HeatM8
Passionate about improving heat detection skills in dairy farmers.
Tips on How to Identify Bulling Cows
The pdf form below outlines the behavioural signs a cow displays during the three stages of oestrus(heat, bulling).
You can download and print off the pdf as a handy on-farm reference.
Heat Detection Aids
Heat Patches
Heat patches are a heat detection aid that releases a coloured dye when pressure is applied when a cow is ridden while in standing heat.
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Click on this link to see how to apply them correctly
https://www.lic.co.nz/products-and-services/artificial-breeding/heat-patch-application/
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When activated they should look like this
However, sometimes they are only partially activated from the bulling activity as shown below.
Both of these cows have been bulling.
Unfortunately they can also be partially activated even when the cow has not been bulling as shown below.
Neither of these cows have been bulling even though the Heat patches have been partially activated.
Summary
Heat Patches can be a very useful heat detection aid but they will sometimes be only partially activated from bulling activity and can show "false positives" on non-bulling cows.
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It is always best to use tailpaint in conjunction with Heat Patches to help you make the right decision when the Heat Patches are only partially activated.
Scratch Cards
Scratch cards are very effective as heat detection aids
The silver layer is rubbed off when the cow is ridden when in standing heat.
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When activated they should look like this.
The silver layer can be rubbed off from tail swishing or scratched off from hedges but these are obvious when compared to bulling activity.
Summary
Scratch Cards are a very cost effective heat detection aid.
The wear from non-bulling rubbing is easily recognised which helps to eliminate the non-bulling cows.
Some farmers have had success spraying silver galvanising paint on the scratch cards to touch up the slightly rubbed cards.
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It is always best to use tailpaint in conjunction with Scratch Cards to help you make the right decision.