i Oct 2012 Heat Detection TieStall™– Test Group Guide
Preface Preface AfiAct II™ This Manual: P/N 9440312 Version 1.00 Date Completed – Oct 2013 afimilk Ltd., Kibbutz Afikim, 15148 Israel Tel: 972-4-6754812 | Fax: 972-4-6751862 market@afimilk.co.il | www.afimilk.
Preface Preface Preface Material About this Manual This manual describes how to manage your dairy cows via AfiAct II software, which is a dedicated edition of the AfiFarm software for detecting cows in heat, to allow optimal breeding results and optimise herd fertility, in either a standalone system or as part of the larger afimilk system. The manual describes how to use the system step-by-step, including common fault handling.
Preface Preface Notes This device complies with FCC Rules Part 15 and with Industry Canada licenseexempt RSS standard(s). Operation is subject to two conditions: (1) This device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference that may be received or that may cause undesired operation. Le présent appareil est conforme aux CNR d'Industrie Canada applicables aux appareils radio exempts de licence.
Preface Preface Legal Notice Copyright Copyright © 2013 afimilk Ltd., All Rights Reserved Disclaimer This document contains proprietary information of afimilk Ltd. and may not be reproduced in any form without the prior written consent of afimilk Ltd.
Preface Preface Conventions Important information is highlighted in a frame, as explained below: WARNING Actions requiring special attention to avoid serious bodily injury. For example, working with high-voltage components. CAUTION Actions requiring special attention, to avoid possible damage to equipment or livestock. NOTE Hints and recommendations for working efficiently.
Preface Preface vi Oct 2013 x The system and its components are powered by electricity from a main power supply. The power is sufficient to cause serious personal injury or even death. Check that the electricity is disconnected when assembling and/or repairing electrical and electronic components. x Never remove cover/s or parts of the system from the system before the electrical power is disconnected. x Do not flush the electrical or electronic equipment with water or any other liquid.
Preface Preface List of Terms and Abbreviations Term/Abbreviation Description AfiAct II AfiAct enables detecting heat, managing herd fertility, etc. AfiFarm Afimilk herd management software. AfiAct II Software AfiAct II software is a dedicated edition of the AfiFarm software. DIM Days in Milk Number of days since last calving (Days in Milk = dry date calving date).
Preface Preface Table of Contents Preface Material ......................................................................................................................................ii About this Manual ...............................................................................................................................ii Intended Users ....................................................................................................................................ii Document Scope...........
Preface Preface 3.5 4 Setting Parameters for a Report ....................................................................................... 40 AfiAct II To-be-Bred & Activity Reports .................................................................................... 42 4.1 Adjusting “to be Bred” Reported Animals ......................................................................... 43 4.1.1 Adjusting Breeding Lists VWP and Deviation Thresholds..................................................
Preface Preface 7.17 8 Remove a Cow from the Herd ........................................................................................... 89 Advanced Analysis Tools ........................................................................................................... 90 8.1 Advanced Analysis of Heat Cycles ..................................................................................... 90 8.1.1 Enhanced Activity and Lactation Graph – Examples ..............................................
Chapter 1 1 Introduction Introduction Running a profitable dairy farm is based on maintaining lactation efficiency at peak levels, via an efficient reproductive policy. This is achieved by ensuring accurate detection of cows that are in heat, to optimize breeding. AfiAct II is an estrus and fertility monitoring system that provides a full picture at a glance of your farm animals that are in estrus.
Chapter 1 Introduction 1.1 AfiAct II Features AfiAct II provides an immediate and intuitive view on your farm’s in-heat animals. It includes enhanced heat detection features, and allows access to all of the basic AfiAct features. NOTE You may set the system to sort the animals in heat via the afimilk sorting gates system. To set the system sort-codes and triggering, refer to the relevant manual.
Chapter 1 Introduction 1.2 AfiAct II Reports AfiAct II system provides various fertility, animals and advanced reports. The following sections list the AfiAct II most common reports. 1.2.
Chapter 1 Introduction 1.2.3 Additional and Advanced Fertility Reports AfiAct II provides advanced reports, to be used when performing deeper analysis. The following list provides the most commonly used advanced reports. 14 Oct 2013 x Suspected Heat (Excessive Activity) Report – lists cows that show excessive deviations but are not eligible to be listed in the Cows in Heat report, see section 5.1 x Fertility – provides fertility and breeding performance analysis of the farm; see 8.
Chapter 1 Introduction 1.3 Principle of Operation AfiAct II provides aggregated fertility information, based on cow activity and on farmer events. The following diagram shows the data flow in the AfiAct II system. Figure 1: AfiAct II system data flow Wired/Wi-Fi communication Long Range (LR) communication AfiTag II placed on the cows’ leg holds the unique ID of each cow, and records its number of steps, standing time, rest time and bout.
Chapter 1 Introduction 1.5 Prerequisites For correct functionality, the AfiAct II system must be properly installed; then, tags and data must be maintained on a regular basis: 1. Installation verification: Verify that the system has been properly installed, mandatory data has been entered, and AfiTags II have been attached to the animals (see AfiAct II installation manual, referred documents, page vii). 2.
Chapter 1 Introduction 1.6 Main System Components The following table lists the main elements of the AfiAct II™ system. Picture Breeding Reports 17 Oct 2013 Name Description AfiTag II afimilk’s cow-tag, including the attachment strap. A tag should be attached to every cow participating in the AfiAct II group. AfiAct II Reader AfiAct II hardware components (e.g. Reader, antennas, etc.) are installed by afimilk or dealer technicians.
Chapter 2 2 AfiTag II Maintenance AfiTag II Maintenance AfiTag II is responsible for continuously sending cow data to the AfiAct II system. It is factory-set to use the specific frequency and channel corresponding to your region. It is the farmer’s responsibility to attach the tags to all cows in the group and enter their ID into the system. Furthermore, when a cow is removed from the group, it is the farmer’s responsibility to remove the tag from its leg and inform the system.
Chapter 2 AfiTag II Maintenance 2.1 Attach AfiAct II Tags To attach the tag onto a cow’s leg: 1. Identify the tag elements, as shown below: Tag “ear” Strap Tag front view Tag side view 2. Connect the strap to the tag as follows: a. Locate the tag with the arrow pointing upwards. Tag arrow pointing upwards b. Insert the narrow side of the strap through the back of the tag’s “ear”. Insert strap through tag ear. c. 19 Oct 2013 Pull the strap to the right, until it is locked in the tag’s “ear”.
Chapter 2 AfiTag II Maintenance 3. Prepare all tags for attachment as described in steps 1, 2. 4. Apply the tag to the cow’s leg as follows: a. Position the arrow of the tag upwards and wrap the strap around the cow’s leg above the hoof, about 20cm/8inch above floor level. Tag arrow pointing upwards b. Insert the narrow side of the strap through the tag’s ear.
Chapter 2 AfiTag II Maintenance c. Pull the strap through the ear, ensuring the tag is not too tight, by inserting two fingers between the strap and the cow’s leg. Pull strap Two fingers distance between tag and cow’s leg CAUTION The AfiTag II attached to a cow should be loose enough to rotate freely around the cows’ leg, to avoid injuries or leg disease. This is especially important with heifers, where the legs are still growing. 5. Cut off the excess length of strap. 6.
Chapter 2 AfiTag II Maintenance 2.2 Replace Tags AfiTag II can be transferred from one cow to another, for example, on the following occasions: x Removing from culled cows. x Removing from cows that are dry until the time of their calving. x Removing from a heifer that is ready for calving. As the legs of a heifer grow, the straps can become too tight. In this case, it is highly recommended to remove the tag from a heifer before calving (if heifer heat detection is used).
Chapter 2 AfiTag II Maintenance To remove a tag or move it to another animal’s leg: 1. Use pruning-shears and carefully y ccut the strap of the attached tag. 2. Hold the tag removed from the cow’s leg and use Leatherman pliers to remove the remaining strap edges as demonstrated below: Strap edges to be removed a. Insert the pliers into the tag-ear and grip one of the strap edges. Insert pliers into the tag ear.
Chapter 2 AfiTag II Maintenance b. Twist the strap edge using the pliers, until the edge breaks off, leaving the tag corner clear. Twist Clear tag corner Edge breaks off c. Repeat phase B with the second edge, leaving two clear corners. Clear tag corners 3. Pull the strap out of the tag. Pull strap out of tag 4. Your tag is now clear for re-use or storage. Make sure you record each cow with its corresponding AfiTag II number.
Chapter 2 AfiTag II Maintenance 2.3 Store Tags When necessary, AfiTag II should be stored in a dry protected area. Storage should be at least 1 meter (3 feet) away from any radiating device such as main power cables, PC screens, electric crowd gates, and other high power devices. In order to save battery life, it is recommended to lay the tag horizontally. Following all recommendations for AfiTag II care will ensure smooth operation and maximize AfiTag II longevity.
Chapter 3 3 Navigating AfiAct II Application Navigating AfiAct II Application AfiAct II consists of two modules: x Afimilk RT System module – this module controls and monitors the system and collects data from the animals (via sensors and devices). Although the GUI may be turned off, the module always runs in the background and must never be turned off. The RTG icon is located in the Windows tasks bar. x AfiFarm for AfiAct II – contains the AfiAct II program and reports.
Chapter 3 Navigating AfiAct II Application 3.1 Opening AfiAct II Software By default, when your computer starts, the AfiFarm special edition for AfiAct II software automatically starts.
Chapter 3 Navigating AfiAct II Application 3.2 AfiAct II Workspace AfiAct II screens consist of three major areas: x Toolbars area – for performing general operations such as file-saving, searchoptions, printing, editing, etc. x Navigation-tree area – for choosing the required reports and management options. x Main view area – provides the selected reports or options and its subfunctions.
Chapter 3 Navigating AfiAct II Application The following table details the main operations provided by the icon toolbar. Table 3-1. AfiFarm Icon Toolbar Options Icon Description Allows entering new data into the application. Opens the Find window for defining search criteria. Opens the Find Animal window, allowing the user to enter free-text for free search. Enables the user to toggle between search results (enabled when applicable). Prints displayed information.
Chapter 3 Navigating AfiAct II Application Navigation-trees area The navigation tree area allows the user to select the desired report or operation. The selection may be either from the standard list of folders (providing all the available functions) or from a user-customized shortcut list. Example I – using the shortcuts tree (to display Animals to be Bred view): On the shortcut navigation-tree, click the Animals to be Bred button.
Chapter 3 Navigating AfiAct II Application Example II: Using the Folder list OR Shortcut navigation trees to access enter-animal-data screens (for systems without AfiFarm4): Either one of the following actions will open the Data Entry view: x On the shortcut navigation-tree: click the Data Entry button OR x From the folder list: choose Animals Æ Data Entry. Main view area The main view area provides details and sub-options according to the selected navigation path, e.g.
Chapter 3 Navigating AfiAct II Application 3.3 Accessing AfiAct II Reports and Graphs AfiAct II provides various reports. For easy access, the most popular fertility and animal reports and graphs are grouped in AfiFarm Today quick-access list that was customized for AfiAct II. Additional system reports for the whole herd may be accessed via different paths.
Chapter 3 Navigating AfiAct II Application 3.3.1 Accessing AfiAct II Most Common Reports The most common reports can be accessed via several paths. Two examples are provided below. To access common-reports via the shortcut navigation tree 1. In the AfiFarm application open the Animals to be Bred report, showing the activity graph of the first listed animal. 2. From the shortcut navigation-tree select the required report.
Chapter 3 Navigating AfiAct II Application To access reports via AfiFarm Today 1. In your AfiFarm screen select AfiFarm Today from the standard navigation shortcut tree. 2. From the displayed AfiFarm Today access-list select the desired report, by clicking on the blue triangle near that report. The relevant report appears.
Chapter 3 Navigating AfiAct II Application 3.3.2 Switching to another Report from a Presented Report NOTE This option is available only for some reports, when switching to a related report that is within the same reports’ folder (same domain). To switch to another related report directly from within a presented report Click the report name combo box to display a list of available reports, and select the desired report from the roll-down menu. Note: You may also use F4\down arrow button, etc.
Chapter 3 Navigating AfiAct II Application 3.3.2.1 Example: Accessing the Suspected Heat (Excessive Activity) Report To access the Cows Suspected Heat (Excessive Activity) Report: 1. From the Cows to be Bred report, expand the report name field and select Cows Suspected Heat (Excessive Activity). 2.
Chapter 3 Navigating AfiAct II Application 3.3.3 Accessing Additional Herd Reports (e.g. Lactation, 10days, Activity, Events, etc.) Some reports are accessed through the Herds view (e.g. lactation, 10-days or any animal’s activity graph) To access Herd view additional system reports 1. Perform the action relevant to your path: x From within the report: double-click on the required animal’s row.
Chapter 3 Navigating AfiAct II Application 3.3.4 Accessing Reports from the Folder List Additional system reports are available through the folder list. To access reports via the folder-list 1. Open AfiFarm folder list navigation tree (click on Folder list) 2. From the presented Folder list navigation tree, expand and select the required report-set. In the following example, the fertility report-set was selected.
Chapter 3 Navigating AfiAct II Application 3.4 Adjusting the Look-and-Feel for a Report Some reports have their specific look-and-feel adjustment capabilities, for example: the lactation, activity and 10-days reports. The adjustment options are accessed through the upper toolbar of the presented report and allow performing actions, some of which are specified in the table below. Table 3-2.
Chapter 3 Navigating AfiAct II Application 3.5 Setting Parameters for a Report System parameters enable adjustments of the system reports and graphs thresholds, to allow fine-tuning according to specific conditions and farm policy. The system allows both; permanent changes (done via the system parameters) OR temporary changes, where the defaults are restored when exiting the report. NOTE The system factory defaults are usually suitable for most farms.
Chapter 3 Navigating AfiAct II Application To temporarily setup parameters of a presented report From within the report, click the Design button. The specific report’s parameteradjustment dialog is displayed. In the following example, the Expected-Dry design dialog is displayed: NOTE Saving changes done by the user are available for some reports only (e.g. Fertility reports do not allow saving changes). When changes may be saved, .
Chapter 4 4 AfiAct II To-be-Bred & Activity Reports AfiAct II To-be-Bred & Activity Reports Deviation % Graph’s interval (3 days in this example) Red Bars: Animal’s deviation [ ] Green Bars: Animal’s activity [steps per hour] Colored Boxes: Reported events Days/ Hours Graphs selected interval AfiAct II’s Animals-to-be-Bred reports provide lists of animals that were detected by the system as ready for breeding.
Chapter 4 AfiAct II To-be-Bred & Activity Reports 4.1 Adjusting “to be Bred” Reported Animals The system detects animals To be Bred via these steps: 1. Cows /Heifers in heat are identified when their increased activity deviation is above the defined threshold. The deviation thresholds may be adjusted by the user, see 4.1.1 NOTE If the farmer notes that the number of animals that appear in the To-be-Bred reports is not valid (e.g.
Chapter 4 AfiAct II To-be-Bred & Activity Reports 4.1.1 Adjusting Breeding Lists VWP and Deviation Thresholds NOTE The factory defaults of VWP and deviation thresholds are suitable values for most farms. When changing these defaults, it is strongly recommended to consult with experts, as such wrong values may affect the system behavior. To set the Breeding list thresholds (VWP, deviations) 1. In the AfiFarm application, from the standard toolbar, select ToolsÆ ÆParametersÆGeneral. 2.
Chapter 4 AfiAct II To-be-Bred & Activity Reports To set VWP values 4. In the Breeding Report area, set the following VWP parameters according to farm needs: Breeding Report area x For the When more than # days after birth or calving parameter: set values of VWP for heifers, cows’ 1st lactation, cows’ 2nd or higher lactation x For the and less than # days after birth or calving parameter: set values of VWP for heifers, cows’ 1st lactation, cows’ 2nd or higher lactation.
Chapter 4 AfiAct II To-be-Bred & Activity Reports 6. In the displayed activity table, fill in the activity deviation parameters, according to the recommended table that follows. Activity Deviation Parameters Adjust the activity deviation parameter table according to your farm specific needs, where the same parameters should be used for Heifers and for Milking cows. The following table provides the default factory values. Table 4-1.
Chapter 4 AfiAct II To-be-Bred & Activity Reports 4.1.2 Setting DNB or Pregnant Events Animals with a DNB or a Pregnant event are excluded from the To be Bred reports. You may see these animals in the Suspected Heat (Excessive Activity) report, see chapter 5.1 NOTE When a cow is selected for culling at the end of the lactation, a Do Not Breed event for this cow should be entered, and the cow will be excluded from the Cows to be Bred Report in the future. To set an animal as pregnant, see 7.
Chapter 4 AfiAct II To-be-Bred & Activity Reports 4.1.3 Adjusting the Displayed Events’ Colors To determine the events color codes 1. In your AfiFarm application, from the standard toolbar select Tools ÆParametersÆGeneral. The Parameters screen appears. 2. Expand GeneralÆDisplayÆVisible and click Graph Events 3. Expand Fertility. Select the event for which the color is to be changed and click Set Color.
Chapter 4 AfiAct II To-be-Bred & Activity Reports 4. Choose the desired color for the event and click OK. 4.
Chapter 4 AfiAct II To-be-Bred & Activity Reports Table 4-2. Cows to be Bred Report Fields Field Means… Cow Animal number (identifier). Notes Legend: x x Green: high activity deviation !: high probability for estrus (current high activity is during the cow’s normal heat cycle) x +: Increased activity within the last 24 hours, BUT no heat/bred events OR activity continued after event See examples in section 4.4.4. 50 Oct 2013 Group Group number to which the cow is assigned.
Chapter 4 AfiAct II To-be-Bred & Activity Reports 4.3 Activity Graph Display and Analysis The activity graph displays the animals detected by the system as ready for breeding, with their activity, deviation levels, and reported events (e.g. Bred, Heat, etc.). The user may choose to view the graph interval, and display the data either as a bar chart or in linear format (see section 3.4).
Chapter 4 AfiAct II To-be-Bred & Activity Reports 4.3.2 Adjusting the Activity Graph Time Period Display The user may determine the activity graph’s interval – between 1 day and up to 50 days (default: 25 days, allowing a full 20-21 days cycle view), where the scale changes correspondingly: x For one-three days – the scale is hourly. x For 4-10 days – the scale is per session. x For 11-50 days – the scale is per day.
Chapter 4 AfiAct II To-be-Bred & Activity Reports 4.4 Activity and To-be-Bred Report Examples The following sections provide examples for using the activity graphs and the To-beBred reports. 4.4.1 Example I: Heat Cycle Duration Complete/Open The heat duration field shows the time that the cow was in heat since the last detection. The end of the cycle is identified by the system, when for two hours the deviation had been lower than the threshold.
Chapter 4 AfiAct II To-be-Bred & Activity Reports 4.4.2 Example II: Heat Detection and Duration The following figure shows the last 3 days of behavior of the second cow listed (ID 180) plotted on a graph. Duration: total time of estrus since last detection: 15 hours Detection: -42 hours (1day18hs) -40 Hs -30 Hs -20 Hs -10 Hs Now As appears in the table for cow 180, the estrus detection was 1 day 18 hours ago (i.e. -42 hours). The total estrus duration was 15 hours.
Chapter 4 AfiAct II To-be-Bred & Activity Reports 4.4.3 Example III: Deviation The following figure shows a cow’s activity report and graph, with the corresponding 10-days report. (For accessing the 10-days report see 3.3.3). The figures show a deviation of 172%, as calculated for the last session’s activity value of 373. (The maximum session’s activity deviation is compared with the average. Note that the report displays the deviation values and not the activity; the graph shows both).
Chapter 4 AfiAct II To-be-Bred & Activity Reports 4.4.4 Example IV: Analyzing the Cow-ID legend (! + Green) Using a sample Cows to be Bred Report, this section explains how to use the information in the report for breeding cows. In the above Cows to be Bred Report figure, we learn the following: Table 4-3. Estrus Report Parameters for Cows 56 Oct 2013 Index /Line Cow ID Description 1 6049 This cow is showing an activity increase (51% in session 1) but not during a normal heat cycle (21 days).
Chapter 4 AfiAct II To-be-Bred & Activity Reports 4.4.5 Example V: Heat Detection The following figure shows an example Cows to be Bred activity graph, listing three cows. These cows were detected by the system as cows that had deviation levels indicating they are ready for breeding, where the graph shows the behavior of the first listed cow (ID 160). NOTE The deviation threshold determining the level for breeding is set per system level.
Chapter 5 5 System Common Reports and Scheduler System Common Reports and Scheduler This chapter explains how to use the system most commonly accessed reports and the system scheduler 5.1 Suspected Heat (Excessive Activity) Report Cows that show excessive activity deviations but are not eligible to be listed in the Cows to be Bred report will appear in the Cows Suspected Heat Excessive Activity report.
Chapter 5 System Common Reports and Scheduler The Cows Suspected Heat Excessive Activity report appears.
Chapter 5 System Common Reports and Scheduler 5.2 Managing Scheduled Reports AfiAct II allows the user to add / delete / change the default view and generate timed reports. This process is managed through the scheduler. To manage scheduled reports 1. In your AfiFarm application, access the scheduler screen: in the toolbars area, select ToolsÆ ÆSchedule from the standard toolbar. Click to add a scheduled report The scheduler screen appears, showing the report viewed when accessing the screens.
Chapter 5 System Common Reports and Scheduler 2. To delete a scheduled report: Select the required row showing the scheduled report and click Delete. The line is removed. 3. To add/edit a scheduled report: 61 Oct 2013 x Click New or select an existing report and click Edit. The schedule wizard appears, allowing you to select a report from the list by double-clicking it. In the following example, Cows-Breeding was selected. x Click Next.
Chapter 5 62 Oct 2013 System Common Reports and Scheduler x Select the calendar months and days on which the report will be performed. x Click Finish. The report schedule details are added to the scheduler.
Chapter 6 6 Daily Breeding Activity Using AfiAct II Daily Breeding Activity Using AfiAct II This chapter describes a basic per-session workflow for breeding cows, and provides tools that can assist in making breeding decisions Breeder arrives: Determine animals to be bred using AfiAct II reports, see 6.1 Breed cows, see 6.2 Report performed actions to AfiFarm, 6.
Chapter 6 Daily Breeding Activity Using AfiAct II 6.1 Determine Animals to be Bred via AfiAct II To determine animals to be bred, perform the following actions: 1. Adjust the reports’ parameters to suit your farm needs (activity deviation thresholds, VWP, event color-codes), see section 4.1 2. Review and analyze Cows/Heifers to be Bred Reports and activity graphs, see sections 4.2, 4.3. 3. Perform advanced analysis where needed, see chapter 8. NOTE Refer to chapter 8.
Chapter 7 7 Herd Data Maintenance Herd Data Maintenance Animals to be tracked by the system must be entered into the AfiFarm application. The interface for entering the data depends on your specific configuration as follows: x For standalone AfiAct II systems without any other afimilk components (i.e. no AfiFarm application is used) – the data is entered via AfiAct II report interface. x For a comprehensive afimilk system (i.e.
Chapter 7 Herd Data Maintenance The steps for adding / deleting any of the available events are similar and involve the following sequence of operations: 1. Access the Data Entry screen. 2. Select the type of event/data to be entered (e.g. Fertility events) and click Add. 3. Select the relevant animal(s) on which the event is reported (e.g. select cow numbers to be reported in heat). 4. Fill in the required data on the form presented for your operation.
Chapter 7 Herd Data Maintenance 2. Access the Data Entry screens by either of the following: x Click the Data Entry button on the shortcut navigation tree OR x In the Folders List choose the AnimalsÆ ÆData Entry folder The Data Entry selection dialog is displayed: Find field Data entry selection dialog Folder list – for user selection of data type Click to add data entry on selected folder/ item Operation buttons 3.
Chapter 7 Herd Data Maintenance 5. If the data entry is an event which is related to a farm animal: the Select Animals window opens. Proceed as follows: a. Select the cow numbers to be reported for your event (e.g. cows in heat to be reported) by either of the following: x Scroll through the Animals List and double-click the relevant ID OR x Enter the animal ID into the Type animal number field and press Enter. The selected cow numbers appear in the Selected Cows box on the right.
Chapter 7 Herd Data Maintenance 7.2 Entering Events directly from a Report The most efficient way to enter events is directly from AfiAct reports. Entering events directly from a report enables you to multi-select from the animals that are listed in the report. Then when the Data Entry window opens, the selected cows are listed. To enter an event directly from an AfiAct report: 1. From within an AfiAct report, select the cow/s. 2.
Chapter 7 Herd Data Maintenance 7.4 Heat Event To report a heat event 1. In your AfiFarm application, select the Data Entry screen (either from the shortcut navigation-tree, OR from the folder-list). 2. In the displayed Data Entry selection dialog, navigate to the EventsÆ ÆFertilityÆHeat folder (browse through the folders or type Heat in the find field), and click Add . Note: You may need to expand the fertility folders by clicking the plus sign to the left of Fertility folder: 3.
Chapter 7 Herd Data Maintenance 5. For each cow in the list, type in the relevant data, using the roll-down values x Date – date of heat detection (current date is entered by default). x Symptom – select the detected symptoms from the roll-down menu. x Heat Comment - select a description from the roll-down menu. Note: You may select a group of cows and set the same data for all of them simultaneously. 6. To save the data, click Save. To exit the window, click Cancel.
Chapter 7 Herd Data Maintenance 4. Click OK. The Bred dialog box opens. For each cow, enter the relevant data (you may select a few cows and enter their data simultaneously) Bull-selection dialog 5. For each cow in the list, type in the relevant data, using the scroll-down values: x Date – date of breeding service (current date is entered by default). x Bull-ID or Bull-Name – select breeding bull ID or name from bull-selection dialog.
Chapter 7 Herd Data Maintenance 7.6 Abortion Event To report an abortion event 1. In your AfiFarm application, select the Data Entry screen (either from the shortcut navigation-tree, OR from the folder-list), and click Add. 2. In the displayed Data Entry selection dialog, navigate to the EventsÆ ÆFertilityÆAbortion folder (browse through the folders or type Abortion in the find field). Note: You may need to expand the fertility folders by clicking the plus sign to the left of Fertility folder: 3.
Chapter 7 Herd Data Maintenance 5. For each cow in the list, type in the relevant data, using the roll-down values x Date – date of abortion (current date is entered by default). x Optional Reason of Abortion – select the relevant abortion cause from the roll-down menu (only if such comments exist in the system). x Optional Abortion Comment – select the relevant comment from the rolldown menu. Note: You may select a group of cows and set the same data for all of them simultaneously. 6.
Chapter 7 Herd Data Maintenance 4. Click OK. The Calving dialog box opens. 5. Fill in the fields in the form according to the following table: Table 7-1. Calving Form Fields Field Roll-down screen/menu Remarks/Description Calving date Date of calving Cow’s Group Animal group to which the animal is assigned (if groups exist). Tag Cow’s tag ID Manner of Calving Comment Offspring Æ sex After selecting the offspring sex, additional offspring fields are displayed.
Chapter 7 Herd Data Maintenance Field Roll-down screen/menu Remarks/Description Offspring Æcondition Herd Herd number, for multi herd management or classification of cows according to original herd or breed (if relevant). Number AfiFarm ID of offspring 6. To save the data, click Save. To exit the window, click Cancel. NOTE If you click Cancel before saving the changed data, a save-confirmation dialog will appear, prompting the user: Save data? You may click Yes to save or No to abort. 7.
Chapter 7 Herd Data Maintenance 4. Click OK. The Dry dialog box opens. For each cow, enter the relevant data (you may select a few cows and enter their data simultaneously) Drug for Dry dialog) 5. For each cow in the list, type in the relevant data, using the scroll-down values x Date – date of dry event (current date is entered by default). x Grp. - Animal group to which the animal is assigned (if groups exist).
Chapter 7 Herd Data Maintenance 7.9 Rejection Breeder To report a rejection breeder event 1. In your AfiFarm application, select the Data Entry screen (either from the shortcut navigation-tree, OR from the folder-list), and click Add. 2. In the displayed Data Entry selection dialog, navigate to the EventsÆ ÆFertilityÆRejection Breeder folder (browse through the folders or type Rejection Breeder in the find field).
Chapter 7 Herd Data Maintenance 5. For each cow in the list, type in the relevant data, using the roll-down values x Date – date of rejection event (current date is entered by default). x Breeder’s name – select the name of the breeder from the roll-down menu. To add a name to the list, refer to the AfiFarm user-manual. x Breeder’s reject. Comment – select the relevant comment from the rolldown menu. Note: You may select a group of cows and set the same data for all of them simultaneously. 6.
Chapter 7 Herd Data Maintenance 4. Click OK. The Do Not Breed dialog box opens. For each cow, enter the relevant data (you may select a few cows and enter their data simultaneously) 5. For each cow in the list, type in the relevant data, using the scroll-down values x Date – date of rejection event (current date is entered by default). x Not to be Bred Comment – select the relevant comment from the roll-down menu.
Chapter 7 Herd Data Maintenance 7.11 Report a Veterinary Pregnancy Event (PD+/-) Veterinary Pregnancy events are accessed through the Data entryÆ ÆEventsÆVeterinaryÆDiagnosisÆPregnant path: Data Entry Selection Dialog 7.12 Report a Confirmed Pregnant (PD+) Event To report a Confirmed Pregnant (PD+) event 1. In your AfiFarm application, select the Data Entry screen (either from the shortcut navigation-tree, OR from the folder-list), and click Add. 2.
Chapter 7 Herd Data Maintenance 3. In the displayed Select Animals screen select the cow-numbers to be reported in PD+ by either: x Scrolling through the Animals List and double-clicking the relevant ID(s), OR x Selecting the relevant cow IDs using the arrow buttons x Entering the animal ID into the Type animal number field and clicking Enter. , OR 4. Click OK. The PD+ dialog box opens. For each cow, enter the relevant data (you may select a few cows and enter their data simultaneously) 5.
Chapter 7 Herd Data Maintenance 7.13 Report a Confirmed Open (PD-) Event To report a Confirmed Open (PD-) event 1. In your AfiFarm application, select the Data Entry screen (either from the shortcut navigation-tree, OR from the folder-list), and click Add. 2. In the displayed Data Entry selection dialog, navigate to the EventsÆ ÆVeterinaryÆDiagnosisÆPregnantÆPD(-) folder (browse through the folders or type PD (-) in the find field).
Chapter 7 Herd Data Maintenance 4. Click OK. PD- dialog box opens. For each cow, enter the relevant data (you may select a few cows and enter their data simultaneously) 5. For each cow in the list, type in the relevant data, using the roll-down values x Visit Date – date of vet visit (current date is entered by default). x Treatment – click the browse button the type of treatment and click OK.
Chapter 7 Herd Data Maintenance 7.14 Report a DNB To report a DNB cow 1. In your AfiFarm application, select the Data Entry screen (either from the shortcut navigation-tree, OR from the folder-list), OR from the Herd view screen or by right-clicking from any report screen). 2. In the Data Entry selection dialog, navigate to FertilityÆ ÆDNB (browse through the folders or type DNB in the find field). 3.
Chapter 7 Herd Data Maintenance 7.15 Report a new Cow To report a new cow 1. In your AfiFarm application, select the Data Entry screen (either from the shortcut navigation-tree, OR from the folder-list), OR from the Herd view screen or by right-clicking from any report screen). 2. In the Data Entry selection dialog, navigate to Herd MovementÆ ÆEntry (browse through the folders or type Entry in the find field). The Entry Animals screen appears. Click New 3. Click the New button.
Chapter 7 Herd Data Maintenance 4. Fill in the data in the relevant fields, according to the following table, describing the fields that are mandatory for the system (for additional information refer to AfiFarm UM). Table 7-2. Animal Data Entry Fields Field Description Cow Unique cow ID for AfiFarm reports. Registration no. Government registration number. Birth date Date of birth Grp. Animal group to which the animal is assigned (if groups exist).
Chapter 7 Herd Data Maintenance 7.16 Report a new Bull To report a new bull 1. In your AfiFarm application, from the View tab select Go ToÆAnimalsÆ ÆBulls OR in the Folders List select Animals Æ Bulls 2. The Bulls screen appears. Select New to enter a new bulls data. Click to add a new bull New bull screen 3. Fill in the data in the relevant fields, according to the Bull’s details (for additional information refer to AfiFarm UM).
Chapter 7 Herd Data Maintenance 7.17 Remove a Cow from the Herd To report a cow removed from herd (due to death or other) 1. In your AfiFarm application, select the Data Entry screen (either from the shortcut navigation-tree, OR from the folder-list), OR from the Herd view screen or by right-clicking from any report screen). 2. In the Data Entry selection dialog, navigate to Herd MovementÆ ÆExit (browse through the folders or type exit in the find field), and click Add. 3.
Chapter 8 8 Advanced Analysis Tools Advanced Analysis Tools For most animals, the animals to be bred and basic (quick-list) reports provide all the information required for making best breeding decisions. However, the system provides advanced tools for analyzing fertility of specific animals in the herd, by investigating their history of heat cycles and identifying fertility problems. These advanced tools and optimizations are described in this chapter. 8.
Chapter 8 Advanced Analysis Tools To determine a cow’s heat cycle factors The cyclic behavior of a cow can be obtained by looking at a long time interval (e.g. last 50 days) of the activity graph or the cow lactation graph. As these graphs display activity deviations and reported events on a single graph, they indicate both: this specific cow’s cyclic increased activity level, and the duration of heat signs.
Chapter 8 Advanced Analysis Tools 8.1.1 Enhanced Activity and Lactation Graph – Examples 8.1.1.1 Example 1: Short Heat Cycle with Low Activity Increase The following lactation graph shows a Short Heat Duration: Cow #6539 displayed a single, low increase in activity. This activity deviation is a sign of heat that must not be missed. When this sign of heat appeared, this cow had to be bred immediately. No 8.1.1.
Chapter 8 Advanced Analysis Tools 8.1.1.3 Example 3: Heat Deviation – High Peak The following lactation graph shows a High Peak: this cow has increased its activity from an average of 150-200 steps/hour to 500-600 steps/hour, since its previous heat. This will be the expected activity deviation for this cow when in heat. 8.1.1.4 Example 4: Heat Deviation – Low Peaks The following lactation graph displays a cow showing a low activity deviation when in heat.
Chapter 8 Advanced Analysis Tools 8.1.1.5 Example 5: Activity Report: History of Cyclic Behavior The following graph shows the behavior of the third listed cow (ID 206). 50 day graph As shown in the table, cow 206 is 25 days after Heat and also 25 days after Bred. In this 50-day graph, you may see that the cow shows periodic cyclic behavior. The colored squares indicate reported events (heat, bred,…). As shown in the table, cow 206 has a 75% deviation in the first session.
Chapter 8 Advanced Analysis Tools 8.2 Identifying Fertility Problems This chapter describes how to identify the following fertility problems: x Abortions, see 8.2.1 x Missed-heat, see 8.2.2 8.2.1 Identify Abortions Abortions have a great impact on the economical performance of a dairy farm. Lateterm abortions often result in early culling of productive cows. The loss could be as high as $4500 per cow if it is considered to be an open cow at the end of lactation.
Chapter 8 Advanced Analysis Tools 8.2.1.1 Accessing the Suspected Abortions Report To access the Suspected Abortion Report 1. In your AfiFarm application, select AfiFarm Today from the standard navigation tree (or select the relevant report set from the folder list navigation tree) and choose Suspected Abortion. Double-click to enter the report 2. The Suspected Abortion report opens, displaying a list of cows that are suspected to have aborted.
Chapter 8 Advanced Analysis Tools 8.2.1.2 Suspected Abortions Example Steps per Hour Green Line: Animal’s activity graph Significant peek after confirmed pregnancy Green Box: Bred events Blue Box: PD+ event Days rd th In the above example, Cow #6686 was bred when the 3 and 4 heat events occurred (see green boxes ), and pregnancy was confirmed 48 days after the second service, at 155 DIM (see blue box ).
Chapter 8 Advanced Analysis Tools 8.2.2 Identify Missed-Heat The Missed-Heat (anestrus) Report lists the cows that fail to display heat symptoms, for both cases: x Cows in their first stage of lactation x Cows that failed to maintain a normal cycle during the main stage of lactation. A cow is considered anestrus if no sign of heat is detected after the VWP.
Chapter 8 Advanced Analysis Tools 8.2.2.1 Setting Missed-heat Report Parameters Missed-heat Report parameters determine which cows are listed in the report. The parameters can be customized to meet each farm’s breeding policy. The following table details the parameters affecting the Missed-heat report. Table 8-1.
Chapter 8 Advanced Analysis Tools To update the missed-heat report parameters: From within the report, click the Design button. The parameter-adjustment dialog is displayed, allowing you to update the report’s parameters.
Chapter 8 Advanced Analysis Tools 8.2.2.2 Accessing the Missed-Heat Report To access the Missed Heat Report 1. In your AfiFarm application, select AfiFarm Today from the standard navigation tree (or select the relevant report set from the folder list navigation tree) and choose Missed Heat. Double-click to enter the report 2. The Missed-Heat report opens. This section explains how to use the information in the report to identify fertility issues.
Chapter 8 Advanced Analysis Tools 8.2.2.3 Example I: Missed-heat Report Analysis In the above Sample Anestrus Report, we learn the following: 102 Oct 2013 x The cows that appear on Index/Line numbers 1, 3, 4, 6 (5965, 6073, 6138, 6438) are assigned the Calving status. These cows have shown no signs of heat since their calving and are considered anestrus. x Cows on Index/Line numbers 2 and 5 (6049 and 6316) were discovered to be open at their last pregnancy check.
Chapter 8 Advanced Analysis Tools 8.3 Advanced Reports The system provides a variety of fertility, animal, and other system reports. AfiAct provides four general Fertility Reports: x General Fertility Report – An overview of the entire herd’s fertility performance for a defined period of time. Use this report to compare the herd’s fertility performance with fertility goals, and for assessing fertility improvements.
Chapter 8 Advanced Analysis Tools To customize the default time frame for the Fertility Report: 1. In your AfiFarm application, select the relevant report set from the folder list navigation tree and choose Fertility Report (General) OR Fertility report (by bull) or Fertility report (by breeder). 2. Click Design. The Design window opens. 3. In the Period tab, fill in the following attributes: x In the From field, enter a start date for the time frame.
Chapter 8 Advanced Analysis Tools 8.3.2 General Fertility Report - Categories The general fertility reports shows data sorted into categories. These categories are detailed below, and examples are provided in the sections that follow, for explaining how to use the data for further analysis. The following figure shows an example of a Fertility Report (General). The report displays information according to the following categories: Table 8-2.
Chapter 8 Advanced Analysis Tools Category Description Used for… 1st Service Distribution No. and conception rate (C.R.) of animals according to the time of 1st breeding service after calving. This category is used for evaluating VWP (Voluntary waiting period). Normal Breedings and Conception Rates No. animals that have been bred normally according to the number of times breeding service was performed, and the corresponding percentage of these animals that were confirmed pregnant as a result.
Chapter 8 Advanced Analysis Tools 8.3.2.1 Fertility Report Categories – more details & Examples 8.3.2.1.1 1st Service Distribution Section Example In the above example figure, we learn the following: x The VWP of the first lactation cows was short. 25% of these animals were bred before 50 days post-partum. x Both the 1 lactation and older cows show a low C.R. (Conception Rate) after their first breeding service. When these animals were bred later, the C.R. improved. st st In most cases, a low C.R.
Chapter 8 Advanced Analysis Tools 8.3.2.1.2 Distribution of Breeding Services – More Details This category compares the number and percentage of normal breeding with the breeding with no follow-up. x Normal breeding: No. of animals that were bred with follow-up events that were entered into AfiAct within 60 days after the breeding. For a list of follow-up events, see Normal Breedings and Conception Rates above.
Chapter 8 Advanced Analysis Tools 8.3.2.1.4 Breeding and Conception Rate Example In the above Breeding and Conception Rate Example, we learn the following: x The first service (breeding) C.R. (Conception Rate) is lower than expected. This requires investigating the cows’ nutrition and the farm’s dry period policy. x In the second lactation and older cows, the third service C.R. is significantly higher than the first and second service.
Chapter 8 Advanced Analysis Tools 8.3.2.1.5 Sums and Averages – more details and Example x Calving Interval: The time interval, in days, between two successive calvings. x Total of Confirmed Pregnancies: The number and percentage of animals with an effective breeding service (pregnancy was confirmed). Percentage calculations include all confirmed pregnancies from all normal breeding services for the defined time frame.
Chapter 8 Advanced Analysis Tools Sums and Averages Example In the above Sums and Averages Example, we learn the following: 111 Oct 2013 x The Calving Interval is very long (457 days). While this may be due to farm policy, with Voluntary Waiting Period set according to the local market situation, the long calving interval was probably caused by poor heat detection or conception. x The Average Days Open: x The Average Days Open for heifers is very high (18.
Chapter 8 Advanced Analysis Tools 8.3.3 Pregnancy Rate Detection Report Pregnancy Rate Detection Report displays heat detection and pregnancy rates for 21-day periods (Normal expected cycle). Starting from the least to the most recent date, each line displays the rates for each 21-day time period throughout the report’s time frame.
Chapter 8 Advanced Analysis Tools Pregnancy Rate Detection Report Columns Table 8-3. Pregnancy Rate Report Columns Column Description Dates 21-day period Heat Eligible The number of cows that have completed the VWP and were not tagged with a DNB command. Heat The number of heat events, regardless of whether or not the heat was followed by a breeding service. (In the General Fertility Report, Distribution of Cycles is calculated only for heat followed by a breeding service.
Chapter 8 Advanced Analysis Tools 8.3.3.1 Pregnancy Rate Detection Report Example In the following Pregnancy Rate Detection report, during the colder months (October through December), good pregnancy rates are apparent. Conversely, during the hotter months (July through October), a dramatic drop in the pregnancy rate can be seen, during which rates drop below 20% and reach as low as 12-16% during heat peak stress.
Chapter 8 Advanced Analysis Tools 8.3.4 Expected Dry and Calving Reports The timing for drying off a cow is determined by farm policy. Even in farms that dry off cows solely according to the number of days the cow is pregnant, the number of days of pregnancy before drying off a cow is based on a dry period policy. Since the recommended dry period is 50-60 days, the default number of days in pregnancy before drying off a cow is 215 days.
Chapter 8 Advanced Analysis Tools Expected Dry/Expected Calving Calendars Additional tools for assisting in your farm’s operation are the Expected Dry and Expected Calving calendars. These calendars display the numbers of cows that are expected to dry off/calve on specific days during the coming year. These reports help plan milk production and provide a practical aid in designating drying off dates. To access the Expected Dry or Expected Calving calendar: 1.
Chapter 8 Advanced Analysis Tools 8.4 AfiAct II Best Practices This section describes considerations and recommendations for managing your farm in AfiAct and includes the following topics: x Importance of reporting fertility events, see 8.4.1 x Financial considerations, see 8.4.2 x Excessive activity considerations and best practices, see 8.4.3 8.4.1 Importance of Reporting Fertility Events Fertility events provide crucial information about each cow and the herd.
Chapter 8 Advanced Analysis Tools x A Rejection by Inseminator event occurs when the farmer recommends that a cow be inseminated, but the inseminator rejects the recommendation. When this occurs, a Rejection by Inseminator event must be entered into AfiAct. This is important information for the farmer and can facilitate in preventing mistakes in the future.
Chapter 8 Advanced Analysis Tools 8.4.3 Excessive Activity Considerations and Best Practices Below are activity considerations and best practices in managing your animals on the farm: x When AfiAct shows increased activity in one animal, check the activity of the entire herd. The increased activity may have nothing to do with estrus. x If a cow moved from one group to another, was this move initiated by the farmer, or has the cow moved to another group on its own? This can affect a cow’s behavior.
