Jalex heifers record 78% conception rate in trial

The work involved the input of Dovea Genetics and HVS Animal Health.

The Jalex herd, owned by renowned Randalstown sucker beef producer James Alexander, is home to a selection of Ireland’s elite commercial blood lines.

Dovea’s sales representative Eamon McGarry takes up the story:“The heifers were synchronised in early January. Semen from two of Dovea’s top Limousin bulls; Elderberry Galahad and Ewdenvale Galahad were used on the breeding females.

“Subsequent scanning confirmed an almost 80% conception rate to first service. This is a tremendous result.”

Six weeks prior to the start of the programme all the heifers were drenched with HVS Liquid Gold Cattle, a proven source of bio-available trace elements and vitamin for suckler cows and other livestock.

“Fertility in suckler cows and heifers are highly dependent on the animals’ mineral and vitamin balance. If these are sub-optimal then their ability to conceive will be negatively impacted,” explained HVS Animal Health’s Paul Elwood.

He continued: “Our Liquid Gold range supplies all the micro minerals and essential vitamins required by milking stock, cattle and sheep in a highly available form to help address the shortfall of micro minerals that so characterise the forages produced here in Northern Ireland.

“The products represent the next generation in chelated mineral and vitamin drenches.”

Paul added that suckler herd owners must seek to maximise the fertility performance of their livestock.

“The HVS Liquid Gold range has been developed to meet this specific requirement. The reality is that an animal can only perform to the level of the greatest deficiency or imbalance in its diet. All forage based diets can contain major mineral imbalances and consequently most stock never achieve their genetic potential in terms of growth, fertility, development of immunity, etc.”

Paul said that for trace elements to be available to stock, they must be of high quality and must link up with one or more amino acids or peptides in the rumen prior to being absorbed through the gut wall into the blood stream, adding: “Stock are not ideally equipped to effect this “link up” and a significant proportion of trace elements and vitamins supplied in conventional form, pass straight through the body and are excreted.”

Paul concluded: “The conception rates achieved with the Jalex heifers is confirmation of the key role that Liquid Gold Cattle can play in any suckler breeding programme.”

For further information, contact HVS Animal Health on (028) 4483 1700