HeatM8
Passionate about improving heat detection skills in dairy farmers.
How to Read Tailpaint
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Look at the Paint, Read the Cow.
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Tailpaint will tell you a story if you know what to look for.
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Just because some paint is missing does not mean that the cow is bulling.
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It is important to look closely at the condition of the paint.
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Flattened dirty paint means that the paint has been rubbed from bulling activity.
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Clean, dry, crumbly paint means the cow has not been bulling but the paint needs refreshing.
Below are Some Examples of Bulling Cows
The photo below shows a cow that has had a strong standing heat.
All the paint has been rubbed off.
What little paint is left is rubbed smooth and is dirty.
The tail head is warm and sweaty.
It would be easy if they were all like this, but unfortunately that is not the case.
The photo below shows a cow that has also had a strong standing heat.
Not all the paint has been rubbed off.
What paint is left on is rubbed smooth and is dirty.
The tail head is warm and sweaty.
It would be easy if they were all like this, but unfortunately that is not the case.
The photo below shows a cow that has also had a strong standing heat.
The paint has not been completely rubbed off.
What paint is left on is rubbed smooth and is dirty.
The tail head is warm and sweaty.
The right pin bone is rubbed raw.
The photo below shows a cow that has also had a strong standing heat.
The paint has not been completely rubbed off.
What paint is left on is rubbed smooth and is dirty.
The tail head is warm and sweaty.
The pin bones are rubbed smooth.
There is loose hair on the cow's back.
The photo below shows a cow that has had a strong standing heat.
The paint has been almost completely rubbed off.
What paint is left on is rubbed smooth and is dirty.
The tail head is warm and sweaty.
Notice the dirt marks on her back from the hooves of the cows that have been riding her.
The photo below shows a cow that has not had a strong standing heat.
The paint has not been completely rubbed off.
What paint is left on is rubbed smooth and is dirty.
The tail head is warm and sweaty.
Neither the pin bones nor tailhead are rubbed raw.
There is loose hair on the cow's back.
This cow is easily spotted if the paint has been applied sparingly and brushed forward so that the hairs stand up.
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Below are Some Examples of Cows that have NOT been Bulling.
The photo below shows a cow that has NOT been bulling.
The paint has NOT been rubbed smooth and is NOT dirty.
The patch where the paint is missing is dry and crusty
The paint has come off where the skin was rubbed raw from the last heat.
The skin on the pins which were rubbed raw last time is dry and flaky.
The photo below shows a cow that has NOT been bulling.
The paint has NOT been rubbed smooth and is NOT dirty.
The patches where the paint is missing is dry and crusty.
The paint has come off where the skin was rubbed raw form the last heat.
The skin on the pins which were rubbed raw last time is dry and flaky.
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The photo below shows a cow that has NOT been bulling.
The paint has NOT been rubbed smooth and is NOT dirty.
The paint has become dry and crusty.
The paint has cracked and fallen off from the tail movement of the cow.
The skin on the pins which were rubbed raw last time is dry and flaky.
The photo below shows a cow that has NOT been bulling.
The paint has NOT been rubbed smooth and is NOT dirty.
The paint has fallen off because the cow is moulting.
The hairs break off at skin level because the paint has stiffened the hairs.
