Reproduction

That First Calf Heifer is not a Mature Cow – So why would we treat her like one?

– Dr. Katie VanValin, Assistant Extension Professor, University of Kentucky

Figure 1: Nutrient partitioning for heifers and cows.

Developing and first calf heifers are not the same as mature cows. While that seems like an obvious statement, there is still a common belief that heifers should be able to “get by” under the same management as mature cows. The thought is that we are selecting heifers that match available resources when we should be selecting heifers that will become cows that match our resources. Because heifers still have additional nutrient requirements for growth, they require different nutritional management than cows.

In the beef industry we talk about selecting “heifer-acceptable” bulls all the time, because we understand the need for emphasis on calving ease in heifers compared to mature cows. If we are going to keep back our own replacements or develop heifers, we also need to think about Continue reading That First Calf Heifer is not a Mature Cow – So why would we treat her like one? →

Virtual Beef School, session 3; focused on Managing Open Cows and Culls

Is she bred, and what to do with her if she is!

All things considered the past 6 to 8 months have collectively been some of the most stressful conditions experienced in Ohio in years. With the 2024 drought followed by mud, followed by the coldest mid-winter in years, plus temperatures that have gone from one extreme to another multiple times since, regardless if calving in spring or fall, that stress can prove to be devastating on the pregnancy rates of a cow herd.

The third session of the 2025 Ohio Virtual Beef School on March 26 featured a deep dive into two resulting questions that should be on every cattleman’s mind: Why Are My Cows Open? and Open Cows – Keep or Cull? Listen in below as the recent virtual Ohio Beef School explored those two topics.

Beef School Session Focuses on Open Cows and Culls

Register today, it’s free!

All things considered – drought followed by mud followed by the coldest mid winter in years, plus temperatures that have gone from one extreme to another . . . multiple times – the past 6 to 8 months have collectively been some of the most stressful conditions experienced in Ohio in years. Regardless if calving in spring or fall, that stress can prove to be devastating on the pregnancy rates of a cow herd.

If you own cows, make plans to join us during next Wednesday’s third session of the Ohio Virtual Beef School when we dive into two questions that should be on every cattleman’s mind: Why Are My Cows Open? and Open Cows – Keep or Cull?

If you still need to register in order to receive free log-in details, visit: go.osu.edu/beefschool25.

Keep Them Fit!

– Dr. Les Anderson, Beef Extension Specialist, University of Kentucky

Treat your herd bull like an athlete.

While reading some industry information, I was reminded about an article Dr. Burris wrote for Cow Country News a few years ago. The focus of his article was to treat your herd bulls like an athlete; keep them fit and in great working shape. As always, it was a super article and is still relevant. Recently, more research has been done on bull fitness and fertility that is quite interesting.

We have known for years that over-conditioning bulls is detrimental to their fertility. When bulls are over fed and their body condition score get excessive (> 7), fat begins to build up in the scrotum and in the spermatic cord. Fat is an excellent insulator and this buildup of fat in the neck of the scrotum leads to an increase in scrotal temperature. For optimum sperm production, the testis needs to be about two degrees cooler than body temperature and this buildup of fat especially in the neck of the testis (around the spermatic cord) can lead to abnormal sperm development. When these fatter bulls are subjected to a Continue reading Keep Them Fit! →

Preparing for Calving: Calving Clinic set for February 20

Reserve your spot today!

For cattle producers expecting calves to come soon, it is time to prepare. Get your supplies gathered. Straighten up your herd records. Make sure you are current with your veterinary client patient relationship. And . . .

Join OSU Extension for an evening of education on preparing for calving season from 6-9 p.m. on Thursday, February 20 at the Eastern Agricultural Research Station- 16870 Bond Ridge Rd. Caldwell, OH 43724 (pending weather- backup location is the Extension Operations Building- 16714 Wolf Run Rd, Caldwell, OH 43724).

At this event, class participants will have the opportunity to pull a calf from the simulator cow while learning about common calving challenges and solutions. Speakers will include Continue reading Preparing for Calving: Calving Clinic set for February 20 →

Cow/Calf Workshop set for February 7 in Millersburg

Reserve your spot today!

Ohio State University Extension will offer a Cow/ Calf workshop in Millersburg, Ohio, at Paint Valley Farms on Friday, February 7, from 10:00 AM to 2:30 PM. The cost is $15 per person, and to RSVP, please call the Holmes County Extension Office at 330-674-3015.

Reproduction and genetics are important factors for a cow-calf operation. The Long-term investment in genetics plays a critical role in developing and managing a herd to ensure longevity. Join OSU Extension in Holmes County to discuss and demonstrate the practices that you might apply on your farm to improve your operation by optimizing reproduction and cow-calf profitability.

Topics covered will include breeding season management, post-drought Continue reading Cow/Calf Workshop set for February 7 in Millersburg →

Dealing with Cold Calves

– Dr. John Yost, Extension Educator, Agriculture and Natural Resources, Wayne County, Ohio State University Extension

I can’t say for sure, but I imagine that any cow-calf producer would trade frozen ground for mud.  The downside of frozen ground and newborn calves is the chance for hypothermia.  Cows aren’t stupid.  When the weather turns cold the herd will congregate where it is dry and sheltered.  Those cows that come into labor and look to isolate themselves are often left to go to the worst spot of the field to drop their calf. The sight of a new calf stretched out in a wet hole, will knot up your stomach and you know it is going to be a long night trying to get it warmed back up.

Newborn calves don’t benefit from heat generated by the rumen fermentation that helps their mother weather cold temperatures.  When air temperature drops below 55 degrees Fahrenheit, a calf is reliant on metabolic heat from the small fat reserves that are deposited prior to birth.  When a calf is born into an extreme cold environment, their normal 18-hour energy reserve can be quickly exhausted through shivering, leading to hypothermia.

A calf’s normal body temperature at birth should be Continue reading Dealing with Cold Calves →

OCA Replacement Female Sale Results; Demand remains strong

– Garth Ruff, OCA Replacement Female Sale Manager

82 lots averaged $2905.

The Ohio Cattlemen’s Association (OCA) held their 12th annual Replacement Female Sale on November 29th at the Muskingum Livestock Auction Company in Zanesville, Ohio. A large crowd was on hand and online to bid on 82 high quality females in the sale. The sale represented an excellent opportunity for cow-calf producers to add quality females with documented breeding and health records to their herds.

Buyers evaluated 81 lots of bred heifers, bred cows, and cow-calf pairs at the auction. The sale included 54 lots of bred heifers that averaged $2,961, 3 cow-calf pairs sold for $3,333, and 24 lots of bred cows that averaged $2,804. One open cow sold for $1,250. The 82 total lots grossed Continue reading OCA Replacement Female Sale Results; Demand remains strong →

Can I afford not to pregnancy check?

– 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 Continue reading Can I afford not to pregnancy check? →

Don’t Strike Out Next Breeding Season

– Garth Ruff, Field Specialist Beef Cattle and Livestock Marketing, Ohio State University Extension (originally published in Progressive Cattle)

Many livestock economists have demonstrated over the years that there is a premium in the marketplace for uniform lots of calves. For further proof, just watch what happens at the local auction market when it comes to selling feeder cattle and then tune into one of the western video auctions and compare prices.

Offering a more uniform calf crop is one advantage of a FTAI program.

Even if all else is equal the larger, often semi load lots sell for higher prices, Dr. Kenny Burdine at the University of Kentucky has shown that lots of 10 outsell lots of 3-5 head and those lots outsell single calves. Why discuss this now? As cattle remain at historic highs, I am beginning to hear producers question the return on managing reproduction in their cow herds.

Reproduction is the single most economically important trait on any commercial cow calf operation, I think it’s time to revisit why that Continue reading Don’t Strike Out Next Breeding Season →