Farm Services
Growing HeifersGrowing Heifers
The strong link between well grown heifers and a healthy herd is well known. The opportunity in recent times to rear surplus heifers for export and the evolution of sexed semen means we have another incentive to optimise heifer rearing programs.
A replacement rate of 25% or more with well grown maiden heifers calving early, is the key to a highly fertile herd that has minimal mastitis or metabolic disease. The Vet Group offers support to farmers to achieve these objectives with a number of products and services including:
- Weighing heifers and setting targets with nutritional advice
- Monitoring worm burdens and offering drenching advice and products
- Monitoring mineral and trace element levels and offering products and services to administer them
- Setting vaccination programs for pestivirus, salmonella, IBR, pink eye, scour shield and clostridia
- Advising on and administering synchrony programs for maiden heifers
- Pregnancy testing
- Teat sealing heifers pre calving
Our team has developed a practically orientated field guide for heifer rearing. We also offer regular group training programs for farm staff who wish to learn more about successful heifer rearing.