Tools to help farmers assess the economic benefits of improving the reproductive performance of dairy cows

Simultaneously optimising reproduction and lactation performance is a challenge for dairy farmers. Lactation starts with farrowing, but the production of large quantities of milk reduces the cow's ability to be fertilised and initiate a new lactation. Using a bio-economic herd simulator previously developed to evaluate health management strategies on dairy cattle farms, it was shown that cow fertility and the quality of heat detection by the farmer are the two key reproductive factors that determine the overall performance of the herd. However, the economic interest in optimising the reproductive performance of the herd varies according to the degree of intensification of the production system. At the end of this partnership project, simplified simulation tools were produced for farmers and their advisors. They enable the farmer himself to better assess the situation of his herd and the interest in investing in precision breeding tools.

Bibliography :

Bekara M. A., Bareille N. 2019. Quantification by simulation of the respective impact of herd management practices and cow fertility on the reproductive and economic performance of Holstein dairy farms. Journal of Dairy Science, 102(10):9435-9457 DOI: 10.3168/jds.2018-15484.