With the first round of mating underway, soon we will be seeing some returns. If they seem too good to be true, they probably are!
If they correspond with actual conception rates, then that's great news. But, if the cows have just stopped cycling or heats have been missed then now is the time to act before it becomes an issue.
Phantom cows is the name given to these cows that appear to have held a mating but then start cycling later on or turn out to be empty come pregnancy test time. There are options for these cows and we don't have to accept them as empties.
On average, 10% of cows in NZ end up as phantom cows but it is important to realize that in some herds this number is over 20% and in others it is virtually none/ Because of this variation we recommend you look at risk factors and if concerned, talk to your vet about your options.
Risk Factors for Phantom Cows:
Weak heats
Difficult or poor heat detection
Declining production through mating
Low numbers of cows cycling prior to mating
High number of non-cycling cows being treated
Low numbers of cows returning after the first round of AB (i.e. a non-return rate of greater than 70%)
Success with treating phantom cows comes from identifying cows early and treating early. If you leave it too late then these cows do not get a chance to be treated before the end of mating.
So if you are concerned and non-return rates are over 60%, call us to discuss options.
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