21 May 2025

Listen: Breeding tips for spring-calving suckler herds

As we are at a critical stage of the breeding season, Dr. David Kenny, researcher in Teagasc Grange, is on this week’s Beef Edge podcast to discuss breeding on spring-calving suckler herds.

Sharing tips to be aware of, David says that this spring has been good overall, and cows were in good condition going to grass early and fit for breeding.

However, the impact of last year’s challenging spring is being witnessed, with cows calving to second cycle and calving later on most farms, overall. Given this, body condition score of cows and good nutrition to resume cyclicity is important.

David outlines key tips around AI use and in relation to farmers using a stock bull. It is still important to record when cows are showing heat so that the number of repeats can be monitored. Young bulls should be particularly monitored even though they may be fertility checked.

Talking with farmers, like every year, there are issues with stock bulls cropping up. David explains that if the bull has had an infection or a rise in body temperature, this may cause the bull to become sub fertile.

Scanning of cows may take place after 30-35 days to identify cows that are in calf and the fertility of the bull and to check for any issues.

For more tips and advice, listen to the full episode of the Beef Edge podcast below:

Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com, more episodes and information from the Beef Edge podcast are available here.