For many cattle producers, a single decision this fall could shape the long-term future of their operation: Should you sell valuable heifers for immediate income, or retain them to rebuild the herd?
Currently, the U.S. beef cow herd sits at its lowest level in nearly 75 years. While record-high cattle prices present a historic opportunity for herd expansion, they also carry immense financial risk if producers make the wrong selection, warns Eric Bailey, University of Missouri (MU) Extension state beef nutrition specialist.
To help beef producers make data-driven, strategic choices, MU Extension is hosting “Retain With Intention: Building a Better Missouri Cow Herd” Sept. 2 and 3, 2026, at the MU Southwest Research, Extension and Education Center near Mount Vernon, Mo.
Why Replacement Heifer Decisions Are More Costly Than Ever
With a quality heifer calf fetching roughly $2,400 at auction, choosing to retain her means turning down a significant, immediate payout, Bailey explains.
The primary challenge for producers is identifying which heifers will remain productive long enough to recover their development costs and actively boost the farm’s bottom line.
“The opportunity to expand is real, but so is the risk,” Bailey says. “With cattle prices where they are today, mistakes in replacement heifer selection can be extremely costly. Producers need a system for making those decisions intentionally rather than relying on tradition or intuition.”
A Whole-System Approach to Beef Herd Expansion
Rather than looking at selection as a single step, the two-day Retain With Intention program guides producers through a whole-system approach. The curriculum integrates four critical pillars of herd management:
- Economics: Calculating development costs versus immediate sale value.
- Genetics: Using performance records and genomic tools to select the best traits.
- Nutrition: Designing feed programs that support proper growth and early breeding success.
- Reproduction: Structuring breeding protocols to maximize first-service conception rates.
In addition to classroom instruction, attendees will participate in live-heifer evaluations, sorting and ranking exercises, reproductive tract assessment demonstrations, and a personalized workshop to develop custom herd-retention criteria.
📌 Quick Event Summary
- What: Retain With Intention: Building a Better Missouri Cow Herd Workshop
- When: September 2–3, 2026
- Where: MU Southwest Research, Extension and Education Center, Mt. Vernon, Mo.
- Cost: $200 (strictly limited to 45 participants)
- How to Register: pears.io/events/mu/8083
