Small farm and small holding cattle fertility (BVA Live 2025)

In this session Alice Miller will be focusing on how to improve herd fertility on small scale beef farms and will discuss the key areas to consider. Alice draws on her experience working with progressive, large-scale beef clients and discusses how the “gold-standard” principles used to improve production, profitability and sustainability can still be applied to smaller units. However, it is important to address the challenges faced by vets delivering these services to small scale operations. Alice will explore these areas and look at how they can be overcome, to ensure the needs of the client are still met, whilst maintaining the welfare of the animals and safety of all.

• Recognise the importance of a good handling system and the need to ensure safe handling.
• Understand the suckler cow production calendar and how to devise a calving pattern that addresses the client’s needs.
• Know which simple records are required to be able to monitor progress.
• Consider different breeding options, such as bull breeding versus artificial insemination, and the pros and cons of each.
• Gain a broad overview on areas that can impact herd fertility.