animal sciences beef
Twenty Ways to Wean More Pounds of Beef
W. L. Singleton and L. A. Nelson, Animal Sciences Department, Purdue University
Economic returns from a cow-calf herd are determined by how much the calf weighs when sold or put into the feedlot. Therefore, to make money, your goals should be (1) a higher net percent calf crop and (2) heavy weaning weights.
How to Determine Net Percent Calf Crop
Net calf crop is based on the number of weaned calves as a percent of those cows exposed to the bull (or artificially inseminated) during a given breeding season. It is figured as follows (with example):
Net pet. = No. calves weaned (24)_______xioo = 80%
calf crop No. cows exposed to bull or Al (30)
Importance of Net Percent Calf Crop
The total reproductive efficiency of the herd is reflected in the net percent calf crop. It is the most important economic characteristic in commercial cow-calf herds.
Those cows not calving or failing to wean a live calf cost about the same to feed and require the same amount of labor as cows that do wean a calf. Cost for feeding a cow may range from $150 to $200 per year. The cost of keeping a barren cow must be charged against the returns at weaning, reducing herd profits.
Profitable Herds
The following table shows that a combination of net percent calf crop plus weaning weight influences pounds of calf weaned per cow exposed—a major measure of herd profitability.
Cows failing to conceive is the main reason for a poor calf crop. Calves lost during gestation, stillbirth and dying between birth to weaning are other reasons. In many herds, the net calf crop may
be as low as 70 percent. The cow-calf producer must cut his losses in each of these areas if he is to maximize profits.
Twenty Herd Management Practices to Wean More Pounds of Beef
The cow’s gestation period averages 282 days. After calving, the cow will not recycle until 45 to 60 days. This means she only has an average of 23 days to cycle and conceive if she is to calve regularly every 12 months (282 + 60 + 23 = 365 days).
Following are 20 practices to help insure that replacement heifers will calve early and continue regular calf production.
Your goal as a cow-calf producer is to wean a heavy calf from every cow each year. To achieve this you must have a practical management program that will result in high fertility from your cow herd. Following these 20 management steps will help insure a high net percent calf crop—thus help you achieve maximum income from your herd.
AS-406