Every couple gets happy when they hear that they are pregnant; they know they are going to see something that will be theirs in equal measures. Farmers get happy too when they learn that their cows are pregnant; because they know that the animal family will be receiving a new addition. Though the birth of a new calf has benefits to the farmer, knowing that the cow is pregnant is even more important than the birth. How does a farmer knowing that his cows are pregnant help anything?
Management Tool
Every farmer must know how many tools are in his shed and the state they are in. Likewise, he
should also know the number of animals he has and the state they are. By testing for pregnancy, you can know the number of calves he should be expecting after birth. This allows you to manage your farm better as you know all your assets and the cost of managing them.
Economics
If you know that your cow is pregnant, then you will know that that cow will be a gold mine in the market. Testing your cows for pregnancy allows you to differentiate the open cows from the pregnant ones. This allows you to sell open cows at the peak prices in the market and plan for when to wean your calves to bring in the most cash.
Also testing for pregnancy helps you to calculate the cost of maintaining your cows, to know if you are going at a loss; especially if you are feeding too many open cows.
Reproduction and Health
When testing for pregnancy in your cows and then you realize that fewer than normal are pregnant may be a sign that your cows are ill; either with sexually transmitted diseases that can result to cows aborting or BVD, bovine viral diarrhea.
Nutrition
If you test for pregnancy and find that your cows are not getting pregnant as required, then it may mean that your herd needs a new nutrition. Nutritional deficiencies in cows may result to them showing as opening cows when they should be breeding. Testing for cow pregnancy will help you to know if the nutrition you are feeding your herd is appropriate.
Your cows play a very crucial part in the profits you gain from your farm. It is, therefore, vital that you ensure that they are productive and healthy by testing for pregnancy.
