Making BETTER Bovine Babies: Recent Episodes
Vetoquinol Australia
Making BETTER Bovine Babies is a podcast aimed at educating, inspiring and at times entertaining anyone who is passionate about breeding better cattle (and more of them). Produced by Vetoquinol’s Repro360 team, we share some of the stories, knowledge and expertise from cattle vets, AI Technicians and producers around the country as well as some fundamenals from our own team as we delve into the fascinating world of ‘making better bovine babies’.
Texas A&M Associate Professor Dr Ky Pohler, one of Amercia's leading bovine reproductive physiologists, shares his extensive knowledge about In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) in the US market with Vetoquinol Australia's Rebecca Arnott.
Topics covered include
- why 80% of US embryos are produced from IVP (IVF) compared to Australia's 5% or so
- whether Australia is likely to follow suit
- results (MOET vs IVF, fresh vs frozen embryos)
- cost/embryo and cost/pregnancy
- differences between and within breeds
- why brahmans shouldn't be treated in the same way as Brazil's bos indicus cattle (Nelore)
- why Wagyus dont respond as well to IVP and further work needed
- technicians and logistical challenges
- optimising outcomes
- the benefits of stimulated IVP programs with follicle stimulating hormone (FSH)
- the importance of media
- pregnancy losses; and
- the next ten years
Cattle ET veterinarian Dr Udo Mahne and Walcha Angus seedstock producer Rob Costello of Nairn Park Angus share decades of knowledge and practical experience relating to embryo transfer programs.
For those contemplating MOET or IVF/IVP, these interviews with Vetoquinol's Rebecca Arnott provide valuable tips and insights including:
- typical results (and variations seen)
- pregnancy rates (fresh and frozen)
- getting an extra 30 calves from 5 donor cows
- donor and recipient management
- the importance of nutrition including minerals
- management practices to help maximise the number of calves produced from a single donor cow
- significantly lower cost/pregnancy of MOET vs non-stimulated IVF
- why MOET is likely to remain the most viable form of embryo transfer for most producers
- a common MOET protocol; and
- benefits of FSH in MOET and IVF/IVP
In this episode, Rebecca Arnott catches up with Dr Shane Thomson of Holbrook Vet Centre to learn about the different forms of assisted breeding available, how these are continuing to evolve and how to decide which is best suited to your situation.
Some of the advantages and disadvantages of natural mating (NM), Artificial Insemination (AI and FTAI), Embryo Transfer (ET & MOET) and In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) are discussed as well as some key differences between breeds and geographic areas.
Shane also shares his thoughts on what the future looks like, particularly given the rapid advances with genomics and embryo transfer as well as some of the key challenges facing the industry.
Vetoquinol’s Rebecca Arnott talks to AACo’s Regional Breeding and Genetics Manager, Matias Suarez and cattle repro veterinarian Dr Adam Wise to understand how such a great result was achieved from a fixed time AI (FTAI) program on wet Wagyu cows in the north.
The high cost of bulls, strong cattle prices and good seasonal conditions are driving an increase in the uptake of Artificial Insemination (AI) in commercial beef herds. For those wondering how to get started with AI, this podcast is for you.
Here Dr Jo Connolly from Impact Veterinary Services and Vetoquinol’s Rebecca Arnott cover the essentials of starting your first AI program; from finding the right vet or AI technician, different protocols, storing and selecting semen, sourcing Cue-Mate® progesterone devices and repro hormones, the importance of nutrition, infrastructure needed and costs through to expected results and what to do after AI day.
If you would like a hard copy, you will find Getting Started in Beef Cattle Artificial Insemination (AI) on our website repro360.com.au/Getting_Started_in-AI
Nuffield Scholar Jack Milbank is undertaking an ambitious project to relaunch the Tuli breed in Australia. Renowned for their fertility, hardiness, tick resistance and meat quality, this African Sanga breed has been cited as having the potential to add $200m to the northern beef industry.
Choosing the right progesterone device is important for getting the best result from your program.
Emily Pelling shares her bovine repro journey and veterinarian insights with Rebecca Arnott at the National Droughtmaster Sales in Rockhampton.
Vetoquinol's Northern Territory Manager shares her journey to becoming a Territory Manager and provides some good advice for running a successful assisted breeding program
Vetoquinol's Sophia Edwards answers many common questions about Artificial Insemination in beef cattle I from the fundamentals of an AI program, what is Fixed Time AI, costs and benefits through to the different protocols and getting started.
Imagine using controlled mating through Fixed Time Artificial Insemination (FTAI) to improve your bottom line by $90/pregnancy.In this Podcast, one of Australia’s most engaging repro veterinarians, Dr Enoch Bergman tells Vetoquinol’s Rebecca Arnott how this result was achieved via a Meat & Livestock Australia funded Producer Demonstration Site (PDS) project run in conjunction with Swans Veterinary Services and the WA producer grower group ASHEEP.Run over three mating seasons, between 2017 and 2019, the testing of FTAI in the heifer joining programs of 10 local beef producers measured conception rates, dystocia rates, calf and heifer mortality rates, rebreeding weights, and the weaning weights of the calves from the heifers. Those enrolled in the FTAI integrated group were superior to those of their naturally mated siblings on average for each parameter and in most individual instances.Enoch highlights results from an economic analysis of the averages, which demonstrated a benefit of just under $90 per pregnancy without factoring in either genetic improvement or the ongoing benefits of the improved calving distribution observed within the heifers enrolled in the FTAI program.This Podcast was recorded at the end of Beef Australia; hence the croaky voices!
In our inaugural Podcast, Vetoquinol's Rebecca Arnott talks to Dr Penelope McGown about the fundamentals of bovine reproduction; that being the hormones of a cow's oestrous cycle.Understanding the role and interaction of each of these hormones, including Oestrogen, Progesterone, Prostaglandin (PG), Gonadotrophin Releasing Hormone (GnRH), Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) and Luteinizing Hormone (LH) will help you understand how assisted breeding programs accelerate the rate of genetic gain in a herd.