The goal of a cow-calf operation should be for each breeding female to deliver a healthy calf to weaning every year. While this sounds like a simple, straightforward outcome, there is a long list of variables that must fall into place before that can happen.
In addition to maintaining a cow herd that is productive in the short term, a breeding program should support the objectives of your farm over the long term. Whether a producer is aiming to raise commercial or purebred breeding stock, effective reproductive management should sustain continued improvements in genetics and production potential.
What factors are important for breeding cow management?
Maintaining breeding momentum can be the difference between setbacks and success in a beef herd. Determining your breeding season will ultimately determine when the calving season will occur (winter, spring, fall, summer). Labour availability, feed resources, infrastructure, weather and marketing goals are all important considerations.
The balance between reproductive success and failure depends on:
- Beef cow nutritional status
- Calving distribution
- Bull management or artificial insemination (AI) practices
- Herd-health status and disease prevention
- Nutrient deficiencies or toxins
- Calving ease or interventions
- Heifer management
- Maintaining Reproductive Momentum
The average length of time it takes a cow to be ready for re-breeding following calving is 50 to 80 days in most beef herds (80 to 100 for heifers). Cows calving late one year due to a reproductive problem are significantly more likely to be open the next year, making it important to “front-load” the breeding and calving seasons to ensure more cows calve earlier.
Having a defined breeding season, where a bull is placed with the cow herd and removed after approximately three cycles, can help producers achieve a calving distribution of 60 to 90 days in length.
Studies show there are economic benefits to having at least 60% of cows and heifers become pregnant during the first 21-day cycle. This leads to improved calf health and marketing management thanks to a more uniform calf crop of a similar age. A good benchmark to aim for is 85% of calves arriving by the end of the second cycle and 95% by the end of the third cycle.
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