Transition and Maternity management of dairy is a critical management factor that impacts both the cow’s lactation and survival, but also has impacts on the calf that can be lifelong.  Some of the areas that management has really improved over the past thirty years are in the management of closeup and calving.  

However today, most farms still manage their closeup pen by bringing animals in at a specific DCC. Because of the importance of both having the right animals in the closeup pen at the right time, and the need to not overcrowd, rather give ample space in the pen.  BoviSync incorporated a calculated due date since its founding.   

The calculations BoviSync uses is based on the work by H D Norman, et al. – “Genetic and environmental factors that affect gestation length in dairy cattle” (JDS 92:2259-2269).  By including this research into the expected due date, farms can more reliably have animals in the closeup pen for the right amount of time and limit crowding in the pen. 

The feature is easy to use, and turned on by default.  To see if you have it enabled, go to: Herd Settings - BoviSync.  On this settings page, you can turn it on by clearing the number.  If it says “By Breed” you are already setup with it.