A workshop for beef producers around the Ensay area, which aimed to improve cattle reproductive efficiency through practical tools, data-informed decision-making, and vet-led engagement, was a busy day with many questions answered.
Hosted at Newcomen Herefords, Ensay, the workshop was part of the ReproActive: More Calves, More Often series run by animal health company Zoetis, and drew about 35 people.
Dr Alison Gunn, Herd Solutions, Walpa, was a co-presenter with Zoetis vet, Dr Matt Petersen.
“This program looks at maximising reproduction on farm from heifers right through to the bulls,” Dr Gunn said.
“One of the key messages was the importance of checking bulls every year because up to 20 per cent can fail an annual bull test.
“We also spoke on vaccinating, and the effects diseases can have on pregnancy rates, as well as the critical mating weight for a heifer and her long-term reproduction.”
Zoetis’ Dr Petersen said the More Calves, More Often series was a training initiative developed by Zoetis in collaboration with key beef production veterinarians and rural business experts around Australia.
“The ReproActive program is about supporting industry leadership, knowledge-sharing, and stronger vet-producer collaboration,” Dr Petersen said.
“It aims to deliver outcomes aligned with best-practice guidelines while providing producers with practical skills and peer-to-peer learning opportunities.”
He said Mr Newcomen’s property was chosen to host the day because it reflected the real-world application of the program’s principles, and Barry was generous in sharing his herd data and management approaches.
Key topics covered included:
Critical Mating Weights (CMW): Targeting weight benchmarks in heifers to support long-term reproductive success.
Condition Scoring: Using it as a simple management tool to assess nutritional status and adjust feeding at critical periods like weaning, calving and mating to improve fertility outcomes.
Reproductive Disease: Strategies to manage pestivirus (BVDV), leptospirosis and vibriosis.
Bull Health and Management: Crush-side examinations of bulls using the BULLCHECK® Veterinary Bull Breeding Soundness Evaluation framework to identify and manage sub fertile bulls.
Joining Periods: How optimising joining windows, including timeframes like six weeks for heifers, and nine weeks for cows, contributes to tighter calving, better subsequent mating outcomes and more efficient operations.
