Heifer
With the U.S. beef herd at a 75-year low and cattle prices at record highs, a hands-on workshop will teach producers how to rebuild intentionally.
Pinpointing open cows early is more than a reproductive headcount. It’s an active management strategy to slash winter feed bills, capture seasonal market premiums and protect your margins.
Whether you are managing through drought or planning your fall breeding program, K-State’s Jason Warner shares a to-do list to keep your spring and fall herds on track.
With replacement heifer inventories at their second-lowest level since the 1940s, the choice to buy, raise or hold off has never carried more financial weight. A new free tool and expert insight can help producers run the numbers before they decide.
An NDSU heifer development calculator reveals the tight margins, hidden risks and why natural service breeding holds a $55 economic edge.
Genomic tools can predict at birth whether a heifer is genetically wired to stay in the herd — a game-changer as producers look to rebuild the national cow herd.
Starting a cattle operation is a high-stakes financial puzzle. During the 2026 BIF Young Producers Symposium, three veteran cattlemen shared why the key to long-term success isn’t buying the most expensive heifers, but selecting for environmental fit and non-negotiable fertility.
Practical strategies can boost dewormer efficacy, minimize infection opportunity and put more pounds on calves.
Proper development, accurate estrus detection and early breeding help maximize heifer productivity.
Whether driven by drought, fire or system integration, breeding in confinement requires precise nutrition and space management to maintain reproductive efficiency.
No matter your herd size, discover how AI can help you mate cows individually and increase your pay weight at the sale barn.
Success at breeding time isn’t a silver bullet; it’s a timeline of nutrition, diagnostics and mineral management that starts 90 days before turnout.
K-State veterinarians discuss estrus synchronization protocols in heifers versus cows and how to find what works best in your operation.
Anton Hermes has found success selecting and developing bred heifers in eastern Colorado, and marketing them across the country in both live auction and private treaty sales.
From targeted nutrition to disciplined phenotypic sorting, learn how Schrader Ranch and Christensen Charolais are building the next generation of productive and efficient females.
Disease challenges early in life can have permanent effects on a female’s ability to stay in the herd. Discover how to navigate the health pitfalls that threaten replacement heifer investment.
K-State’s Jason Warner breaks down what producers should consider when deciding on replacement female retention.
Why mature size, hair shedding and calving ease must anchor your breeding objective if you want profitable, low‑input cows.
From post-calving nutrition to bull selection decisions, K-State’s Jason Warner shares the top 10 management practices producers should be mindful of in March.
OSU and KSU experts explain why restricting nutrients fails to prevent dystocia and how maintaining a BCS 6 ensures calf survival and colostrum quality.
How early heifer development sets the ceiling for fertility, productivity and profit.
University of Kentucky’s Burdine says low domestic cattle inventory, combined with the ban on live cattle imports from Mexico, continue to keep cattle supplies tight.
Producers should consider several factors to determine if creep feeding benefits them and evaluate based on the market each year.
Strategies for evaluating herd performance following calving.
Losses range between $15 and $88 per head, conservatively, a result of reduced herd productivity, health and reproductive efficiency.
The tiny, annoying pest can wreak $6 billion in losses annually to U.S. cattle production due to decreased weight gain or milk production, veterinary needs and control measures.