Oestrus (heat): recognising readiness to mate
Oestrus, usually called heat, is the part of a female’s reproductive cycle when she accepts a male and can conceive. The interval between heats depends on the species and stage of the cycle. Restlessness, mounting other animals and clear mucus discharge are signs to watch for when planning mating or insemination.
How can you tell when an animal is in heat?
Look for changes in behaviour and willingness to stand for mating. For example, a ewe stays close to the ram and stands to be mounted during the morning check. Note the time you saw these signs to help plan mating that afternoon without relying on memory.
Questions from the farm
Why note heat signs if the animal is being mated anyway?
Dated heat observations help you spot cycle patterns and choose the best time for insemination without relying on memory.
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.
Use HerdMobile to keep breeding notes for each animal, including when you noticed heat signs. In a large herd, signs are easy to miss or forget. Noting the date and time of each sighting helps you follow the pattern over several cycles.
