrival at the farm and retest at the end of the isolation period. A lot of trouble? Yes, but not if a lifetime’s effort is risked in building a quality herd. At the same time, test the new animals for other reproductive diseases as recommended by the local veterinarian.

It is recommended to have an accredited veterinarian vaccinate all heifers between 4 and 12 months old. The calves should be properly identified, with an official ear tag and tattoo in the right ear.

Be sure that bulls are free of brucellosis and all reproductive diseases. Although brucellosis is rarely spread through breeding, it is still dangerous for a bull to breed an infected cow and then breed a clean cow soon thereafter. Bulls occasionally become infected; this is usually exhibited by a swollen testicle or scrotum. Producers using artificial insemination should avoid semen from brucellosis infected bulls. Their semen can infect cows.

Source:

Reproductive Diseases in Cattle

EDITED BY L. R. SPROTT AND ROBERT W. FIELD

Thursday, February 26, 2009

The RCC Are Distributed In Different Farmer

About 60 RCC cows are now transferred to different farmers of BD. Special care should be taken by the World Vision NGOS.

Thursday, January 1, 2009

The Prospect Of Goat Farming In BD

Bangladesh is well recognized for its Black Bengal Goat. It is so prolific that give 2-3 kids per birth.Without concentrate they can survive well if pasture land is available.Go on..............

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