Reproduction
While the dairy has had periods of admirable reproductive success, the program is currently lacking which has several negative impacts on the dairy. Having a poor reproductive program leads to longer days open, a longer calving interval and extended days in milk where cows have low milk production and are increasingly gaining weight which then leads to difficulty calving, metritis and scar tissue, and then full circle back to difficulty getting cows bred back.
The dairy's average pregnancy rate for the 2015 year was 10% (DHI 202), which is below the average or benchmark of 13.6% for the other dairy farms in Georgia. The conception rate is also well below the average of the other Georgia dairy farms. The conception rate for the past 12 months is as following when compared to the average (DairyMetrics Report - Benchmarks):
- 7.5% lower for 1st service
- 11.3% lower for 2nd service
- 10.3% lower for 3rd+ service
The services per pregnancy for the UGA Dairy's cows is also greater than the benchmark/average for Georgia. By lactation, the services per pregnancy for the farm compared to the average is as follows (DairyMetrics Report - Benchmarks):
- 1.9 higher for 1st lactation
- 2.1 higher for 2nd lactation
- 1.6 higher for 3rd+ lactation
The days to 1st service as reported by the 202 is 93, when the voluntary waiting period is 60, which is a huge inefficiency for the dairy. This number is partially skewed due to the seasonal calving of the dairy, but it is still an issue because cows are being held longer in lactation while open, increasing the calving interval for the dairy and decreasing profitability.
Because of this, our projected calving interval is currently 17.2 months while the benchmark is 15 months (DairyMetrics Report - Benchmarks).
The dairy currently has 13 heifers that range from 18 to 23 months old that have not been bred yet. This is detrimental to the future of the dairy by increasing the calving interval and costs associated with feeding these heifers. A conservative number shows that for every day past 15 months that a heifer remains unbred, she is costing the dairy $.80 cents in feed costs alone (Hoard's Dairyman - Feeding Heifers). Adding this up for the 283 day gestation period where she will be pregnant when she should have already had a calf, she is costing the dairy $226. Multiplied by the 13 calves, the dairy has lost $2,938. (PCDart Heifer List)
The dairy also has a tendency to underutilize their mate matching system and breed several cows to the same sire. This does a disservice to the dairy by not allowing its future calves to reach their full potential with proper mate matching. For example, here are some of the dairy's calves and their sires:
- 4038: OLEGANT
- 4039: OLEGANT
- 4040: OLEGANT
- 4041: GABOR
- 4042: OLEGANT
- 4043: OLEGANT
- 4044: RICHMAN
- 4045: RICHMAN
- 4046: RICHMAN
- 4047: GABOR
- 4048: RICHMAN