Last August, Bles Dairies expert Anne Terpstra visited several dairy farms and held a seminar attended by sixty dairy farmers about genetics in the village Kovernino, in Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, Russia. In general, little knowledge and expertise is exchanged between farmers in Russia; hence the organization of such informative meetings and seminars is at the utmost importance.
During the seminar, one of the treated topics was the Repeat Breeding Syndrome (RBS). This occurs when a normally cycling cow, with no clinical abnormalities, fails to conceive after at least two successive inseminations. It is a problem almost all farmers are facing among their herd. Consequently a debate was conducted on how, where, when and why cows do not always get pregnant.
The seminar also underlined the importance of breeding towards a healthy herd by focussing on the immunity of the animals. Immunity+ sired animals have genetics which have been proven to provide robust immune systems capable of dealing with a large variety of potential immune challenges, encompassing nearly all major diseases. Many farmers start seeing the advantages of Immunity+, but it is a process that takes time.
On the dairy farms, our expert provided a number of farmers with insights and expertise on genetics and breeding. Many have already made great progress on the subject of young stock rearing and dry cow management. Striking growth numbers (800-900 grams per day), very well developed animals, attention for the comfort of dry cows… Anne was impressed by the good work!
On the other hand, it remains remarkable that claw health continues to be an issue that needs attention in tie stall systems. Anne will come back in the near future for more detailed training!
