Estrus detection aids

pweaver said:

Where and how do you mark using the paint sticks?  How much?  With the tailhead or across?  How far in front of the tailhead?  Sounds like dumb questions but just trying to get an idea.  We've used EstrusAlerts with reasonable luck until this year.  A week after they're bred the patch is already scratched from trim limbs, other cows rubbing over the backs, etc.  Really aggravating!

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A stripe down her tail head, like a racing stripe. I just put one good stripe, if you put it too thick, it will not rub off. Here is a photo I found on the internet. This is what we did at the dairy's; the vet would go down the line and tail chalk all the cows as open or bred. It is not a dumb question, unless you have seen it used most people would not know what it is! I was just lucky enough to work on a dairy for 20 years.

If your planning on using chalk or paint, and aren't using it on any show cattle, I would suggest putting it on a little thicker and wider. It makes it just that much easier to tell. If you aren't wanting to watch cows all the time and that is why you are wanting to just use heat detection aids-I would suggest using CIDRs. They have the ability to shorten your calving/breeding season and you can group cows so that you can just watch your cows for a weekend or when you know you will be home or have time. Good luck with the rest of your breeding season!

I agree...I paint the whole tail head pretty much. The blue paint stick works best, and it WILL rub off when they stand to be ridden. I don't like to have any questions or doubts about whether one has been in or not. Stripe it with the hair, just like the photo, from the highest point of the tail head over the turn of the tail. I paint it about the width of the tail so I can see em easily! I think the spray paint is a good idea, and I plan to try that this fall. I can do about 10 head with one paint stick.

This is a group of heifers I was breeding on using paint sticks last fall...

leanbeef said:

This is a group of heifers I was breeding on using paint sticks last fall...

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WOW! That's a lot of paint!  We only use one stripe, like the pic of the dairy cow, but just about everything is halter broke here so we just walk up and chalk on stripe. I check heats twice a day, and most days three times, so I usually know they are coming in before the chalk is rubbed off. It is just another aide we use to make a decision when to breed.

Lol...yeah, compared to that one stripe, it does seem like a lot. But that's how the first ones I saw using paint sticks were done, so I just tried to copy what they were doing. It seemed to work. I manage these cows, so they aren't mine, and I don't live where they are. I check heats twice a day during breeding season & I pay close attention to what's going on with the cattle any time I'm around em, but not being close by all the time means there are times when one might be easy to miss if I don't make it easy on myself. I'm a stickler for catching em when they're in & for timing the insemination as close to right as I can, so I'm ok with the extra time & effort it takes to paint one up pretty good. Even using that much, it's 15 cents a cow, compared to $1 a head I've been used to with patches & such. I like this WAY better, and I have better luck with it.

Hey, what ever works in your situation! Here are a couple pics I snapped tonight. The double stripe is one that is re-striped, I try to change colors every two weeks just to make it easier to pick up on stuff. I like the fluorescent yellow and pink myself!