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Focus on reproductive performance: Profitability of cow-calf operations is largely determined by cow reproductive performance. Calf crop percentage and average weaning weight are primary factors influencing both total income and cost of production. Consequently, the goal for most herds is to have a high percentage of cows wean a calf and for most of those calves to be born early in the calving season.

Across the nation, farmers and ranchers work tirelessly to overcome unpredictable variables like weather, commodity pricing, tariffs, and governmental regulations. These variables place an immense amount of financial strain and mental burden on farmers and will often have long-lasting impact on their farms’ profitability. Over the past decade the U.S. has lost an average of one percent of farms on an annual basis. In a study performed by the American Farm Bureau Association, they found that U.S. farm bankruptcies are at their highest rate since 2011—marking four consecutive years of rising bankruptcy rates as a proportion of the farm population.