Bless me father, for I have sinned. It’s been 10 days since my last insemination.

Throughout the breeding season, we keep a close eye on each individual cow’s "slip date". Should her first service fall subsequent to it, her calving interval will have surpassed 365 days. Three of our ladies have powered through their slip dates. Each morning I would venture down to their paddock enthusiastically - yearning for an orange patch, a resting chin…anything!

Alas, they’d be chewing the cud contently or tending to their calves – almost mocking me. Enough was enough. Cue the vet: One cyst, one CIDR and one that “should come in a couple of days”. The show is back on the road.

So how will our report-card read when breeding 2015 finishes up?

Just over 75% of our ladies held to their first service: B+. It would’ve been nice to tickle 80%, but we’ll take that.

In 2015, 80% will calve within eight weeks: B+

Though 100% calved down within nine weeks this year, a couple of factors must be taken into account. Firstly, in 2014 we were carrying some empty passengers.

“Ah she’s a great cow, give her another year…”

Also, we’re beginning to squeeze up numbers ever-so-slightly, with a view towards expansion in the coming years. Suckler expansion that is; the "D" word is forbidden here. Some of those outside the eight-week range fall before it too – empty cows that were bred early and held. Their calves will be bigger as opposed to smaller than the remaining bunch, the usual complaint with a wide calving spread.

Those the wrong side of the eight weeks are a combination of those handled by the vet and a pair of the latest calvers this year. Finishing everything here softens this blow somewhat – we’re not trying to market a heavy weanling in the back-end. However, with a 16-month bull we target a slaughter weight of 690kg and aim to achieve as much live weight gain pre-weaning as possible. In terms of cost per kg gained, his mother is much more efficient than the meal-bin.

At time of writing, projected calving interval will be 360 days: A

That isn’t a typo, the "+" has been left-out purposefully. Had we identified the problem-animals sooner, there would’ve been another five days shaved from the figure. Oh, what might have been.

Perhaps I’m being a bit obsessive. I can hear my mother’s analysis now…

“It’s a pity you didn’t put as much effort into your feckin’ Leaving Cert!”