Topics from Denmark in Bergamo 2015
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How do we maintain and further grow market share now, and in the future.
How do we maintain and develop our job as A.I. Technician/Inseminator now, and in the
future.
The AI Company “VikingDanmark” offer the following services
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Reproduction Service
Breeding Advisory Service and Insemination Plans
Semen Sale
Sale of cattle-related products to the Farmer
A.I. Technicians in Viking Denmark
Full time AI Technicians/year in Viking Denmark
New A.I. Technicians - received training in 14/15
Members in “The Association of Danish Inseminator” /A.I. Technicians
180
172
6
174
Numbers of insemination i Denmark. Carried out by official A.I. Technician, Farmers and privat
A.I. Technician. Last 12 months
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All Insemination
All 1. Insemination
All 1. Insemination don by A.I. Technician
All 1. Insemination don by Farmers and Others
A.I. Technician
Farmers and Privat AI Technician
1.444.252
744.742 (- 0,5%)
610.692
134.050
82,0 %
18,0 %
Artificial Insemination done by the farmer.
Some farmers want to perform Artificial Insemination on their own cattle, which is possible by
attending an approved course. This course is of very short duration and professionalism therefore
very low, which may compromise animal welfare. Requirements for AI training should be the same
as by an AI Technician.
It happens that farmers assist each other with artificial insemination. It is clearly against the law,
but until now, it could not be proved or punished.
The AI Technician at work
The AI Technician works within a given geographical area. Here he/she works closely with
colleagues, most commonly in groups of three people. They organise a work roster which includes
their days off, holidays etc.
In a group of three, there are two districts. Two AI Technicians will be at work, while the third
person has the day off.
On Sundays, only one of the three is working, and this AI Technician must therefore work in both
districts, while the two others are off duty.
By using these work rutines the Farmer/Staff and the AI Technicians get to know each other very
well. This is beneficial for everyone, including VikingDanmark as the service provider.
In case of illness, training and extra time off, a Relief AI Technician is called in.
Preparing of a day's work
Today's work will be planned from the orders received by telephone, answer phone and over the Web.
On VikingDanmarks’ website Farmers may place their order.
In the morning, from 7:00 to 7:30 the Farmer can call directly to the AI Technician.
Ordering is possible until 10:30 (8:30 on Sundays and Public Holidays) by leaving a message on the answer
phone. This incurs an extra charge.
All telephone communication is going via the IP telephone system. The Farmers call is being registered by a
server, that sends the call on to the AI Technician, who is working in the particular area.
Calls are received throughout the day, and the Farmer may leave a message if the phone line is busy.
The server lets the Farmer know what number he is in the queue. He has the choice of waiting, or leave a
message. Voice messages appear as an email with the AI Technician on both computer and Smartphone
and will be cleared regularly.
When ordering, we ask the Farmer that he informs us of which cows / heifers he wants inseminated, as well
as any animals he would like to have pregnancy checked.
At the same time the AI Technician will verify the breeding plan that is available for the herd.
This is being updated every three months and is a part of the programme on our computer/Smartphone we
use for registration of the work carried out on the farm.
If a Farmer requires, a text message (SMS) can be sent, letting him know the approximate time the AI
Technician will arrive on the farm (+/- 30 minutes). This is a free service.
Good Working Conditions = Good Results!
Guidelines for working conditions on the farms are easy to describe - but sometimes they can be a
challenge to standardise and we (Viking as the service provider and the AI Technicians working in the
respective herds) need to be uniform in our requests to maintain safety in our work rutine!
It is very important that AI Technicians continuously have a good and positive dialogue about this with the
Farmer and their Staff.
Any mis-communication between the Farmer and the AI Technician must be resolved quickly.
When ordering a service, we ask that the Farmer provides the number/s of all animals they would like
inseminated or checked. This information is helpful when AI Technicians set up their work list for the day,
and it will have the sires to be used added on also.
If no numbers are given at the time of ordering, a note, clearly explaining what is required must be
available by the insemination recording book, on a white board or the like.
Animals must be tied up and separated if we are working on our own. Otherwise there must be someone
present when the AI Technician is working.
We are happy to send a text message or to phone up before we get to the property/farm.
The AI Technician usually lets the animals go when their work has been completed. If the Farmer doesn’t
want us to do this, he needs to let us know.
Additional time we spend on the farm that involves catching animals, looking for information etc, will be
charged at a kr/min charge.
AI Technicians and Breeding Advisors are working together
There are AI Technicians and Breeding Advisors working in almost all herds in the country. It is
very important that the communication line between the two is regular.
The Farmer, our customer, is the key person and we are there in our specialist role to help add
value and to generate profit for him.
Once or twice a year the Breeding Advisors and the AI Technicians meet in small groups, to discuss
various issues and exchange ideas for individual farms/Farmers in the area.
The Breeding Advisor and the AI Technician offer the Farmer a meeting to discuss reproduction in
the herd. Topics discussed are reproduction now, and in the future.
Together we develop a (new) strategy on how to implement the steps necessary to help improve
the reproductive status of the herd. This also means selecting the best animals to breed from, as
well as choosing the sires that are best suited to geneticly improve the herd.
Topics for an event with farmers could be:
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Local farm visit
General info about this farm and their reproductive status/success/challenges.
Everyone travels to a hotel or café and the meeting continues
Championship about the best local reproductive results achieved in the past 12
months. (This is a great initiative to improve on the work carried out in the herd on a
daily basis)
Safety
Reproduction – What A.I Tecnichian offer our Farmer
New products in the Viking Store (VikShop)
Meal break and drinks
The Farmer is our customer and must be our primary focus!
Working together the Breeding Advisor and the AI Technician help the Farmer to:
Gain more knowledge and create motivation by setting out short term and long term goals around
improving the reproductive status in their herd.
Put new strategies at work on the farm, it could be:
• Effective heat observation must be in place.
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Set out a desired number of pregnancies to be achieved per year in the herd for both
cows and heifers.
Make constructive use of reproductive analysis figures, so that goals can be achieved
Performing great heat detection is a demanding job, and requires dedicated and
responsible Staff !!
Changes brought about by”Genomics”?
The more genotypings used in the breeding plan the larger proportion of the genotypings should
be spent on females in order to achieve maximum genetic gain as well as the lowest rate of
inbreeding. That is if MOET is used on the best females.
If MOET is not used, the maximum genetic gain is achieved by genotyping males only.
The use of genomic information both allows a higher genetic gain, a lower rate of inbreeding, and
a more balanced contribution of production and functional traits to the genetic gain.
A negative side effect may be that the farmer only is using insemination at the top female animals.
Some private genomic tested bulls or beef cattle bulls is doing the rest!!
How to deal with fertility decrease problem In dairy herds?
Fertility is seen as the major problem on bigger dairies.
Heat detection and conception rates are causing more and more problems. Expensive
management tools: heat detection systems, synchronisation, exta fertile semen, are all helpfull
instruments. But they do not solve the problem of poor fertility caused by inbreeding.
Selection within pure breeding models will not solve these problems. All over the world Holstein
selection schemes and breeding plans have been trying for over a decade to stop the negative
trend. Very few have reach improvement.
ProCROSS cows show much better fertility!
The ProCROSS system uses 3 breeds:
• Holstein, normally the cow to start with,
• VikingRed, the breed that was build after the merge between Swedisch Red, Finnishand Danish Red
• Montbeliarde, the breed from the mountain areas in France.
Starting ProCROSS will first give you F1 cows. We call them G1. (G stands for Generation).
It is important to strictly follow the same order for each breed in the rotation, enhancing hybrid
vigour. Colour tagging (one colour per breed) helps you recognize your mixed breeds.
1. Inseminate all your Holstein cows with Montbéliarde bulls.
2. Inseminate all your Holstein heifers with VikingRed bulls.
3. Inseminate the 1th generation (G1) animals with the missing breed. For example: G1
heifer is HF x MON, inseminate her with a VR bull.
Evolution of dairy farms in Denmark following the end of milk quotars regime and milk price
decrease!
Since the spring of 2014, when milk prices peaked, the market has seen a dramatic drop in prices.
The decrease in prices can be connect to a marked increase in competition - especially from the
EU and sharply declining Chinese demand on milk product and of course a Russia's import ban.
More recently, the prices of the New Zealand Milk Stock Exchange has increased and it may
indicate that the bottom has now been reached.
It is expected, that prices only slowly will improve, since the adjustment mainly is connect to the
supply of milk on the marked.
Prices are expected to rise during 2016, but levels will remain low!!
The price level in 2017 is currently surrounded by considerable insecurity.
One estimate is that prices will be higher than in 2016, but at the low end of the long-term level.
Of course milk production in the world is sensitive to weather conditions and in addition, a change
in the political situation around Russia affect the demand on milk product.
Earnings by all cattle farms, both organic and conventional (1.000 dkr. = 133 Euro)