Given current circumstances the Teagasc farm walks that would usually take place at this time of year, have been replaced by a series of free webinars. Make sure you tune in to the online breeding seminars for your opportunity to ask those all-important questions regarding the impending breeding season!
We are pleased to announce our very own Siobhan Ring will be speaking in Thursday’s seminar on the Dairy Beef Index, make sure you take a listen.
All webinars start at 10am and will last for one hour. Farmers are instructed to download the ‘Zoom’ app to their desktop/ laptop/ipad/phone beforehand. To listen in follow this link –www.teagasc.ie/dairybreedingseries
The Seminar Schedule
Monday, 20 April | 10am
Getting more cows in calf during the first three weeks of the breeding season (incl. BCS, Metricheck)
Presenters: Stephen Moore & Donal Patton
Faciliator: Stuart Childs
With the breeding season just about to begin the first of the four topics for discussion at the Teagasc dairy breeding online seminars is ‘Getting more cows in calf during the first three weeks of the breeding season’. Dr. Stephen Moore, Teagasc Moorepark will make a short presentation on recent research in the area of compact calving. Dr. Donal Patton, Teagasc Ballyhaise will outline the plans in place to compactly breed the Ballyhaise dairy herd. Farmers who log on to the seminar can post breeding questions for the presenters.
Tuesday, 21 April | 10am
Tips to maximise conception rate to sexed semen
Presenter: Stephen Butler & Jim White, farmer
Facilitator: Stuart Childs
Renewed interest in sexed semen is being prompted by the difference in value between dairy breed heifer and bull calves and the advantages of rearing a group of dairy heifer calves of similar age. Following extensive on-farm research, Dr. Stephen Butler, Teagasc Moorepark will make a short presentation on his tips to maximise conception rate when using sexed semen. Jim White, a dairy farmer from Mullinahone, Co. Tipperary will then outline how he has successfully incorporated the use of sexed semen into his breeding programme for the past number of years. Farmers who log on to the seminar can post questions for the two speakers.
Wednesday, 22 April | 10am
Selecting your bull team
Presenters: Donagh Berry & Richie O’Brien
Faciliator: Stuart Childs
In the third of our series of online breeding seminars, Professor Donagh Berry, Teagasc Moorepark will outline the rationale behind selecting a team of bulls for the coming breeding season. He is supported by Richard O’Brien, co-ordinator of the Teagasc-Glanbia joint programme, who will outline the plans that his group of monitor farmers group have used in selecting their bull teams for the coming breeding season. Once again farmers who log on to the seminar can post their questions for the two speakers to answer.
Thursday, 23 April | 10am
Increasing the value of your 2021 calf crop: using the Dairy Beef Index
Presenters: Siobhan Ring, ICBF & Noirin McHugh
Facilitator: Stuart Childs
In the fourth of our series of online breeding seminars, Dr. Siobhan Ring, ICBF will outline how the Dairy Beef index is constructed and how the new calving difficulty index has been developed to better reflect calving difficulty in dairy cows and heifers. Dr. Noirin McHugh, Teagasc Moorepark will then discuss the Active Bull List for Beef AI sires. Farmers who log on to the seminar can post questions for the two speakers