Whether confinement feeding of beef cows is part of a cropping and livestock integrated system, or if cows have been displaced due to drought or fire, there are several key concepts to keep in mind when breeding season occurs in confinement.
When drought or wildfire forces cattle off the range, the breeding season doesn’t stop — it simply changes location. Transitioning cow-calf pairs into confinement is often a move of necessity, but maintaining reproductive efficiency in a drylot requires a specialized blueprint.
Breeding beef cattle in confinement presents a unique set of challenges, but it also offers a significant opportunity for precision management. According to Nebraska Extension Specialist Karla Wilke, success in a confined breeding system hinges on three critical factors:
- Providing adequate bunk space to manage social hierarchy
- Delivering nutrient-dense rations that meet the high energy demands of lactation
- Leveraging the close proximity of working facilities to implement advanced reproductive technologies like artificial insemination
Wilke shares her suggestions regarding breeding season confinement in a recent UNL BeefWatch article and in a webinar focused on confinement feeding cow-calf pairs.
Housing and Space: Beyond the Feedlot Pen
According to Wilke, bunk or feeding space needs to be about 2 feet for cows and bulls and about 1 foot for calves. This is especially true if a nutrient-dense, limit-fed ration is being used.
“Feedlot pens are not the only place cow-calf pairs can be confined,” she says. “Producers may also be able to use fallow ground, pivot corners or calving pastures. However, a minimum of 500 square feet per pair is recommended.”
When possible, it is also recommended that calves have their own loafing space inaccessible to the cows. Wilke stresses this reduces exposure to pathogen loads, may provide shade or wind protection and during breeding season can shield calves from getting stepped on.
The Lactation Gap: Meeting High Nutritional Demands
Lactation is a huge energy drain on the cow.
“Feeding a diet similar to what the cow received during gestation will not meet her needs, causing her to draw from her energy reserves to feed her calf, and thereby decrease her chances of rebreeding,” Wilke explains. “A lactation diet similar in intake and quality to green grass is needed.”
Read more about why energy, protein, minerals and weekly body condition checks are critical to getting cows and first‑calf heifers rebred on schedule:
From Calving to Conception: Nutrition Strategies to Keep Cows on Track
Wilke adds the calf is beginning to eat forages, so extra feed needs to be provided to ensure the calf is not eating feed that was assumed to be for the cow, thereby causing her to lose body condition.
The Confinement Advantage: Streamlining AI and Synchronization
She says one positive aspect of maintaining cows in confinement is that they may be in close proximity to working facilities, providing an opportunity to employ artificial insemination (AI) or allow producers to tighten the calving window by synchronizing cows while still using natural service.
Read more about synchronization options and the benefits of AI:
Upgrading in One Generation: The ROI of Artificial Insemination
Maximizing Reproductive Success: How to Use Estrus Synchronization to its Full Potential
Social Dynamics: Managing Bull Age and Hierarchy in Close Quarters
Older bulls tend to dominate the breeding season, and this can be especially true in confinement.
“If possible to divide cows into groups, consider pairing younger bulls together, giving them the appropriate ratio of cows for their age,” Wilke explains. “When dividing bulls into groups for confinement breeding, strong fences between groups are critical. Giving bulls two or three weeks to acclimate to breeding groups before turning in with cows when possible also helps reduce fighting.”
Drought and fires can take a toll on cattle. While it is always recommended to have a breeding soundness exam on bulls before turnout, it is especially important when bulls have experienced stressful situations that may impact structural soundness and fertility.
Read more about how a bull’s fertility and breeding ability are crucial to a producer’s success:
Is Your Bull Ready for Turnout? 4 Steps to Ensure Breeding Success
Due to the size of mature bulls, the growth requirement of young bulls and the activity level during the breeding season, bulls also need a high-quality diet. Maintaining bulls in a body condition score (BCS) of 5 or 6 on a 1 to 9 scale helps keep them healthy and productive.
Read more about how body condition scoring is an important tool for producers to use to make sure bulls are in good condition:
Body Condition Scoring Bulls: Now is the Time to Make Sure Bulls Are Ready for Turnout
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