The Mating Plan gives you a summary of the Artificial Breeding (AB) Mating Plans set up for your herd. You can use it to see what's planned for the mating season and check whether your herd is opted in to the Beef breeding threshold.
Note: The Mating Plan is view-only. Although Synchronisation and Contract Matings are shown in the mating plan, some specific details are not displayed. If you have questions about a Mating Plan or would like to discuss a change, contact your Agri Manager.
Understanding your Mating Plan
A Mating Plan helps put your breeding goals into action. Each plan specifies which AB products or semen breeds are intended for a group of animals in your herd and showing which products are planned for use and when.
Each numbered row represents a Mating Plan for your herd. The timeline shows when each plan runs throughout the mating season. For each plan, you can see:
Number of animals included
Animal type
Location
Mating system
Insemination method
Planned dates and duration
Product
Some plans may include more than one coloured section, indicating that the plan includes a Breed Step.
Important: Make sure the dates shown in your Mating Plan are correct. These dates are used for mating planning and semen allocation. If the dates don't look right, contact your Agri Manager as soon as possible.
Mating Plan breakdown
For each individual Mating Plan:
The animal count shows how many animals are included in the Mating Plan.
The animal type shows whether the plan applies to cows or yearlings.
The location shows where the animals are expected to be for the duration of the plan.
Home Farm
Off Farm - such as a grazing block
The mating system shows the mating approach for that group of animals.
Natural: Animals are cycling naturally.
Synchro: Using hormonal intervention such as PG or CIDR.
The insemination method shows how the AB insemination will be carried out.
Technician: An LIC AB technician performs the insemination.
DIY: Trained farm staff perform the insemination themselves or use a third-party technician.
The coloured bar shows when the Mating Plan is scheduled to run and how long it will last. The timeline displays the start and end dates, along with the total duration of that plan or Breed Step. Hover over any point on the coloured bar to see:
The date at that point in your mating period
How many weeks into mating that date falls
The Mating Plan shows the AB products included in individual each plan. Depending on the product, you may also see information about the planned breed or product type.
Product | Information shown |
Nominated | No additional breed information is shown |
Sexed Semen | Shows the planned semen breed, such as Friesian, Jersey, or X-breed. |
Premier Sires (PS) Forward Pack | Shows the planned semen breed, such as Friesian, Jersey, or X-breed. |
Premier Sires A2A2 team | Shows the planned Friesian A2A2 semen breed. |
Short Gestation Length (SGL) | Dairy indicates the Dairy SGL product is planned. Beef indicates the Beef SGL product is planned. |
Each product or breed is represented by a different colour on the timeline. Use the table below to identify what each colour represents.
Product or Breed | Colour |
Nominated | Grey |
Friesian | Purple |
Jersey | Green |
KiwiCross® (X-Breed) | Blue |
Short Gestation Length (SGL) Dairy or Beef | Orange |
Using Filters
Use the filters at the top of the page to find the Mating Plans you want to view. You can filter by:
Season
Location
Animal type
Mating system
Insemination method
Product
You can apply multiple filters at the same time and select multiple options within each filter.
Note: Filter selections aren't saved when you leave the page.
Viewing Previous Seasons
By default, you can view the current season and up to four previous seasons.
Use the Season filter to view other historical Mating Plans, where available. The seasons available depend on your herd's Mating Plan history.
Note: Mating plans are available for seasons where your herd has used LIC AB services.
What is a Breed Step?
A Breed Step is a change from one product or breed to another during a Mating Plan. Multiple Breed Steps can be linked together in a single Mating Plan, allowing different products or breeds to be used at different stages of the mating period.
Note: Only PS Forward Pack and liquid SGL products can be used together in a Breed Step. Nominated and Sexed Semen products can't be used in a Breed Step.
Example:
Looking at the screenshot below, Mating Plan #4 uses Premier Sires (PS) Forward Pack X-breed from the 1st October to 28th October.
On the 29th October (week 6), the Breed Step begins and the plan automatically changes to Short Gestation Length (SGL) Dairy for the remainder of the plan (until 24th December).
This allows different breeding products to be used at different stages of the mating period while remaining part of a single Mating Plan.
Tip: When the colour changes on the timeline, the Mating Plan is moving to a new Breed Step. Hover over where the colours meet to see the exact date the change occurs.
Beef breeding threshold
The Beef breeding threshold helps identify animals that may be better suited to a dairy beef solution. The threshold is based on Breeding Worth (BW), so you choose a percentage. For example, 10% identifies any animals in the bottom 10% of your herd by BW.
When you've set a percentage, LIC AB technicians will receive an alert in the DataMATE app if dairy semen is about to be used on an animal that falls within the chosen threshold. This gives you and the technician an opportunity to review the mating before insemination takes place.
Herd opted in to the Beef breeding programme with a threshold set:
Herd opted out of the Beef breeding programme with no threshold set:
If you'd like to opt in or change your percentage threshold, contact your Agri Manager.
Things to keep in mind
Your herd must have a current Beef Mating Plan to use the Beef breeding threshold.
Only cows aged 2 years and older are eligible.
Note: The Beef breeding threshold is a prompt only. You remain in control of every mating decision and can choose the option that best suits your herd.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why can't I see all the details in my Mating Plan?
The Mating Plan provides a summary of your individual plans. Although Synchronisation and Contract Matings are shown in the mating plan, some specific details are not displayed.
Why don't the animal numbers match what's happening on farm?
The animal numbers shown reflect the Mating Plan and may not always match current on-farm numbers. Your Agri Manager calculates semen requirements using key herd and mating information to help ensure the right number of straws are available to you at the right time.
If you have any questions, please contact your Agri Manager.
Can I see the straws I've ordered to go with my Nominated plan?
Straws ordered for a Nominated plan aren't currently shown in the Mating Plan
Can I edit a Mating Plan in MINDA?
No. The Mating Plan is view-only. If you'd like to discuss a change to a Mating Plan, contact your Agri Manager.
Can I print or export my Mating Plan?
There isn't a dedicated print or export function. However, you can use your browser's print option to print the page.
Tip: Use the Season filter to choose which season you want to print. Otherwise, your browser will print all seasons currently displayed on the page.
Who can view my herds Mating Plan?
Anyone with View Herd details permission for the herd can view the Mating Plan.
What should I do if something doesn't look right?
If the dates, products or any other details in your Mating Plan don't look right, contact your Agri Manager to discuss them.