Reproduction

“There’s an app for that.” There’s an app for just about everything these days. There’s even a compass app for smartphones. Hopefully, if you’re ever that lost, you’ll have enough bars for the thing to work.

Several viral and bacterial diseases affect reproduction, interfering with the cow’s ability to carry a calf to term. It’s best to try to prevent these diseases by making sure cows and bulls have adequate immunity before breeding season.

Beef producers are keenly aware of the amount of time, effort, labor and resources it takes to keep a cow herd fed. Feed represents the largest portion of a beef cattle operation’s operating expenses.

According to a 2016 University of Idaho Extension cow-calf budget (500-cow herd), the annual operating expenses per cow are approximately $505.

Ranchers and livestock farmers have always wanted to improve their cattle, sheep, horses, hogs and poultry. How best to do this has been debated for centuries. One of the original purposes of agricultural research stations and land-grant colleges was to study ways to improve different breeds.

As a beef producer, you are asked to be an economist, nutritionist, range scientist, mechanic, and the list goes on.

Purchasing a bull can be one of the most important investments made in a cattle operation, and finding the right breed, breeder and bull sale can make all the difference in the success of a program.