Automatic systems for heat detection in cows as a tool for improving herd management

There are at least several ways of detecting bovine ovaries, which vary in accuracy, effort and cost associated with the implementation and operation of equipment designed for this purpose. Heat in cows can be most easily detected by systematic, thorough observation of individuals in the herd. Vaginal mucosal resistance measurements were also used, for example, the fitting of 'balloons' with paint at the base of the tail or on the back, temperature measurement in the vagina, milk and rumen, determination of progesterone in milk and blood. Currently, high-performance dairy herds are routinely introduced in controlled breeding programs, including timed artificial insemination (TAI) and automated estrus detection (AED) or activity monitoring system (AMS). Most of the commercially available heat detection devices are based on accelerometers or pedometers. These devices have the ability to detect heat in 81.4% to 91.3%. The sensitivity of heat detection was 58.9%, 63.3%, 56.7% and 35.9% respectively for accelerometers (Heatime), pedometers (SAE Afikim, Kibbutz Afikim, Israel), KaMaR markers and heat detectors (Scratchcard). When two of the three systems were combined (different combinations), the sensitivity increased to 75.9%. Similarly, after the combination of visual detection, the sensitivity increased to 96% and the specificity to 90% (visual observation and AMS). Activity monitoring systems are a good and proven tool for improving the management of cows. They respect the principles of well-being as an alternative to reproductive management based solely on traditional methods of detecting ovulation or hormone programs (TAI). It seems, however, that further improvement of the cows fertility in industrial cattle farms will be possible in the future not only using one modern heat detection system, but combining several different methods of heat detection and synchronization.