The impact of voluntary waiting period (VWP) duration on reproductive performance and profitability is the topic of the next Dairy Cattle Reproduction Council (DCRC) webinar. The Oct. 25 DCRC webinar starts at 1 p.m. Central time.

Cornell University’s Julio Giordano will discuss how extending VWP may increase first service pregnancy per artificial insemination (P/AI). Many factors, such as repro performance, herd exit dynamics, milk yield and economic conditions, influence management strategies and profitability.

“From a reproductive performance perspective, the greatest effect of delaying the end of VWP is greater P/AI to first service (particularly primiparous cows) and an overall delay in time to pregnancy, which may increase the risk of leaving the herd (particularly multiparous cows),” said Giordano. “Extending the duration of VWP, as in our experiments, may increase profitability of primiparous cows and reduce profitability of multiparous cows. Such effect would depend mostly on herd replacement dynamics and milk production efficiency.”

During the one-hour webinar, Giordano will discuss first-service management strategies, VWP duration and timed AI, along with the complex interactions that should be considered when determining VWP for lactating dairy cows. Changes in VWP duration affects profitability, primarily through differences in replacement cows, and to a lesser extent through income over feed costs.

To register for this webinar, go to: www.dcrcouncil.org/webinars and follow the prompts. As the webinar approaches, you will receive an e-mail with information on how to log in to participate. If you are a DCRC member and cannot attend the live program, you may access the webinar at dcrcouncil.org.

Each 2018 DCRC webinar provides one American Registry of Professional Animal Scientists (ARPAS) continuing education unit (CEU). To report ARPAS CEUs, go to: www.arpas.org/Membership/CEUs/Report-CEUs.

For more information about DCRC’s webinars, e-mail Fabio Lima, DCRC education committee chair, at: flima@illinois.edu, or e-mail DCRC at: kristym@dcrcouncil.org. DCRC thanks Merck for its generous sponsorship of this webinar.