With cull cow prices strong, Beef Specialist at Teagasc, David Argue looks at the benefits of scanning suckler cows, a practice not only valuable in identifying empty cows early but also useful in projecting calving dates next spring.

It is getting to the time of year where spring-calving herds should think about pregnancy scanning their cows or heifers to identify whether they are in calf or not.

With the dramatic increase in cattle prices over the last number of months, and in particular the spike in cull cow price, this is a year where farmers will get well paid for empty cull cows through a live trade at the mart or as finished cull cows in the factory.

Scanning should be carried out about 30 days from when the last cow in the herd has been served. Scanning at this time will ensure accuracy, as it is difficult to pick up very early or late pregnancies within the herd.

Predicting calving dates

In many cases, especially on suckler farms, farmers may need to scan two or three times in the year to get accurate calving dates for cows. Predicting expected calving dates is important when it comes to managing cows over the winter. Late-calving cows can be restricted on feed to stop them getting over fat. Thinner cows, in-calf heifers or cows carrying twins (usually detected at scanning time providing cows are not more than 12 -14 weeks in calf) can be taken out and given priority access to better quality silage or additional feed if necessary.

Identifying empty cows

Identifying empty cows in the herd and selling them off the farm can result on a saving on feed and shed space. On highly stocked farms, selling cull cows early can help to reduce the overall organic Nitrogen produced on the farm.

Scanning at this time of the year allows empty cows to be separated from the main herd, reducing the chance of young bull calves succumbing to an injury from mounting cows that are in heat. These empty cows can be fed concentrates and weaned that bit earlier to put some condition on before selling.

In the below video, David Argue tells us more about pregnancy scanning benefits, timing and facilities:

Other benefits of scanning suckler cows

In some cases, scanners can tell the sex of the embryos which can be useful to know in a difficult calving situation.

Scanning also gives an accurate overview of the success of AI or the bulls running with the herd. The target for a successful breeding season is to have less than 5% of cows culled due to fertility issues. If your herd has a greater than 5% empty rate, then there is likely underlying issues that need to be identified and addressed.

The cost of scanning can vary but generally costs approx. €3 per cow plus a call out charge (€20 – €50). Rates will vary and may be dependent on the number of animals being scanned and the time it takes to scan the herd of cows, but it is money well spent.

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