An evaluation of tail paint as an aid or alternative to oestrus detection

Abstract

ABSTRACTOne hundred Friesian heifers were tail-painted between 14 and 21 days after calving. Once a week the paint strip was renewed if any paint had been removed. Over the whole period of observation the ovulation detection rate by definite signs of oestrus was high (0·79), whilst the proportion of silent ovulations detected by tail paint removal was low (0·10). In addition, tail paint was not removed on 0·28 of the occasions when definite oestrus with ovulation occurred and on 0·26 of the occasions when all the paint was removed it was not associated with any reproductive event. In practice, the critical time for tail paint to be effective is during the service period. Again, tail paint identified fewer (P < 0·001) ovulations than definite signs of oestrus (0·66) and had a significantly higher false positive rate (P < 0·001). Month of calving did not affect these results but the accuracy of tail paint declined as the season progressed (P < 0·001). False positive indications were not associated with individual animal characteristics. In a second trial 43 cows were tail-painted and 43 were not. There was no significant difference in the mean number of days from calving to first insemination or successful pregnancy between the two groups. It is concluded that in these trials tail paint was not an effective or reliable aid or alternative to oestrus detection.