Nation's top repro herds share what it takes to get cows bred

On November 12, Mitzie Blanchard of Charlotte, Iowa, and Andy and Brian Schilling of Darlington, Wis., represented the four platinum winners of the inaugural Reproduction Awards at the Dairy Cattle Reproduction Council (DCRC) regional meeting in St. Paul, Minn. These two herds, that do an outstanding job getting cows safe in calf, shared what it takes to get the job done with the 225 people attending the St. Paul, Minn., meeting. The two other platinum winners will share their tips for success at the Boise, Idaho, DCRC meeting in Boise, Idaho, on November 19 and 20. Those award winners are Kloppe Dairy, New Haven, Mo., and Myers Farm, Union Grove, N.C.

Schilling Farms, LLC, Darlington, Wis., says that keeping the program simple works well for them. All setup and breeding injections are given by one person . . . on time, with proper technique. Cow comfort is critical. The farm features sand bedding, fans, sprinklers in both the lactating and fresh cow groups; it works well for them, reports herd veterinarian, B. J. Jones. The entire Schilling Farm team is shown at the right.

Andy Schilling says that, "Fresh cow care and teamwork among the members of the farm team are critical to getting cows safe in calf. We also are good at listening to suggestions and other people's ideas."

Blanchard Family Farm, Charlotte, Iowa, has been crossbreeding for the past decade and reports an extremely high pregnancy rate (PR) for the past 12 months. The entire herd averages 32 PR. Ray Nebel of Select Sires who nominated the herd looked deeper into the data and reported to those attending the DCRC meeting that the Blanchard's crossbreds have a 36 PR rate, while their purebred Holsteins average 29 PR. Nebel is quick to point out that the farm is extremely diligent on heat detection as they have four designated periods during the day that the farm team looks for heats.

When asked what it takes to be successful at getting cows bred, Mitzie Blanchard says, "It takes a team approach. If the cow care systems are not working, cows will not respond," she says. "Paying attention to detail and knowing your cows is a must," she concluded. Mitzie is shown in the photo with Ray Nebel.

To learn more about these top fertility herds, download the extensive Round Table found under Dairyman Extras and click on the November 2009 Issue, Page 702 "The 2009 DCRC Reproduction Awards... These herds get cows bred."