Dairy herd management during April should focus on having the maximum number of eligible cows cycling at mating start date (MSD), Teagasc says.

It says that having cows in good body condition and free from uterine infection is important. Assessing your cows on an individual basis is also important, here’s how:

These and other ‘at-risk’ cows can be placed on once-a-day (OAD) milking. Mark with leg band or tape and leave these with the main herd, it advises.

Teagasc says that OAD milking improves BCS if feeding levels are maintained as normal.

Teagasc says that at 10 days before AI starts, all cows calved over 30 days and not seen in heat should be examined to assess cyclicity.

After that it says that non-cycling cows can be treated with a controlled internal drug release (CIDR) protocol to induce heat. Delaying this intervention until three to four weeks into breeding will reduce submission rate, Teagasc says.