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More in Breeding Systems

  • Jan. 26, 2012
    blog

    Crossbreeding Is Becoming Cool Again

    While manicuring the individual trees of cattle performance traits, the cow-calf industry apparently missed the proverbial forest. At least it has if you consider that three primary measures of cow productivity – weaning weight, pregnancy rate and pounds weaned per cow exposed – are static to declining. That’s according to data presented by David Lalman, Oklahoma State University Extension beef specialist, and Stan Bevers, Texas AgriLife Extension agricultural economist (see “U.S.Beef Cow Productivity Is Stagnant")....More
  • Jan. 20, 2012
    Article

    Creating A Home-Grown Composite

    My husband and I started crossing Angus and Hereford cattle in the 1960s, breeding a Hereford bull to Angus cows. We felt this cross worked better than the reverse (Angus bull on Hereford cows – the traditional cross), since our Angus cows were good mothers and milked better than the Herefords we had at that time....More
  • Jan. 6, 2012
    Article

    Preparation Is Key When Buying Bulls

    As the winter and spring bull-buying season approaches, seedstock purchasers should do their homework to help ensure their bull purchases meet their needs. Preparedness is the key to making an informed purchase....More
  • Nov. 1, 2011
    article

    Winter Bull Management Is Important For Breeding

    Bulls are expensive; they’re also half the genetics of your calf crop. That means they need as much care through winter as your cowherd....More
  • Oct. 21, 2011
    blog

    Why Haven’t AI & Crossbreeding Flourished?

    The rules of the game are changing. Sure, quality, pounds, reproduction, performance, health, marketing, risk management and the like have always been important, but the importance has grown exponentially with the changing dynamics of the marketplace...More
  • Oct. 1, 2011
    article

    Replacement Heifer Nutrition Is Especially Important This Year

    Poor hay and forage quality due to unusual weather conditions experienced this spring and summer will require extra attention for replacement-heifer development....More
  • Sep. 1, 2011
    article

    What Do Genomic-Enhanced EPDs Contribute?

    Say you have a group of 10 flush-mate Angus bulls. They all have the same EPDs because they’re all full brothers. Those EPD estimates are derived from the EPDs of the parents and, because no data on the calves has been collected, aren’t very accurate....More
  • Sep. 1, 2011
    article

    Heifer Management Goes Way Beyond Breeding

    Yearling heifer conception rate is a critical number for all ranchers. For the past several years, George Perry, a South Dakota State University beef reproduction specialist, has studied the effect of heifer-development methods on conception rates...More
  • Aug. 26, 2011
    article

    Project Boosts Carcass Quality In The South

    From the dry plains of the Southwest to the steamy Gulf Coast, raising cattle in the southern U.S. presents a challenge – the heat is hard on animals.Producers in those areas have found a heavy influence of Bos indicus is the answer....More
  • Aug. 19, 2011
    blog

    Extended Calving Season Limits Profitability

    An extended calving season limits the ability to maximize profitability. To illustrate this point, I’ve created a “virtual herd.”...More
  • Jun. 24, 2011
    article

    Back To The Future With Heterosis

    Talk to a feedyard manager about cattle and he’ll ask some pretty basic questions. Darrell Wilkes knows that, because, as part of his job as ABS manager of beef supply systems, he helps find homes for 75,000 to 100,000 feeder calves every year that were sired by ABS bulls...More
  • Mar. 24, 2011
    article

    Researchers Compare Fixed-Timed AI Protocols

    Comparisons of pregnancy rates of fixed-timed artificial insemination (TAI) protocols in mature, suckled beef cows have generally favored the five-day, progesterone-impregnated, controlled internal drug release (CIDR) synchronization protocol over the seven-day CIDR program. Unfortunately, the five-day protocol is more labor intensive, which may offset the observed fertility advantages....More
  • Mar. 18, 2011
    article

    Tips For Choosing A Synchronization Protocol

    Beef producers who use artificial insemination (AI) in their breeding program use estrus synchronization (ES) to better utilize their labor resources both during breeding and calving seasons. Choosing the synchronization protocol that best fits each individual situation is challenging because so many options are currently available....More
  • Mar. 17, 2011
    video

    Video: Factors Influencing AI Success

    How heifers are developed from weaning to breeding, and how they're handled immediately after being bred AI, can have a big influence on the ultimate success of an AI program....More
  • Mar. 17, 2011
    video

    Video: A x B x C x D = Reproductive Success

    There can be any number of problems that affect the ultimate success of an AI program. Willie Altenburg with Genex explains the equation for reproductive performance that he uses when he troubleshoots an less-than-successful AI program....More
  • Mar. 1, 2011
    article

    Avoid These Common Breeding Season Mistakes

    What can you do this year to better ensure that your herd has a successful breeding season? Tim and Chandy Olson, a South Dakota couple who have dedicated their careers to beef cattle reproduction, see several common mistakes that could be avoided...More
  • Feb. 3, 2011
    article

    AI Efficiency Hinges On Many Factors

    “The best thing to happen to breeding heifers is $6 corn,” says Willie Altenburg, a northern Colorado rancher and a part of Genex, a cattle genetics and AI cooperative. While high feed costs are not good for the industry overall, $6 corn can encourage a rancher to not get his heifers too fat before breeding season...More
  • Feb. 1, 2011
    article

    A Look At the Future of Seedstock Production

    The future of seedstock production lies in meeting the needs of fewer, larger commercial operations with more accurate, diverse genetics and service...More
  • Jan. 6, 2011
    article

    Using Distillers Grains In Cattle Diets

    Replacement of up to 50% of the dry-rolled (DRC) or high-moisture corn (HMC) in finishing rations with wet distillers grains plus solubles (WDGS) resulted in superior feedlot performance compared to cattle not fed WDGS...More
  • Nov. 4, 2010
    article

    Pregnancy Checking Tips

    Knowing which cows are open gives a rancher alternatives: you can wean calves early to sell open cows at peak market prices, sort off thin cows to fatten before selling, or sell open heifers when they will still bring top dollar...More
  • May 1, 2010
    blog

    Genetic Rut Gets Deeper As Cattle Industry Ignores Crossbreeding

    Crossbreeding systems that exploit heterosis and complementarity and match genetic potential with market targets, feed resources and climate provide the most effective means of breeding for production efficiency...More
  • May 1, 2010
    article

    Don't forget the South

    I'd like to compliment you on your 2010 Cow-Calf Issue. The genetics articles are very well written and useful, and I have recommended all of our Brahman breeders read this publication. My concern is that your magazine is being sent to southern readers, even though I fully realize it's directed more to northern beef producers...More
  • Oct. 1, 2009
    article

    Do DNA Tests Work?

    Sales literature claims DNA tests can be used to accurately evaluate genetic potential of cattle at birth, and ultimately improve your bottom line. While...More
  • Sep. 1, 2009
    article

    Planned Crossbreeding Pays

    When you're producing cattle, variables are the name of the game. You manage those you can control and deal with those you can't. But in cattle feeding,...More
  • Sep. 1, 2009
    article

    Marker-assisted Feeding

    Sometimes, getting to simple can be a very complicated process. Take, as an example, Cargill Cattle Feeders. In mid-2007, the cattle-feeding company began...More
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