do you cool your breeders?
ok I've searched and I can't seem to find a poll anywhere on this so im gonna start one. Its simple do you cool for breeding or not?
Re: do you cool your breeders?
Re: do you cool your breeders?
I'm not sure it is really neccessary to cool but I always have with great results...
Justin
Re: do you cool your breeders?
I don't purposely cool them. They do experience a shortage in daylight hours though, as the room they're in has a window with relatively thin curtains.
Re: do you cool your breeders?
I do cool them, but not really to start breeding but to help facilitate ovulation's at the end of my breeding cycle. I drop my ambient temps 5 degrees a week or two before I introduce and once I start seeing some ovulation's and ruffly 3 months into the season have passed I'll bump the ambient temps back up 5 degrees and its like the girls line up in a row and pop pop pop. I'll have 35 to 40% of the girls that are going to go, ovulate within a two week window of each-other.
Re: do you cool your breeders?
In the past I lowered heat tape temps to 85 at night from oct -mar. This year I have left my tape at 90 degrees 24/7 and the natural nght temp drop in ambient has been plenty to get those breedings going.
I really believe low pressure is what triggers breeding!
Re: do you cool your breeders?
I live in the Midwest so the pressure here drops and goes up like five times a day. But yes I do lower my temps. In fact I shut the heat off to my freedom breeder rack at night and turn it back on during the day. The room temp stays about 74 degrees and I have no problems. On the other racks I use Helix night drops and they work great! Take them down to 75 degrees at night and watch the follicles grow!
Brock
Re: do you cool your breeders?
I used to, but haven't done it though in the last couple of years and really haven't noticed a difference.
Re: do you cool your breeders?
Re: do you cool your breeders?
this is my first year breeding and i cooled my breeders and reduced day light hours. the ambient room temp naturally drops during the cooler months so i just put my breeders in the cooler lower levels of the rack. i think it helps although i have no other breeding years to compare to but i have read that cooler temperatures will raise the male's testosterone level and thats gotta help some!