ADSC 2010 Lecture 33 Outline of Last Lecture I The Four Segments of Beef Production II Purebred Seedstock Production III Commercial Producers IV Stocker Backgrounders V Feedlot Finishing Phase VI Beef Production Four Segments VII Outline of Beef Industry VIII More Detail Outline of Current Lecture I Beef Production A Cow Calf II Management A Management Factors Affecting Calf Crop Weaned B Management Factors Affecting Weaning Weight C Management Factors Affecting Annual Cow Cost Current Lecture I Beef Production A Cow Calf Profitability determined by three major criteria 1 Calf Crop Weaned of calves weaned cows in herd Income 2 Weaning Weight of Calf 205D of age expense 3 Annual Cow Cost to maintain cow in herd each year Economic assessment breakeven price Ex 85 calf crop 500 WW 600 annual cow cost Breakeven price annual cow cost of calf weaned per cow of calf weaned per cow calf crop x weaning weight 85 x 500 425 of calf weaned per cow 600 425 1 41 of calf Breakeven price II Management A Management Factors Affecting Calf Crop Weaned a Heifers should reach puberty at 15 months to calve at 24 months o ROT heifers should be 65 mature weight to breed o English breed should be 650 700 o Exotic breed should be 800 900 b Breed heifers early in breeding season to allow longer postpartum interval before rebreeding c Heifers should be separated from cow herd 30 60D prior to calving and post calving to allow better management o Heifers have longer postpartum interval than cows d Females need moderate body condition fat at calving o Thin cows have longer postpartum interval o Fat cows are not economical e Observation and assistance with calving o Minimize dystocia or see increased postpartum interval f Select bulls to minimize dystocia or calving difficulty o Utilize birth weight EPDs o Have to balance BW with WW correlated o Heifers should be bred to low BBBWWW bulls g Use adequate number of bills and select bulls that are physically sound and reproductively sound o High libido o Good semen quality quantity scrotal circumference 30cm o Correct bull to cow ratio 1 30 avg h Utilization of crossbreeding o Heritability of fetility is low 20 or 20 o Can increase calf crop by 8 12 o Crossbred females Cycle earlier Higher conception rates o Crossbred calves Improved vigor Higher survival rates i Improve nutrition and available energy o Decrease age at puberty o Gets cow into proper body condition o Reduces postpartum interval j Minimize reproductive diseases 2 3 fetal death loss o Brucellosis o Vibrosis o Leptospirosis o Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis Annual Vaccines to Prevent These k Minimize calf death loss 1 2 death loss o Severe weather o Scours o Calving difficulty o Pneumonia B Management Factors Affecting Weaning Weight Determined by genetic potential for 1 Growth in calf 2 Milk production in the cow a Calves born in calving season are older and heavier b Need good quality forage o Increase in milk production o Some effect on calf growth c Growth stimulants can increase growth by 5 10 o Ralgro Synovex compudose 10 1 or greater return d Creep feeding calves increases WW o Supplemental feed for calf only o Depends on economy e Herd Health Management o Minimizes diseases that affect calf growth and milk production f Select bulls with high WW EPDs o Heritability of WW 30 o Bull accounts for 80 90 of genetic process of the breed g Heterosis in crossbred cow calf o Increase milk production in cow o Increase pre weaning gain in calf C Management Factors Affecting Annual Cow Cost a Feed costs 60 75 of annual cow cost o Utilize lower quality forage from weaning to last trimester of gestation b Labor accounts for 10 15 of annual cost c Interest charges on operating capital 10 15
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