Pregnancy Scanning your Herd

For suckler and dairy farmers who calve in the Spring, Pregnancy scanning is just around the corner! Achieving a calf every 365 days is crucial for the farm’s growth and profitability. While some farmers may choose not to conduct pregnancy scans, this practice should be viewed as a strategic investment to improve herd management. On the Herdwatch app, you can record pre breeding scans as well as pregnancy scans ensuring your cows reach their optimal performance. Pregnancy scanning your herd just got a lot easier

When to Scan

Pregnancy scanning can be performed on cows from thirty days after insemination or service (when the bull is removed). Early pregnancy in cows is diagnosed with an electronic probe through a rectal examination. Predicting when cows and heifers are due to calve can offer significant benefits to farmers. On the Herdwatch app you can monitor and record every aspect of the cows breeding cycle from heat detection to registering the calf. Read more on the breeding module HERE

Benefits of Scanning

1. Identifying Pregnant and Empty Cows

The primary advantage of scanning is determining whether the cow or heifer is pregnant. Identifying and marking any ’empty’ animals allows farmers to make more informed culling decisions. Empty cows can be weaned earlier, supplemented off grass, and finished before slaughter or sale, saving money, time, and shed space.

2. Estimating Due Dates

Most scanners can provide a reliable estimate of the number of weeks a cow has been in calf. This information is useful for predicting due dates, which influences feeding schedules, vaccination timings, and overall care. It also helps in planning for the peak calving period, allowing farmers to arrange for extra help or take time off work if needed.

3. Managing Twins and Complications

Scanning within 12-14 weeks of pregnancy can detect cows carrying twins, alerting farmers to monitor these cows closely for potential complications. It also prepares farmers for what to expect during calving. Some scanners can even determine the sex of the embryos.

4. Identifying Issues

Scanning can reveal cows carrying unviable embryos or those with fertility issues, informing future culling decisions. If more than 5% of cows are found to be empty, it may indicate a fertility problem in the herd, prompting further investigation into potential bull issues, mineral deficiencies, or disease problems.

5. Organising for Calving

Knowing the calving dates allows for better organisation, such as batching cows near calving time for easier movement to calving facilities. Late-calving cows can have their feed restricted to prevent over-fattening, while thinner cows, in-calf heifers, or cows carrying twins can receive additional feed if necessary.

Recording Scan Results in the Herdwatch App

On the day of scanning, record the cow/heifer number and the number of days the animal is in calf, or note if the animal is empty on the Herdwatch app. If the scanner identifies twins, this should also be noted. This information becomes more useful when entered into the ICBF Herdplus Expected Beef Calving Report, which is generated after inputting scanning details, dam and bull tag numbers.

To Record a Scan on Herdwatch:

Tap the Orange Plus Button(+) in the bottom right-hand corner
Tap Pregnancy Scan
Enter the Scan Date
Select the cow you want
(You can easily switch between served animals and all breeding females using the Tabs)
Enter in the Days in Calf and any other scan details
(Note for cows already served the Days in Calf will be pre-filled with the number of days between the serve date and the scan date for you.)
Tap Save
Select your next animal and repeat
When all your scans have been entered Tap Done in the bottom right-hand corner