- Dairy and beef cattle
- Dairy cows
- Reproduction
- Ruminants
VITALAC Technical Days: a successful event focused on reproduction
From 4 to 7 February, dairy farmers in Brittany once again turned out for the Technical Days organised by VITALAC. Held across Brittany’s four departments, these events brought together professionals from the sector around a key topic in livestock farming: Reproduction management: how to combine productivity, fertility and profitability in high-performing dairy herds?
A field day dedicated to dairy cow reproduction
Each day was structured around two key moments: a morning farm visit and a technical session in the afternoon.
In early February, four VITALAC customer farmers opened the doors of their farms in Finistère, Côtes-d'Armor, Ille-et-Vilaine and Morbihan. This year, our Technical Days focused on a key issue in dairy farming: reproduction.
Alongside Philippe Arzul and Noémie Raut, veterinians and ruminant experts at VITALAC, participants benefited from the expertise of Bruno Dalez, a dairy-sector veterinian. He highlighted the importance of achieving the right balance between productivity, fertility and profitability, with the aim of improving reproductive performance and maximising margin over feed costs.
The on-farm discussions provided a practical illustration of these challenges and make it possible to observe the results achived in high-perfoming herds.
Practical recommendations adapted to all farms
The farm visit provided an opportunity to examine several strategic points. It covered both genral topics - ration composition, animal comfort, hygiene and building light levels - and more specific aspects, such as the importance of a good mixer wagon, the particular attention to be paid to calves, and the optimal preservation of crops in silos.
Our experts shared practical, accessible advice focused on concrete improvements that can be implemented quickly, without requiring radical changes. Philippe Arzul notably demonstrated simple ways to check the dry matter content of forage in ration, or to reduce feed transitions, which are often a source of stress for cows.
A more in-depth technical session indoors
After a friendly lunch, each day continued with a technical meeting led by our VITALAC experts and by Bruno Dalez, the keynote speaker for these events. The day's theme was explored in greater depth, with several key levers presented to improve productivity, fertility and profitability in dairy herds at the same time.
Key moments from the presentation:
- The direct link between reproduction and profitability.
- A methodical and quantitative approach.
- Optimising fertility and reproductive efficiency.
- Effective heat detection management.
- Strategies to improve reproduction.
- A forward-looking vision and adaptation to environnemental challenges.
These interactive discussions allowed everyone to ask questions, share their experience and receive concrete answers from our experts.
Concrete solutions to combine animal health and profitability
The aim of these days is not to impose a single model, but to offer farmers concrete avenues for optimising their own farms. At VITALAC, our mission is twofold: to meet animals' nutritional needs while supporting farmers with advice and solutions adapted to their objectives. A farmer whose cows produce 32 kg of milk will not have the same expectations as another whose herd reaches 45 kg, but they all share the same priorities: ensuring animal health and farm profitability.
This where the VITALAC approach truly comes into its own. More than a manufacturer and expert in animal nutrition and health, we are also field technicians, able to provide personalised recommendations while taking into account the overall management of each farm. Thanks to our field expertise, we carry out comprehensive audits to assess the situation and identify areas for improvement. Because herd health and farm performance do not depend on nutrition alone, but also on the optimal management of several key parameters.
During these days, our experts also presented VITALAC solutions adapted to each physiological stage of the animals and to common challenges in livestock farming: feeding calves and dry cows, managing high-producing cows, stimulating immunity and preparing for calving.
Farmers’ feedback
"An interesting day as always, keep helping dairy production move forward, thank you!'
"A very interesting focus on reproduction, with strong scientific and experimental date."
"An interesting and technically very rewarding visit, with well-adapted small groups."
"Lots of points to put into practice."
"A very educational day."
"Very good reminders of the key points for dairy production and how the cow functions."
In total, these days brought together nearly 250 farmers, confirming the strong interest in these technical meetings. Participants particularly appreciated:
- The format, combining on-farm observation and technical analysis.
- Relevant topics, in line with current challenges in dairy farming.
- Concrete advice, adapted to field realities and easy to apply.
- An opportunity for discussion, encouraging the sharing of experience between professionals.
VITALAC warmly thanks the farmers who opened the doors of their farms, as well as all participants and speakers for these rich and inspiring discussions.
See you soon for the next edition!
