A questionnaire survey of fertility management on dairy farms in the Republic of Ireland

Dairy farmers (n=168) with spring-calving herds completed a questionnaire designed to assess their adoption of fertility management practises. These practises were vaccinations, mineral and vitamin supplementation, ration feeding during the breeding season, oestrus detection, oestrus induction, insemination and calving induction. The majority of farmers replied that they vaccinated their cows against Leptospirosis (82 per cent), offered dry cow minerals and vitamins (92 per cent), offered ration during the breeding season (76 per cent), carried out pre-breeding season oestrus detection (81 per cent), used oestrus detection aids (95 per cent), observed for oestrus three or more times daily (96 per cent), used oestrus synchrony products on cows (77 per cent) and used artificial insemination (99 per cent). Herds were grouped by size into small (Less than 60 cows), medium (60 to 80 cows) and Large (more than 80 cows). Farmers with Large herds were more likely to reply that they vaccinated against bovine viral diarrhoea virus, offered dry cow minerals and vitamins, observed for oestrus five or more times daily, used a vasectomised bull and synchronised oestrus in heifers.