Status of Insemination Practices of Dairy Cows in Ille-et-Vilaine
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Artificial insemination (AI) is a reproductive practice used by the majority of French dairy farms[1].
It has established itself as the dominant reproductive practice thanks to various advantages, including:
- An affordable cost.
- Time savings and simplification of work organization.
- Better health control of reproduction.
- Better management of renewal and genetics, notably with sexed semen or crossbreeding inseminations.
Generally, 3 types of artificial insemination are distinguished:
- Purebred AI, aimed at improving the herd's genetics, notably through sexed semen which guarantees the birth of a female calf.
- Industrial crossbreeding AI: cows are inseminated with beef breed sperm, which allows better sale of calves that will not be integrated into the herd.
- Service AI or culling AI, generally performed with beef semen, sometimes practiced before culling to calm animals by blocking their heat cycle. These inseminations are nevertheless regulated by law: pregnant cows ready to calve (from 90% of gestation) or having calved less than a week ago cannot be transported or slaughtered [2].
In an average dairy farm, a good renewal strategy (with a rate between 25 and 30%) and good reproductive control of animals are often considered to allow significant savings. Practices of insemination therefore condition the productivity of animals and the genetics of the herd, as well as the economic efficiency of the production unit. Consequently, farmers must devise an insemination protocol to achieve their goals, based on the tools and technologies available to them.
This article presents the results of an insemination practices observatory, conducted in the north of Ille et Vilaine in spring 2021 by the consulting company EILYPS using the Landfiles application. Through observations in 180 farms, the share of sexed semen inseminations on dairy heifers and dairy cows, as well as industrial crossbreeding inseminations, were studied for this region. The sample is composed of more than 80% Holstein cows.
Observatory results
Sexed inseminations on heifers:
Half of the farmers surveyed stated they use sexed semen straws on their dairy heifers, in the proportions shown in the adjacent table.
For farms using this practice, the study observed that on average 52% of heifers are inseminated with sexed semen.
Insight from David Buan, heifer consultant:
“The observed percentage seems quite consistent and illustrates farmers' desire to control their renewal costs. By inseminating their best heifers with sexed semen, they guarantee the birth of a defined number of females with high genetic potential. This way, they manage to optimize downwards the number of animals raised, which is a significant parameter since the cost of raising a heifer ranges between €1500 and €1900. To further optimize this balance between economic efficiency and genetic progress of the herd, this practice combines well with genotyping, for example.”
Sexed semen on dairy cows:
Among cows that have already calved, the use of sexed semen is much less frequent, with only 15% of farmers surveyed reporting this practice.
Among this group of about thirty farms, the share of multiparous cows inseminated with sexed semen remains quite low: with a response peak between 5 and 10% (12% on average).
Expert insight from David Buan:
"These percentages still correspond to the desire to manage renewal costs. Heifers have higher fertility because only maintenance needs to be covered. In the case of a primiparous or multiparous cow, several factors such as diseases notably due to the previous calving, like ketosis, lead to lower fertility capacity. It is therefore consistent to prefer inseminating heifers with sexed semen rather than primiparous or multiparous cows for better renewal management."
Industrial crossbreeding on dairy cows:
As explained in the introduction, industrial crossbreeding is a technology that allows the birth of a calf with better carcass valorization traits. This practice thus enables some optimization of farm revenues, without real technical or organizational constraints. It therefore seems logical that it is widely used in the study sample, with more than 80% of farmers reporting its use.
The insemination practices observatory also observed that on average, about 18% of dairy cows are concerned by these beef semen inseminations.
Expert insight from David Buan:
“One might expect this percentage to be higher, but overall Breton dairy farms are characterized by high renewal rates. It is estimated that this rate is often between 35% and 40% (33% on average in 2016-2017 for Ille et Vilaine[1]) while a cruising speed of 25 to 30% is usually recommended. Consequently, there is logically less use of industrial crossbreeding in these farms. The frequency of industrial crossbreeding use can also vary according to farm dynamics (expansion or reduction of the herd). If the farm is developing, it is normal for the renewal rate to be between 40% and 45%: this avoids purchasing animals externally and thus limits sanitary impact. However, for a farm at cruising speed, a rate of 25% to 30% is more than sufficient. When heifer selection is well controlled, industrial crossbreeding insemination offers better success rates and adds better calf valorization in addition to the savings already made on raising costs."
While the economic interest of industrial crossbreeding seems to be relatively well understood by farmers, its practice can also offer a better success rate for animals with fertility problems.
The adjacent graph shows the number of 'purebred insemination failures after which surveyed farmers chose to use beef semen. It is observed that after 3 to 4 unsuccessful purebred inseminations, most farmers resort to industrial crossbreeding.
Expert insight from David Buan:
“Beef breed semen can also be used in the objective of breaking a poor reproductive dynamic (NB: due to heterosis, conception rates can thus be increased[3]). Industrial crossbreeding is therefore interesting for problematic animals (health or culling) as well as those for which several purebred inseminations have successively failed. This way, farmers can avoid a too long calving interval, as well as the economic consequences that such lengthening would imply. The only caveat is that crossbred calves are often better conformed and may cause more difficult calvings.”
Summary
The use of sexed semen purebred insemination is an effective technique for controlling renewal costs. In an optimal insemination protocol aligned with the farmer’s objectives, it can be combined with other practices such as the use of crossbred doses to increase economic efficiency or genotyping to further refine genetic improvement.
Further reading
Visit the website of EILYPS, a consulting and expertise company in farming:
https://breeder-connect.com/article/reproduction-semence-sexee-et-croisement-industriel
La technique est complémentaire des techniques suivantes
- Defining a renewal strategy in dairy farming
- Dairy cow reproduction: indicators and economic impacts
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Reproscope, observatory of cattle reproduction in France.
- ↑ COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 1/2005 of 22 December 2004 on the protection of animals during transport and related operations and amending Directives 64/432/EEC and 93/119/EC and Regulation (EC) No 1255/97.
- ↑ C. Dezetter, Helene Leclerc, Sophie Mattalia-Elie, Anne Barbat, Didier Boichard, et al.. Estimation of inbreeding and crossbreeding effects for production traits in Prim’Holstein, Montbéliarde and Normande cows. 21. Rencontres Recherches Ruminants, Dec 2014, Paris, France. hal-01194023. https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01194023/document
