Heat detection records: plan your breeding calendar

Heat detection records help you plan breeding and follow each animal through to calving. Note when you saw a heat, the signs and who spotted them. Add each insemination or mating and the pregnancy check result. Keeping these dates together shows the interval between heats and helps you work out when calving is due.

Chiang Mai, Thailand: Two dairy cows observed in a pen. — Two dairy cows observed in a pen. Field observations support accurate animal records.

Edited by Ender Soyuince · About our content

2026-10-29

Compiled from open-access scientific sources.

Reference values and basis

Catalog reference values with their stated units
Parameter and basis	Value
Heat observed	When the heat occurred, signs seen and who spotted it
Insemination or mating	When and how she was bred, sire or semen used, and by whom
Pregnancy check	When and how she was checked, and the result
Expected birth	Birth reminder based on the confirmed breeding date
Birth	Birth date, calf and dam ear tags, and outcome

What should you note when you spot a heat?

Note the date, time of day, signs you saw and who spotted them. Use plain words to describe standing to be mounted, restlessness, a drop in milk or a change in appetite. Your own observations are more useful than a vague note saying she looked different. Write them down straight away while you are with the animals. Waiting until evening makes it easier to get the date wrong, and a one-day error changes the interval you calculate between heats. If you suspect a missed heat but saw no signs, note that clearly rather than treating it as a confirmed heat.

How do mating dates and pregnancy checks help you plan?

Keep the breeding date and pregnancy check result together so you can see what happened after each service. Note whether the animal was artificially inseminated or naturally mated, and identify the semen straw or sire. For the pregnancy check, add the date, method and result. A negative result matters as much as a positive one: the animal is not pregnant and needs watching for another heat. Keep breeding and calving dates for every female throughout her time on the farm. These dates help you decide which animals to retain or replace and when to plan dry-period feeding.

Natural mating

Note the bull or ram's ear tag and when you first saw mating, or when he joined the group. Then plan a pregnancy check after a suitable interval.

Artificial insemination

Note the semen straw or sire code, insemination date and who carried it out. These details help identify the sire when the calf is born.

How do breeding dates help you plan the next jobs?

Use the breeding date to plan pregnancy checks and expected births, then set reminders. You can prepare for the check, a move to the calving pen and the change to a dry-period ration without keeping every date in your head. Once a week, go through the females whose pregnancies are still unconfirmed. If an expected heat has passed without an observation, check the animal in the barn. As the season progresses, compare the intervals between heats. Regular intervals help you recognise each animal's pattern, while unusual gaps show which animals need closer attention.

How do you keep breeding dates accurate?

Write events down on the day they happen and use consistent wording. If you need to correct something, add a dated note so you can still see the original observation. At the end of the breeding season, count how many females were inseminated, how many were confirmed pregnant and how many calved. These three numbers give you a clearer picture of breeding results than memory alone and help you judge how the season went.

Questions from the farm

What details should I note when I see a heat?

Note the animal's ear tag, date, time of day and signs you saw. If several people work with the herd, add who spotted the heat too.

Should I record a negative pregnancy check?

Yes. A negative pregnancy check tells you the animal is not pregnant. Note the result and date, then watch her for signs of the next heat.

Can I track sheep and goat breeding the same way?

Yes. For each ewe or doe, note heats, mating or insemination, pregnancy checks and births. Keep the dates together so you can follow her breeding history.

How do reminders help you manage breeding dates?

Pregnancy and birth reminders help you remember planned checks and expected births. Use the confirmed breeding date to set them, so you can prepare for each job in time.

How HerdMobile helps

Bring your animals, feed stocks and farm accounts together on your Android phone. HerdMobile keeps your daily work moving offline: record events, compare feed quantities and follow sales and payments in one place. Use your own feeds and herd information to prepare a ration, then keep a backup file under your control.

HerdMobile helps you follow each animal from mating through pregnancy to birth, with dated notes and reminders on your phone. Keep the breeding history close at hand when you are checking animals, planning pregnancy checks or preparing for calving.

See how many kilos of each feed to give — Keep the day’s work in view: open your animal records, plan feeding, follow farm accounts and manage your backup in HerdMobile.