As the veterinary market struggles in the doldrums it is now very important that we stay in there and keep up the struggle.  At policy level Pharmachem are continuing to work to create and develop alliances and it is hard to predict what will be the outcome. 

Everyone in the market is feeling the pinch at the moment but while it might be tempting to walk away from the business for those on the margins it is very difficult to get the farmers back in.  Remember that the same pressures are hitting the opposition and they may be more vulnerable than us.  Now is the time to stay solid with your support for Pharmachem, even though there may be some suppliers over anxious to move products by offering giveaways. 
 

HORMONE TREATED BEEF
Chuck Lambert of the National Cattlemans Beef Assoication says "The US beef industry has been unfairly shut out of the European market for more than a decade.  This thinly disguised trade barrier was implemented in the name of consumer protection in spite of ample scientific evidence that the production technologies are safe.  Our goal is to sell our product in Europe - an opportunity guaranteed by WTO rules." EU side
EU consumer groups and farming associations declared that consumers must have safe, quality food products which respect European standards, especially in relation to veterinary and santiary aspects and which meet consumer expections and demands - "the precautionary principle". One consequence of US beef being available would be an undercutting of EU beef prices.  At the other end of the cycle in the US growth promoters represent the defference between economic viability and failure for us cattle feedlots. 

IMPROVING COW FERTILITY
Jock MacMillan, Victoria Australia has established a world reputation in dairy herd fertility.  He had been working in Ruakura, New Zealand when invited, two years ago, by Melbourne University to establish a fertility research team that would probe all associated problems.

Dairy farming in Victoria is based on seasonal calving.  In recent years a decline in fertility has been noted.  More Holstein blood has been entering the black-and-white herd.  Yields have increase but there are more late calvers and increased numbers of empty cows.
 Surveys have shown the main factors in reducing fertility were (1) failure to cycle - or come in heat and (2) very limited mounting activity by up to 30 per cent of cows when in heat
Many were not mounted at all; about 30 per cent were mounted once and another third just twice.  This poor display of heat by Holsteins has also been noted in the US.  A proportion of US Holsteins do not show visible signs of heat.
All aspects of fertility are under study.  One particular CIDR programme has been developed and it was proven successful in a number of large herds.  It is now available on a routine basis for beef and dairy herds from Genetics Australia, the main Victoria AI company.  The programme has largely evolved from Jock MacMillan's work in New Zealand, backed by work in Victoria.  The details are shown in table I
 
 

Oestrous synchrony program developed for use in large herds in Victoria, Australia
Round One:

WHAT RESPONSE TO ALL THESE DRUGS AND INJECTIONS ?
In trial herds 45 per cent calved to first insemination and 85 per cent of all cows were scanned pregnant within 50 days of first mating.  Not in calf was 10 per cent.  All this was recorded in herds with indifferent fertility.
The service outlined above is now being provided as rountine by Genetics Australian at about £8.00 per cow - including drugs and technician service - but not insemination.  Veterinary restrictions have been minimised and CIDR's alone cost about £3.75 each.  In Ireland they are £9 ro £10 - a monstrous extra cost on farming that is partly vet imposed.  Jock MacMillan states that a new CIDR type device may be on the market this year.  It is likely to be cheaper and could be better.  It is currently on test.  The concept of a whole herd fertility programme has undoubted management advantages.  Will it continue to work when used on a wider scale ?
Can costs in Ireland be brought down to Australian levels? We look forward to further trial usage.  Let us encourage AI in this area - and let us break the closed shop in CIDR and such drugs.

Use of CIDRs a second time, on all cows in programme, 2 days after original insertion. Included in this phase will be pregnant and non pregnant cows.
Use of 1mg Oestradiol at second insertion and also 1mg Oestradiol one day after removal. Again, all cows are treated.
Pregnancy is not disturbed by this round of hormones and oestrus is more readily detected in the non pregnant cows. For the same reason Oestradiol is also used in Round Three
For best results cows should be calved for 40 days or more before round one begins.