– Dean Kreager, Licking County Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator (originally published in Ohio Farmer on-line)
Preg check vs winter an open cow?!
Only 20% of cow calf producers in the Eastern United States pregnancy check beef cows, according to National Animal Health Monitoring System (NHAMS) Studies. Over the years there have been improvements in pregnancy detection options but the adoption of these has been slow for many beef producers. Maybe this year the question should change from “Is it worth the expense?” to “Can I afford not to pregnancy check?”
The cost of overwintering an open cow this year could be much higher than in recent years. Much of Ohio and some surrounding states have been experiencing drought conditions this summer. The hardest hit areas are also home to a high percent of Ohio’s cow/calf production. The rolling pastures have stopped producing forage and many springs have dried up resulting in cattlemen hauling water and feeding hay much earlier than normal. These conditions have led to shortages in hay and pasture, along with struggles locating sources of hay. Cattlemen may be looking at feed alternatives, as well as early weaning to stretch their feed resources.
Research has shown that even in the best managed beef herds, 5-10% of cows in a herd remain open at the end of the breeding season. This number could easily balloon to 15% in herds trying to establish pregnancies during drought conditions. Nutrition, body condition, and stress play heavy in regard to reproductive success. The reduced quantity and quality of forage available likely extended the anestrus period on cows. This is especially true in young cows that are still growing. Remember, if cows are decreasing in body condition, their food resources are likely not being used for reproduction. This issue can easily carry over into next year as nutritional resources are stretched through the winter resulting in cows calving at a reduced body condition score.
Slaughter cow prices have been at a premium. We have been seeing prices as high as or higher than any time since 2014. Let’s look at an example, a 1,300-pound cull cow could fetch $1.20 a pound at the stock yards bringing in $1,560. Now, let’s say you are short on pasture and hay and will be purchasing hay to make it through the winter. At $60 a bale the cost for hay for the winter will be at least $400 to $500. This does not take into account any other expenses. Add your sales to your savings on feed expenses and you are around $2,000 per open cow that is culled.
Finding those open cows to cull is as easy as one trip through the chute to conduct a pregnancy check. There are three common methods of pregnancy checking. They are palpation, ultrasound, and blood testing. Each method has advantages and disadvantages.
Palpation and ultrasound will involve a veterinarian visit. There will probably be a trip fee and a fee per cow checked. While the vet cost will likely be higher than for a blood test, ultrasound and palpation allow for aging of the fetus to help determine due dates and they provide immediate results. Each method will vary in how early in the pregnancy you can get an accurate result. Ultrasound is now possible around day 20 but the accuracy increases as time goes on. Rectal palpation can be accurate with a good technician starting around day 35. Sexing pregnancies is possible with ultrasound starting around day 60.
Blood testing is likely the least expensive option if you are able to do it on your own. Blood can be drawn from the tail vein with little experience needed. The cost of the supplies and testing will be around $5 per test. Blood test pregnancy results are very accurate after 28 days post insemination, provided at least 73 days has elapsed since giving birth. Blood tests are not able to differentiate between ages of fetuses. There will also be a few days of delay, when shipping samples to a lab, until testing is complete, and results returned. Alternatively, there is now a blood test that you can do at home for about $10 per test and you read your own results in about 20 minutes.
Exact timings, details, and expenses will vary between tests, technicians, and veterinary providers. Follow the instructions from the provider or for the test you choose. Pregnancy losses are much more common in the first 45 days after breeding than later but can occur throughout the pregnancy. A positive pregnancy test is not a 100% guarantee of a birth, but a negative result is nearly a 100% chance of no calf.
With the potential of 10% or more of cows being open, forage supply shortages, cull cow prices at an all-time high, and pregnancy testing costing between $5 and $15 per animal, this may be the year when the question changes to “Can I afford not to pregnancy check?”