Beef

*This is an excerpt from Beef Cattle Management in Uncertain Times

Reproductively inefficient animals should be at the top of the cull list every year, but especially during times when production resources are limited. This includes subfertile cows, bulls, and heifers.

By determining the pregnancy status of beef cows, producers can remove reproductively inefficient cows from the herd, which results in a combination of increased pounds of calf production per cow and lower costs per pound of calves produced. Identifying and removing open (nonpregnant) cows and replacement heifers allow more prudent use of valuable, and perhaps limited, feed, pasture, and water resources for productive animals. Learn more about the different options for determining the pregnancy status of your cows and replacement heifers.

Replacement heifers are an investment with long-term consequences, both financially and genetically. Heifers are evaluated based on breed, physical soundness, conformation, genetic analysis, growth, body condition score, visual appraisal, etc. In addition, heifers should receive a thorough breeding soundness examination to ensure the selection of the animals that are most likely to be reproductively sound. It doesn’t matter how good a heifer’s calf would be if it is never born.

Performing breeding soundness examinations approximately one month before breeding allows for selection of heifers with the best reproductive potential. Heifers with poor reproductive potential can be culled before incurring additional costs associated with their maintenance. Ultimately, heifer breeding soundness examinations allow for more effective utilization of valuable feed, water, and pasture resources for heifers that are reproductively sound. Learn more about breeding soundness examinations for replacement heifers.

Bulls should also receive breeding soundness examinations every year before breeding season, with infertile and subfertile bulls being removed from the herd. Contact your veterinarian to schedule replacement heifer and bull breeding soundness examinations.

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