When evaluating factors that impact ranch profitability and efficiency, producing uniform calf crops can’t be overlooked.
“I think calf uniformity can be really important to the rancher,” says Emma Briggs, faculty supervisor for the research feedlot and the commercial cow herd for Kansas State University Ag Research Center in Hays, Kan.
What does a uniform calf crop look like? It can start with the basics of frame size, weight and other phenotype characteristics, but that’s not the full story in today’s beef industry.
“Uniformity goes beyond just looking at necessarily appearance,” Briggs explains. “It also reflects things like reproductive success for replacement heifers and staying within that 365-day calving interval to be as efficient and productive as possible.”
Tight or planned calving intervals improve phenotype uniformity, but bull selection can improve genotype uniformity for performance on and after the ranch.
“A key point is really looking at genetic consistency,” Briggs says. “So, using sires that have similar EPDs [expected progeny differences] and making sure that we’re not picking bulls that are in the first percentile for growth and then also picking bulls that are in the 50th percentile.”
On the topic of genetics, understanding breed composition and purpose is critical.
“Other factors to keep in mind are breed composition and type. Make sure that they’re going to have similar purpose characteristics, so you’re not going to have anything too high on the spectrum, good or bad,” Briggs says.
Strategic crossbreeding is a tool ranchers can utilize to hone in on animal purpose and work toward uniformity, too.
“Crossbreeding can be a really beneficial tool, especially if you are having some animals that can lean towards that terminal side maybe,” Briggs explains. “A crossbreeding system gives us a lot of hybrid vigor and is essentially free pounds of lean calf sometimes, depending on the different production standpoint that you have.”
Uniform calf crops impact ranch management past marketing calves in the fall and winter each year.
“Reducing differences in these calves helps develop a good replacement heifer strategy,” Briggs says. “It also helps on the back end with cow nutrition management and maintaining good body condition score, because a 1,200-lb. cow is likely going to have different needs than an 1,800-lb. cow.”
Efficiency of time when working cattle is also an important outcome of calf uniformity.
“There’s nothing more frustrating than having a 90-day-old calf with a 1-day-old calf and you need to give them all vaccine, but then the 1-day-old calf can’t really have it quite yet,” Briggs says. “So, trying to make those calving windows a little bit tighter makes it easier to ensure we give these calves the vaccines they need.”
Outside of planned calving windows and planned genetic selection, what else can producers do to improve calf uniformity?
“Have a goal and have traits that you look at to create uniformity,” Briggs says. “Stick with those and stay away from single-trait selection.”
Additionally, remember these kinds of changes happen over the long run.
“Uniformity doesn’t happen overnight,” Briggs summarizes. “If you are looking to start by shrinking your calving window, don’t overlook the variety of synchronization tools available to you. Even a simple one-shot PG can really push your cows to come into cyclicity sooner and at the same time.”
You can listen to the full conversation on the “Casual Cattle Conversations” podcast.
