Dairy
Now days all the talk ahead of the breeding season is about AI and sexed semen, but we cannot forget about the stock bull.
A lot of farms may be getting heifers out to grass, but it is still important to keep your eye on their condition as breeding edges closer.
As the last of the cows calve down, identifying any high cell count cows will be critical in the lead up to the breeding season.
With breeding kicking off in two weeks time, industry leaders are emphasising the key messages that will ensure a successful season.
With the breeding season approaching, it is important to understand what milk urea is and how it could be affecting your herds fertility.
In the build up to the breeding season, there will be a focus on keeping lameness to a minimum to ensure the oestrus cycle goes unaffected.
Retained placentas are a relatively common occurrence during the calving season, which can in turn affect the upcoming breeding season.
Ahead of breeding, a number of boosters may be required, as vaccinations play an important role on dairy farms.
With such encouraging calf prices this spring, dairy farmers must be aware of what buyers are looking for before breeding commences this year.
Sexed semen usage has been on an upward trajectory of the last number of years, with approximately 400,000 sexed semen straws used in 2025.
When selecting bulls this breeding season, it's worth looking at how you can use milk traits to drive farm profitability.
Sexed semen has grown in popularity over the last few years, which has ultimately led to the uptake in synchronisation programmes.
There has been a huge uptake in breeding technology over the last couple of years, but what are the actual advantages?
As the breeding season approaches quickly, it's time to start making selective decisions about the cows and bulls being used next month.
There are still plenty of cows to calve down, but with breeding quickly approaching farmers should start carrying out pre-breeding checks.
You may be considering ordering AI straws in the coming weeks ahead of breeding, but have you checked on your liquid nitrogen tank?
As farmers sit down to pick out the bull team for the 2026 breeding season, they may be wondering what were the top dairy sire in 2025?
With breeding only around the corners, farmers should consider blood testing the herd in case there are any underlying mineral deficiencies.
Calving will be slowing down on many farms, which might give farmers some time to start thinking about the breeding season.
With the majority of herds over halfway through the calving season, farmers should be milk recording with the breeding season in mind.
Beef
A Suckler Cow Breeding Open Day will take place at the Newford suckler farm, Skrine, Co. Roscommon next month.
Veterinary Ireland is to hold a workshop for vets on examining breeding soundness in bulls, which will include an on-farm practical session.
Series
Agriland Media Group is delighted to be partnering with MSD Animal Health for a brand new series ahead of the upcoming breeding season
