When cows in Sweden are inseminated the heat strength is reported to the Swedish milk-recording scheme and AI scheme. Cows that show strong signs of estrus are desirable and the trait is included in the Swedish breeding goal. A strong heat makes it easier to inseminate at the right time and to avoid long and expensive days open. Since ten years the heat strength is scored from one to five by the farmer and reported to the milk-recording scheme and AI scheme. Earlier the score was from one to three and the decision was made by the AI technician.

Hälta orsakar djurlidande ute på våra mjölkgårdar och är dessutom ett stort ekonomiskt bekymmer. De flesta fall av hälta beror på klövsjukdomar. Som ett bidrag till att öka kunskapen om hur man når god klövhälsa, startades ett försök där 118 årsgamla kvigor i en ekologisk besättning följdes fram till slutet av deras första laktation. Försöket gick ut på att undersöka effekten av gummispalt i lösdriftsgångarna jämfört med betongspalt hos förstakalvare samt utvärdera betydelsen av vilket golvsystem, djupströbädd eller liggbås med betonggångar, förstakalvarna haft som kvigor. I denna tidigare del av studien undersöktes prevalensen av klövsjukdomar.

Oestrus in dairy cattle has changed over the last decades, the duration has decreased and the intensity of oestrus has declined. A possible explanation can be their high and increasing milk production. Heifers ability to show oestrus is probably not affected to the same extent. The aim of this study was to estimate and compare oestrus duration and strength in heifers of the Swedish Red and Holstein breeds. Standing oestrus has been the primary oestrus sign during many years.