b ^
AS-406 Feb. 1973
Twenty Ways to Wean More Pounds of Beef
W. L. Singleton, Animal Sciences Department
The economic returns from a cow-calf herd are determined by the total pounds of calf sold or put into the feedlot. The goals of a cow-calf producer, therefore, should be (1) a high percent calf crop, and (2) heavy weaning weights. The following discussion will point up the importance of a high percent net calf crop and suggest several practical methods of obtaining it.
HOW IS NET PERCENT CALF CROP FIGURED?
Net calf crop is based on number of cows weaning calves as a percent of those exposed to the bull during a given breeding season, and is figured as follows:
Net percent _ No. calves weaned x calf crop No. cows exposed to bull
WHY IS NET PERCENT CALF CROP IMPORTANT?
It’s important because it gives an indication of the total reproductive efficiency of the herd. Those cows not calving or those failing to wean a live calf cost about the same to feed and require the same amount of labor as those that do wean a calf. Feed cost per cow-year may range from $40 to $100 or more. The cost of keeping a barren cow must be charged against the returns at weaning, thereby reducing the profit from a herd accordingly.
WHICH HERD IS MOST PROFITABLE?
The following table shows that a combination of net percent calf crop plus weaning
weight influences pounds of calf weaned per cow exposed and, thus, herd profitability.
WHY DON’T WE GET A 100%
CALF CROP EVERY YEAR?
There are several reasons. The greatest loss comes from cows failing to become pregnant. Other losses come from calves lost during gestation, calves lost at birth and calves lost from birth to weaning. In many herds, net calf crop may be as low as 70%. The cow-calf producer must strive to cut losses in each of these areas if he is to maximize returns from his herd.
TWENTY HERD MANAGEMENT PRACTICES TO WEAN MORE POUNDS OF BEEF
If a cow is to calve every 12 months, she has very little time to recycle and conceive after she calves. The cow is pregnant for 282 days. She does not recycle until about 60 days after she calves. 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).
The following recommended herd management practices seek to insure that the re-
Cooperative Extension Service, PURDUE UNIVERSITY, West Lafayette, Indiana
>Beef  Reproduction ^