Is your cow not coming into heat? It only seems so to you! (+ video)

The most favorable time for insemination of cows is the second half of the hunt. The cow is inseminated twice during this time, with an interval of 10-12 hours. That is why identifying the heat phase in cows is one of the most important aspects of the work of a zoo engineer and veterinarian. After all, the level of reproduction of the herd and the efficiency of the entire production depend on the timely identification of the period favorable for fertilization.

Hunting by cows: general concepts

Methods for identifying cows in heat

Measuring body temperature (thermometry)

One of the most accurate signs of the onset of ovulation in a cow is an increase in body temperature of at least 0.2 ° C compared to the temperature for the previous day or its average value for the previous 3 days. The measurement is carried out using special thermometers in the rectum, vagina or directly at the moment of its entry into the milking machine. However, it is worth noting that a clear increase in body temperature on the day of hunting is recorded in only 27% of animals. In addition, an increase in body temperature in a cow is often caused by other reasons: subclinical, infections or other factors.

Probe Bulls

This method uses operated bulls that are unable to fertilize cows. Such bulls begin to be used from 12-15 months of age. They are used to diagnose heat, early diagnosis of pregnancy, and stimulate sexual function during puberty and the postpartum period. One sampler is used for 150-200 cows or heifers. The effectiveness of the method, when used correctly, is 95-100%.

The test bull must be kept separate from the herd so that its sexual reflexes are not inhibited. Samplers are released daily in the morning and evening for 1.5-2 hours into the pens where there are infertile, recently calved (from the 3-4th day after birth) and inseminated (from the 10th to the 30th day after insemination) cows. At this time, the sexual behavior of the animals is carefully observed.

If the female allows the mounting of the test bull, the heat is considered detected. Such a cow is removed from the pen so that the sampler can find other females in heat.

By the way

Based on the reaction of females to test bulls in the period from the 10th to the 30th day after insemination, infertility or pregnancy can be diagnosed in a timely manner. Heat detected during these periods is a true sign of infertility, and its absence is a probable sign of pregnancy.

Sampler bulls have another use. In a number of countries, they are successfully used to detect heat in herds where animal engineers do not have the opportunity to constantly observe the behavior of animals.
The essence of the technique is simple - the test bull is equipped with a special device that leaves colored marks on the cows. The tap is secured to the bull's chin with straps.

Several sample bulls are prepared for the herd, which are changed one by one, every 2-7 days. Bulls court females and mount cows in heat. During this type of mounting, the markers leave short lines on the cows' lower back between the shoulder blades. Using these marks, animals are selected for insemination at least 2 times a day.

An instrumental way to detect heat

This method is also based on recording secondary signs of sexual arousal and heat in cows. For example, registration of the “hug reflex” using a colored mark at the root of the tail. This mark is a stripe on the animal's skin running from the first caudal vertebra downwards, applied with chalk or paint. If the cow is in the stage of excitement, she allows other cows or heifers to jump on her. As a result of such manipulations, the mark is partially or completely erased. Females that allow jumping are selected for insemination at least 2 times a day. This is one of the most practical and effective additional methods for timing cows and heifers. The main disadvantage of the method is the high level of false-positive determinations (up to 37%).

Heat detector for cows

Measurement of motor activity (pedometry)

Cows in heat show great anxiety and begin. It is by the increase in motor activity compared to the previous day or the average level of activity at a balanced stage of the sexual cycle that the hunting phase can be identified. In large productions, mechanical or electronic pedometers are used to measure physical activity, which are attached to the limbs of cows. Instrument readings are taken 2 times a day. Electronic pedometers are more convenient for practical use: measurement results are reproduced on a “yes-no” basis. With a twofold increase in physical activity, the red light turns on, and with a lesser increase, the green light turns on.

For private farms, a simpler way to determine activity is also suitable: a cow or heifer that is showing signs of restlessness, jumping and galloping tirelessly and trying to escape from the herd can always be identified visually.

Why doesn't a cow come into heat?

Often the signs of heat in cows can be very weak, so they should be let out for a walk together. The presence of other animals has an exciting effect on the cow in heat;

The level of feeding and general body condition influence the manifestation of heat and its duration. Insufficient feeding prevents the maturation of follicles in the ovaries. If body condition is low, animals do not go into heat well, and it dies out quickly for them. But excessively obese cows receiving an unbalanced diet also have a shortened period of heat.

Read about how chlamydia infections affect cow infertility

Kira Stoletova

A post-calving cow will need special care and feeding immediately after she gives birth to a calf. The owner must take the most responsible approach to the issues of care, feeding, as well as the first milking. You will have to spend a lot of time on this, but all the costs will soon be justified, since the cow will be profitable.

First of all, you should take care of the udder and the newborn calf (up to 30 days). This may take 2 to 4 months, depending on the severity of the birth. We will learn in more detail about how to milk a cow correctly, how to feed a cow after calving, how to care for her after, and what not to do while a cow is being milked.

How to care for a cow in the first day

The first days after calving are the most difficult and responsible. The owner must clearly understand what is required of him and know the procedure. Immediately after the calf is born, you need to take care of the newborn animal:

• Wipe it from intrauterine mucus. For these purposes, there should be a pre-prepared towel or a piece of hard fabric, always natural.
• Conduct an external examination of the calf. It is necessary to carefully examine the animal for the presence of ulcerations, wounds and other structural pathologies visible to the eye.
• Be sure to give the mother the opportunity to lick and clean the baby, this will help the placenta come off faster.

Usually the placenta comes out after the calf, but no later than 12 hours after birth; this is already considered a deviation from the norm and requires human intervention. At first, it is better to try giving the cow plain water with added sugar, this will increase the glucose level and give a new surge of strength. If this does not help, injections of oxytocin or drugs with a similar effect are necessary.

Under no circumstances should an afterbirth be left inside a cow’s uterus, as this can lead to the development of postpartum complications and subsequently infertility. It is also strictly forbidden to manually separate the placenta yourself, as there is a high probability of causing injury and injury to the animal.

After the afterbirth is born, it is necessary to dispose of it as quickly as possible. The fact is that cows or other representatives of cattle gladly eat it, which is extremely undesirable due to the harmful effects on the digestive tract, as well as on the nervous system of cattle. This can be explained as follows: the fermentation of the cow's digestive tract does not have the range of enzymes to digest this type of food. The placenta will remain undigested if the cow has eaten it, and sooner or later the process of rotting will begin.

Caring for a cow and calf for the first time

Care of the cow after calving should be carried out immediately. Once the calf is outside, the umbilical cord needs to be examined. Quite often it breaks off on its own as soon as the newborn is on the floor. If this does not happen, you need to trim the umbilical cord using sterile, sharpened scissors. The umbilical cord stump must be treated with an antiseptic to prevent the development of infection.

As for the cow, on the first day after calving she is extremely weak, as she spent all her energy on gestation and childbirth. If we talk about immunity, then it is practically at zero - a cow that has calved is predisposed to various kinds of viruses and diseases. In order for a cow to cope with weakness after giving birth to offspring, it is necessary to minimize the risk of infection, for which it is worth arranging a calving area, that is, making it clean, dry, and protected from drafts.

As soon as the calf is born, it is worth moving the animals to dry, clean bedding as quickly as possible.

In order for the calf’s immunity to be at its best, it is worth making sure that it receives maternal colostrum during the first days of life, because it contains microelements and vitamins that are essential for its health and life. However, this type of nutrition is not always acceptable for the livestock breeder, because usually the milk that the cow gives is intended for sale, and not for feeding suckling calves. In this case, you can limit yourself to at least colostrum, then transfer the calf to general nutrition, but gradually. First, the young animals are fed through the nipple with the same mother's milk.

How to milk a cow after calving

Anyone who has ever dealt with a cow probably knows that it is not the bravest animal. A cow can shudder nervously from a sound that is too sharp or loud, have a negative attitude towards strangers, and sometimes the horned one does not allow itself to be milked by those it does not like. For this reason, the first milk yield of a first-calf heifer is not an easy task. This is explained by the fact that the animal does not understand what will happen to it, how dangerous it is and what the outcome will be, so it is worth approaching this issue more carefully and preparing everything step by step. It is recommended to start by preparing the place for milking.

First, it is necessary to clean the stall, then change the bedding and eliminate drafts, if any. It is also advisable to ensure that the temperature in the stall is a suitable one, which will not contrast too much with that outside. For example, in winter the barn should not be too hot.

A person should not approach a dairy cow abruptly or suddenly, as this may frighten the cow. It is imperative to appear before her eyes so that the animal knows that there is a person in the stall. All movements associated with milking should be soft and smooth so that it does not hurt her.

Proper udder care

In order for a cow to produce more milk, she needs to provide proper care to the main milk organ - the udder. There is a theory that says that a cow produces more milk if her calf is not taken away from her for at least 5-7 days. However, not all livestock breeders use this rule; many immediately begin feeding the calves with milked milk. However, if the calf is weaned in the early stages, it is worth paying enough attention to udder massage to maintain its elasticity, as well as prevent mastopathy, mastitis and other udder diseases.

Before touching a cow's udder, especially for the first time, you need to wash your hands thoroughly, and they should not be cold or rough. It is important to create the right first impression so that the cow understands that milking is normal and will not cause her pain.

It is worth saying that rough handling of a cow by a person during milking often becomes the reason that the milk completely burns out.

Before you start milking, you should take care of the animal’s hygiene. To do this, the udder is washed with warm water, then wiped with a clean soft cloth. It also makes sense to wash the hooves, because they can be a source of infection that can get into fresh milk. For the same reason, the tail is also tied, but you should not tie it too tightly, as this can cause pain to the cow.

As for the massage, its duration should not be more than half a minute, otherwise it can be harmful, as it can provoke the development of edema. Massage movements are always performed with both hands, first on one side of the udder, then on the opposite. First, you need to follow the direction from top to bottom, after which you should change it to the opposite. The nipples are also massaged with the same stroking movements. These movements will result in more milk being produced and also make the animal behave better when milked. It is important to start milking immediately after finishing the massage to get maximum milk yield.

How to milk a cow after calving

How to milk a cow after calving and how long will this period last? It is a well-known fact that the maximum milk yield can be obtained in the first 1-3 months after calving. It is believed that the animal gives more than 40% of the total possible milk yield. If you make a mistake at this stage, there is a high probability that further milking will be in doubt.

There are recommendations that at first you should not milk the entire volume of the udder, but it is better to wait until there is no postpartum swelling left. However, following such recommendations is quite risky, since the remaining milk in the udder can fester and lead to serious inflammation. The only exception is udder paresis in a cow after calving, then this is indicated by veterinarians.

Mistakes that are often made during distribution

Often, a person himself leads to a situation where a cow loses milk after calving. More often than others, irregular milk production occurs when there is no clearly developed schedule, that is, the time after which the cattle are fed is not the same. This should not be allowed under any circumstances, as there is a high probability that the cow will stop lactation.

There is also a risk that even a successful start will not guarantee that milk production will remain at a sufficient level. The fact is that milk is produced around the clock, so the cow needs to be milked regularly, strictly at the same time. If we are talking about a dairy breed, then the number of milkings can be about 4 or even 5 per day, less productive breeds can be milked 2 times per day, this is quite enough.

If we are talking about a first-calf, especially during the first calving period, you should not delay milking. Such an individual is milked quite often. There is a recommendation from veterinarians that the pause between milkings should not exceed a period of 12 hours.

WHAT DOES A COW need immediately after giving birth? (Energy). Energy drinks cow after birth.

Caring for a cow after calving. The calf was born.

Problems after calving. Problems after calving.

How many times should a cow be milked after calving?!

• The first delivery is no later than 5:00 am.
• The second distribution is around 9-10 am.
• The third milking is around 3 p.m.
• Fourth, final - about 20 pm.

As you can see, the basic rule here is that there should be no more than ten hours between milkings. As mentioned earlier, before starting actual milking, you need to give a light massage. The first procedures should usually not exceed 5-8 minutes; longer durations are not indicated at this stage.

What technique should you follow when feeding?

The first rule is the correct grip: you should avoid the so-called pinch. Even if the cow is already milked and produces a sufficient amount of milk, due to such capture, an inflammatory process may develop due to lymph stagnation. Proper milking of a cow is carried out with a fist, but before this the first streams are extracted by traditionally clenching the fists, draining them separately. Farmers claim that the first milk is the dirtiest and is not recommended to drink.

There are many photos and videos in which you can see in detail exactly how to grasp the nipple so as not to harm the cow and not interfere with the natural secretion of milk. The nipple is grasped tightly, but your fingers should not be pinched. That's right - this is when the index finger and thumb form a ring, and the little finger should be located almost near the milk opening. Fingers need to be squeezed alternately, alternating the index and middle.

What should a cow be fed after giving birth?

What to give a cow after calving to improve lactation? Already on the first day, the cow’s feeding after calving should change. It is worth closely monitoring not only what she eats, but also drinks; there should be more than enough water. Moreover, it is recommended to warm up the drink a little and even add some salt. This is necessary so that the recovery period passes faster.

The first day or two after calving, you need to feed the cow light, low-calorie food, the digestion of which will not require too much effort and energy. The ideal diet is compound feed or well-dried hay; it is also allowed to feed the cattle oatmeal. It is worth excluding the usual fresh grass and fodder vegetables, as they negatively affect lactation. Not only can milk production be disrupted, there is a possibility that the cow will feel unwell, and this will somehow work against high milk yields and increased volumes.

It is important to try not to overfeed the cow with hay, because this can provoke the development of digestive problems: for example, the animal’s appetite will worsen, and along with the appetite, the milk yield will drop and its volume will be reduced. Of course, this should not be allowed under any circumstances.

Making a menu for a pregnant cow

Like all events in the life of a cow, feeding must be carried out strictly in accordance with the schedule, the diet is thought out in advance. It has already been said earlier that during the milking period, under no circumstances should you feed the cow fresh grass, or give more feed than necessary. Preference should be given to hay, low-calorie feed and concentrates (they work like an energy drink), which take into account all the dietary needs of a pregnant animal. It is allowed to slightly diversify the cow's diet with potatoes, but not every day and in small quantities. Such caution is necessary in order to prevent the intestines from filling with harmful toxins that can poison cow's milk.

You should also be careful with concentrates, as there is a risk of overfeeding the cow with proteins. Such eating disorders will cause, at a minimum, nutritional dysfunction, and in the worst case, they can give rise to the development of a much more serious disease. The saddest outcome of such a “diet” is complete infertility, which, unfortunately, most often cannot be treated, so the cow can soon be “retrained” from dairy to meat.

In general, the easiest way is to rely on your own experience and common sense. If the cow has outstanding dimensions, is tall and has reproduced an equally large calf, it is worth giving it slightly larger than average portions. And vice versa, if you have a thin, undersized animal, you should not overfeed it, and you should not intentionally increase the portions. You need to start from whether there is food left in the feeder after a meal, how the volumes change after this or that food.

It is important to look after your cow's health after calving.

Childbirth is a test for any living creature. Naturally, with each subsequent birth, the cow loses a certain vital supply of energy, becoming more and more vulnerable to certain diseases. Many ailments can be overcome on your own at home, without seeing a doctor. But there are also those that require urgent medical attention; they can appear after calving, accompanied by the following symptoms:

If you can follow basic cow care and maintenance requirements, you are less likely to develop complications after calving. This once again proves that you should be meticulous in caring for a cow after calving.

In any case, if your cow calves soon, it is worth acquiring basic medications that may be needed for certain symptoms. This will be discussed further.

What drugs can be used for a cow after calving?

Of course, only a person with at least a minimum basic medical education can take full responsibility for the health of a cow, so it’s still not worth playing Aibolit on your own, since due to inexperience you can miss a symptom or choose the wrong course of treatment. However, it is still worth packing a basic first aid kit in case you urgently need to help your cow.

The farmer must clearly understand which of the drugs in the medicine cabinet should be administered subcutaneously, which ones should be added to food, and which ones should be dissolved in water. It is also necessary to know at least the approximate weight of the cow, because all doses must be calculated based on this factor. The first thing you should take care of is oxytocin; usually not a single birth in a cow, especially in first-calf heifers, is complete without it. Often you have to inject this drug to resume labor.

In addition to oxytocin, you should stock up on several doses of bicillin. This is an effective broad-spectrum antimicrobial agent.

Contrary to the popular belief that a livestock breeder's first aid kit should contain painkillers, you should not keep novocaine and drugs with similar effects. Still, pain relief should be carried out by a professional, that is, a veterinarian.

When can a cow be inseminated after calving?

This question concerns absolutely all livestock farmers who have cows on their farm. When can you inseminate her again? If the animal is healthy and has no abnormalities, it has no health problems (this is especially true for the genitourinary system), you can cover the cow in the next cycle. You can find out when the hunt begins by the following characteristic signs:

• A characteristic white, copious discharge (less often bloody) appears from the genital slit; it is often said that it begins to “smear.”
• The cow becomes more restless, more drawn to the company of bulls, prefers to walk with them, expecting a speedy insemination.

It is worth noting that the absence of sexual desire in a cow is a bad sign. Usually, about 2 months pass before the cow shows the above symptoms of estrus.

As a conclusion

From the above information we can conclude that caring for a cow is not so easy. However, all these measures pay off in full, because only in this way will the cow be able to reveal its milk potential and give good, decent milk yield.

The most effective time for inseminating cows is the second half of the heat.

According to the teachings of Academician A. A. Ukhtomsky about the dominant (dominant) states of the central nervous system in the body of cows and the sequential change of dominant - sexual, pregnancy, birth and lactation, a collision of two dominants, for example, sexual and lactation, can lead to a decrease in both fertility, and milkiness. This should be taken into account by a specialist when addressing issues of herd reproduction.

There are different opinions on the impact of productivity level on the reproductive function of cows. However, most of them indicate that the higher the milk production, the lower the function of the reproductive organs. This is a general pattern. But at what productivity of cows does their fertility decrease? It has been established that milk yield up to 4 thousand kg of milk does not negatively affect the fertility of cows. According to foreign studies, an increase in milk yield for every 1000 kg leads to a deterioration in fertility by 10%.

It is important for livestock breeding practitioners to know how much the service period depends on the level of milk productivity of cows. Experience shows that the higher the milk yield, the longer the service period. Calculations have established that for every 1000 kg increase in milk productivity, the service period increases by 18-22 days. This is usually observed in cows with a productivity of more than 4.5 thousand kg of milk.

However, there is a lot of data indicating that the high milk production of cows, when properly fed and maintained, does not reduce the ability to reproduce and does not cause infertility. It is enough to provide highly productive cows with daily active exercise, as fertility increases, the service period and the interval between calvings are reduced.

With insufficient and inadequate feeding, when not all costs for milk production are replenished, a gradual depletion of highly productive cows occurs, a deficiency of vital substances is formed, as a result of which all kinds of functional disorders arise and, above all, inhibition of reproductive activity, a long-term lack of heat is observed, anovulatory (inferior) cycles and other disorders in the reproductive system.

It has been established that the duration of the service period is affected by the frequency of milking. With double milking, the interval from calving to the time the cows come into heat is shorter than with 3- and 4-fold milking.

What happens in the cow's body after calving? From about 30 days to four months, maximum milk production is observed. During this period, there is an intensive metabolism, all the resources of the cow’s body are subordinated to the process of milk formation and milk production; The lactation dominant suppresses the sexual one, the possibility of fertilization decreases. Therefore, it is necessary to create conditions for animals so that they come into heat within a month after calving and are fertilized. But usually in cows for 1.5-2 months. After calving, quiet heat is often observed (up to 40%). It is outwardly invisible and difficult to identify, especially when kept tethered without walking. This largely explains the fact that in the first month after calving, the number of animals in heat is small (15-20%). This undesirable phenomenon can be eliminated by providing animals with daily active exercise or using test bulls to select cows in heat.

Reproduction is the main factor that causes lactation, but it also inhibits it. When heat occurs and then conception occurs, the pregnancy dominant (arising under the influence of corpus luteum progestins) suppresses the lactation dominant. In this regard, from about 5 months. pregnancy, the milk yield of cows decreases. Consequently, the shorter the service period, and, accordingly, the lactation, the less milk we get from the cow with high average daily milk yield. A complete contradiction. But this is true, if we consider one lactation, as for lifelong productivity, the shorter the service period, the more milk and calves we will get during the life of the cow, and vice versa, the longer the service period, the less milk and calves.

Thus, milk productivity and reproductive function in cows are interrelated and are the main factors determining the profitability of the dairy farming industry. In the cow's body, milk is produced for the calf. If a cow has a calf, there will be milk.

After calving, cows have a sexual cycle after 19-28 days, more often after 21, less often after 14-18 days. It is characterized by estrus, general arousal, sexual desire and ovulation.

Estrus in cows begins 15 hours before the start of heat and lasts on average 28-30 hours (from 10 to 56 hours). Most often it lasts from 2 to 4 days, sexual arousal - 6-18 hours (search reaction), hunting - 15-23 hours (immobility reflex) consists of the courtship ritual (2-6 hours) and the hunt itself (13-17 hours ), then ovulation - 10-15 hours.

It is necessary to inseminate cows during the first heat, but it is difficult to notice. As a rule, it proceeds sluggishly, so it is often inseminated during the II-III sexual cycle, but no later than 80 days after calving.

According to some experts, the highest milk productivity of cows occurs with a 300-day lactation, and to increase the number of milking days, they recommend inseminating cows not in the first, but in the third-fourth heat.

Kira Stoletova

It is difficult for an inexperienced farmer to notice when a cow is in heat. One of the most important processes in the sexual maturity of an animal - cow hunting - requires special attention from humans. What to do if the cow does not come into heat? The proximity of cattle makes it possible to organize the work of the entire farm.

Identifying cows in heat is a primary task for a person who breeds livestock. For large farms, there are separate methods for determining heat in a specific cow from a large herd.

Cows and other cattle

Hunting in a cow is a natural process, without which the behavior of animals is considered incorrect. It is very difficult for a novice farmer to distinguish when false heat occurs in cows, or to record moments when they refuse it. The periods when a cow is approaching heat should not be ignored by humans, because it is he who prepares favorable conditions for the livestock.

Is it normal for a young cow to go into heat? Experts convince us that there is no need to be afraid of early puberty in animals. The main thing is how a person reacts to any changes. It's very easy to guess the right moment.

Fertilization is intended by nature not only for procreation of cattle, but also for the regulation of internal processes in the animal’s body. After the hunt, the female becomes calm and does not harm herself or the farmer. Skipping the periods when a cow is ready to go into heat for the first time is dangerous for the animal.

False heat in cows is also common. This phenomenon is a signal to the farmer that unwanted hormonal changes are occurring inside the heifer.

Before acquiring cattle, you need to assess your own strengths. Without proper preparation and study of the lifestyle of animals, it will not be possible to breed heifers or bulls. In order not to waste time and effort in vain, you should consult with experienced farmers. Help won't hurt anyone.

When is the right time and the cow is ready to get pregnant?

Puberty of cows

What to do if a cow does not come into heat for a long time? Puberty of the female must be noticed in a timely manner; the consequences of abstinence in livestock are expressed in strong aggression and atypical behavior. A cow is a full-cycle individual in terms of physiological development. The restructuring of her hormones occurs every 25 days (sometimes less - every 18 days). Throughout this cycle, the heifer behaves calmly and balanced. The average cycle is 3 weeks.

The phases of hormonal changes in the body of a heifer are as follows:

• the female gets excited;
• braking stage;
• the period when the cow is balanced.

A cow goes hunting in one phase, and sending a heifer to a bull at any convenient time is unprofitable and even dangerous for the farmer: aggression from the cow cannot be avoided.

Hunting is determined by primary signs if the number of livestock on the farm is small. Maturation in a large herd occurs unnoticed by humans. The behavior of a bull is more pronounced, but cows show desire in a different way. During the period of excitement, the formation of eggs occurs in the heifer’s body, and at the same time the level of estrogen increases. Determining a heifer's readiness to hunt during this period is difficult.

Due to the increase in estrogen, the cow experiences vaginal discharge. For the bull, this is the first sign that he can mate soon. The heifer cannot continue hunting for a long time; on average, the entire period takes from 10 to 20 hours. If you miss the right moment, the animal will not want to mate.

Heifers that are in heat can injure and harm the bull. It is impossible to schedule the fertilization of a cow without taking into account the physiological characteristics of her body. There's no point in doing this.

Maturation period

Five days pass from estrus to the formation of the yellow body. The cow's behavior gradually changes. The first sign of puberty is discharge from the animal's vagina. Detecting discharge is a matter of 5 minutes for an experienced farmer. A day after the start of estrus, ovulation begins. The egg appears on the second day after estrus. The formed cell is ready for fertilization with bull sperm.

After another 5 days, the braking phase begins. A new yellow body takes the place of the follicle, and progesterone is produced. It is not worth mating during the braking period. After the heifers calm down, they avoid the bull and any intimacy with individuals of the opposite sex. The discharge becomes thick and soon ends. The next two weeks are a balancing act for the heifer, with progesterone high and tarragon low.

In winter, the heifer does not strive to hunt. Cold weather and dry food make the animals weak and passive, but after a few months the cows hunt with great zeal.

Estrus lasts only a few days, and during this period the farm owner must manage the mating of the cattle. Artificial stimulation (the heifer is fed special drugs) will be more expensive and take longer. The heifer hunts in the created favorable conditions. The reasons why a cow does not come into heat and refuses intimacy with bulls must be studied and eliminated. Abstinence leads to serious illnesses, and then the cattle have to be treated for a long time.

Information about how long a cow is in heat will help improve the functioning of the entire farm.

Signs of heat in cows are signals that need to be responded to immediately. It is in the interests of the farm owner to detect the heifer's heat in a timely manner, because the successful moment lasts no more than a day. The method of detecting heat and the causes of poor health in animals have been studied by farmers for centuries. Folk remedies and advice from experienced owners of large livestock will help beginners in the first couple of days.

Among the habits of a heifer during puberty and methods for determining heat are:

• a sharp change in the behavior of livestock;
• external changes in the genital organs of the cow;
• test goby technique;
• measuring the animal’s body temperature (a thermometer is placed in the rectum of the livestock or the temperature of milk taken from a cow is measured);
• “fern leaf” method;
• excessive activity of the animal;
• measuring the resistance of the vaginal walls (this method is used for large farms).

After taking bulls and cows, the degree of maturation of the cow is monitored after a short period of time. It is not difficult to identify the signs; the main thing is to observe the behavior of the animals in the herd. It is better to make do with the natural readiness of the cow, but it is not recommended to give drugs without a veterinarian. Signs will help determine the readiness of the heifer. A test bull is considered one of the simplest and most accessible ways to determine that it is time to inseminate a cow. The favorable moment for mating lasts only a day, in extreme cases - 2 days, during which you need to have time to fertilize the egg. Every new farmer goes through a difficult process, and then gains invaluable experience for the future.

Another feature is that cows hunt differently after calving; the cow’s behavior changes and she becomes a little calmer.

Test bull for hunting

When there are more than 100 cows in a herd, it is impossible to determine the heat of each one. In this case, the farmer uses convenient methods to determine estrus. The sexual maturity of a heifer is determined using a test bull. It helps to find cows that should be inseminated. The tester is considered to be a bull whose seminal canals are tied. Sometimes young animals have their penis bent on purpose. Such a bull cannot fully inseminate a heifer through mating.

A castrated bull is also suitable for such purposes. To prepare a male for the role of a probe, special means for androgens, which do not allow heifers to be inseminated, will be possible. Such sexual inferiority plays into the farmer's hands.

The bull should be brought in as soon as the females in the herd show signs of estrus. More often, sexual maturity occurs in heifers in a short period of time.

3 - Detection of sexual heat

"SILENT" HUNTING AT A COW. HOLSTIN in village conditions.

The cow is in heat.

Sexual activity in test bulls remains, but insemination is impossible. Intimacy with a castrated male is considered additional stimulation for heifers. One bull can stimulate up to a hundred cows of different ages. The sampler should be kept separate from the rest of the livestock. The bull is released only for 2-3 hours, no more than 2 times a day. Farmers stock up on two or three bulls at once. The video clearly shows how to properly prepare animals.

The first calving is determined by the bull. The young animals are caged. Cows do not resist or run away from bulls. This method determines the pregnancy of a heifer. If after 10 days the heifer allows mating, then she is not fertilized. Signs of pregnancy in the early stages cannot be detected using other methods. A pregnant heifer behaves aggressively after the first mating - this is a sure sign that fertilization has already occurred. There is no vaginal discharge observed during the following days of calving. At the age of up to one year, a heifer can become pregnant from the first contact with a bull.

Heat detection methods

Scientists have developed their own methods for determining the heat of heifers. Each method has both advantages and disadvantages. Signs of heat are not always easy to notice or find, even with modern scientific methods. Well-known methods for determining when the first heat began in young cows are presented below:

• Podometry. The method is based on measuring the length of the animal's steps. For these purposes, the farmer will need a special, expensive device. An animal in heat moves with long strides. Video filming helps to determine the heat of any heifer. This effective method has not gained wide popularity due to its high cost.
• Electrical resistance of the vaginal walls. The old method does not require much investment of time or money, but it produces questionable results. Only 20% of heifers in heat are detected.
• Measuring body temperature. This method identifies only a third of heifers in heat.
• Laboratory research. The mucus from the animal's vagina is examined. Not every farmer can do such a check. Not every owner of his own farm yard can afford this expensive and costly method. The vagina becomes covered with mucus, which contains increased amounts of estrogen.

The choice of method depends on the number of females in the herd and the capabilities of the farmer. The use of expensive tests is not practical for large farms.

Possible difficulties during hunting

A quiet heifer without heat is a problem for any owner. Such an animal requires special care and attention. Failures when the animal body does not produce the necessary hormones can affect not only the eggs and development of the heifer, but also lead to the death of livestock. Where to put such a heifer? The animal is carefully examined by a veterinarian, because insemination is not the only problem for the farmer.

Diseases of the internal organs or poor nutrition can cause the absence of estrus. If the heifer is quiet and her body is weak, then the problem is either in the feeder or in her lifestyle. Changes in living conditions lead to the restoration of internal processes in the heifer’s body. Internal pathologies are treated with medications. There is no point in self-medicating livestock.

How to guess the timing of mating? The video “detection of sexual heat in cows” will help every beginner who has not previously encountered the fertilization of cows.

The periods of sexual heat in cows do not last long, but it is necessary to prepare for them carefully. It is not always possible to induce heat in a female using artificial methods, therefore it is in the interests of the farmer to determine the natural processes that occur in each animal. If the time has come to inseminate the heifer, she will let you know about it.

Conclusion

Thus, the estrus period is extremely important for both the physical and psychological state of the animal, so if the cow is not in heat, this is a reason to think that perhaps something is wrong with the cow’s health. You can find out exactly what it is by contacting a veterinarian - only he can correctly identify the causes and prescribe the correct treatment, so that in a few days the cow will again enjoy the desire for sexual activity.

When should a cow be inseminated after calving?

According to the Ministry of Agriculture of the Russian Federation, one day of infertility of a cow (30 days after calving) leads to a loss of 0.003 calves and at least 7 kg of milk with an annual milk yield of 4000 kg.

In conditions of a shortage of complete feed, lack of exercise and insolation in a number of farms in Russia, veterinary control over the reproduction of the herd is especially important. It is necessary to achieve a physiologically justified reduction in days of infertility, and to obtain at least one calf per year from each cow.

Domestic and foreign experience show that with the normal physiological status of the herd, by the end of the first month after parturition, the postpartum involution of the genital organs is completed and the cyclic activity of the ovaries is resumed. Until the end of the second month, two full stages of arousal of the sexual cycle may appear. Therefore, you should not skip the first heat of normally calved cows. The physiologically optimal period for insemination of cows is considered to be 30-60 days after calving. Reduction to 60 days. the interval between calving and fertilization allows you to get up to 100 or more calves from every 100 cows per year. At the same time, milk production increases by 10-20%. However, on most farms in the Russian Federation, no more than 40% of cows become pregnant in the first two months after calving, and the service period varies from 80 to 120 days.

Many years of experience show that there is either no direct relationship between high milk yield and fertilization problems at all, or it is very weak. Therefore, the hypotheses according to which high milk production contributes to the deterioration of fertilization are not substantiated.

Thus, in Israel, with a milk yield above 9000 kg of milk per year, cows calve annually. Currently, the intercalving period averages about 388 days. Cows are inseminated after 60 days. After calving, about 80% of them are fertilized. To reduce the period between two calvings, cows are stimulated to estrus if they are within 50 days. after calving they did not come into heat.

Specialists from the Institute of Biotechnology and Animal Reproduction in Germany pay special attention in activities for farmers to improve the reproduction of cattle to timely and careful monitoring of the detection of estrus and heat in cows. They believe that along with the correct receipt of quality

Specialists from the Institute of Biotechnology and Animal Reproduction in Germany pay special attention in activities for farmers to improve the reproduction of cattle to timely and careful monitoring of the detection of estrus and heat in cows. It is believed that, along with the correct obtaining of high-quality sperm and other measures, timely detection of heat in cows and their insemination affect fertility, pregnancy rates, and ultimately the production of milk and meat. In their opinion, two-time control of estrus and heat during the day compared to one-time control increases fertility by 3-6%. Observance of the interval between detection of heat and the first insemination has a significant impact on the fruitful insemination of cows. The Institute’s specialists believe that with a one-time daily heat control, the interval between the moment of detection of heat and insemination should be 4-8 hours, and with double control, if heat is detected in the morning, then inseminate at noon; if heat is detected at noon, then inseminate the next morning .

Usually, single insemination is used abroad, but German experts believe that double insemination within one hunt increases the pregnancy rate. Among the clinical methods for determining heat, test bulls are often used. At the same time, they note that clinical methods of heat control can be significantly supplemented by biotechnical control, in particular, a progesterone test. Particular attention is paid to the study of the quality of sperm of breeding bulls.

SOURCE: "Agro-industrial production: experience, problems and development trends" Review information