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Ryan lifts conception rate in cows from 85% to 92%.
Ryan Willing, Beef Producer, WA
In Ryan’s words:
We often have issues with Copper and Selenium in the Esperance region as the sand plain that makes up most of the area does not hold nutrients well. This can effect fertility, weight gain and overall health of our livestock. So, we were eager to test the difference in fertility, conception rates and productivity through the use of Multimin 4 in 1 trace mineral injection.
With the guidance of Multimin mentor Dr Enoch Bergman, we ran a trial on our cows to see what effect Multimin may have on their fertility, conception rate and productivity.
In Enoch’s words:
It is critical that calving aligns with optimal seasonal pasture availability, in order to maximize calf weaning weights, breeder’s lifetime fertility and the producer’s ability to capitalize on market opportunities. Our intervention doesn’t stop with choosing the best mating date, we must actively ensure that each breeding animal is given the best chance to fall pregnant each time she cycles. Cows which fall pregnant early in the mating program go on to calve earlier, and are therefore better prepared for their next mating, not only increasing their longevity within the production system, but also the weaned weight of their calves. Adequate micromineral levels are a key prerequisite to the optimisation of both the body condition score and plane of nutrition of each breeder, paramount to achieving the goal of a short fast calving season.
For most of my clients, integrating a rapid trace mineral top up of zinc, manganese, selenium, cobalt and copper at weaning and again prior to mating will improve reproductive outcomes, as well as contributing to growth, a functioning immune system, and greater disease resilience, all leading to improved future fertility prospects.
Not only do appropriate levels of microminerals improve conception and the retention of pregnancies, the unborn calf’s micromineral reserves are set up in utero, contributed from its mother’s reserves. Setting the mother up properly helps to set up the next generation.
It was really exciting to see obvious pigment changes in Ryan’s cattle when comparing the treated with the non-treated animals within the same management group. This really highlights the value of controlled studies. It was also great to measure fertility differences as well.
Ryan’s animal health program
Fertility, conception rate & productivity
As part of the trial we split our cows into two groups, in order to compare improvements in conception rates and timings. Group 1 was treated with HyB12 + Cydectin Long Acting Injection, and group 2 with Multimin + HyB12 + Cydectin Long Acting Injection. Cows were treated in early June, four weeks prior to joining. They were then be preg-tested five weeks after joining, in order to measure both conception rates and time of conception – both important markers of fertility and herd profitability.
Early results indicated strong results for those cows treated with Multimin. Even though our herd relied heavily on supplementary feeding the previous winter, the Multimin treated cows looked particularly good. Before I started using Multimin, my yearlings used to look brown and shaggy by the end of winter – but they were keeping their shiny black coats, which is the first sign of good health.
When preg-tested in October 2018, we saw above 90% conception in both groups, with the Multimin-treated animals slightly ahead.
“In 2017, treatment of Multimin four weeks from joining lifted the average conception rate in my cows from 85% to 92% with a 9-week joining period. I also saw weight gains in my steers by using a combination of Multimin and Cydectin Long Acting Injection as previous results have shown 1 kg/day average from weaning to spring sale.”
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