Beef Cow Size and Record Keeping Project
Animal Science
James Humphrey
Field Specialist in Livestock
University of Missouri
Savannah
Abstract
Missouri ranks number three in number of beef cows in the United States with close to 1.9 million beef cows. A pilot project is designed to demonstrate the positive impact using production records can have on commercial cow/calf operations in northwest Missouri with a special emphasis on calf weight at weaning as a percent of cow weight. Information generated during this project is being used to create deliverables for a statewide program educating cow/calf producers on the importance of individual cow and calf weights, especially when management decisions need to occur in a timely fashion. Specifically, cows that are larger with higher maintenance requirements (Lalman et al., 2018), do not necessarily wean calves that are heavier. To investigate this, we collected data over a three-year period from three spring calving beef operations located in northwest Missouri representing over 400 breeding age beef females. Cow weights, body condition scores, docility scores, and pregnancy status, were recorded each time, cows went through the chute. Calf weights were recorded in late spring and at weaning time. Additionally, calf weight as percent of cow weight was calculated for each cow/calf pair. Over the three-year period cow weights ranged from 750 lbs. to 1865 lbs., calf weights ranged from 228 lbs. to 758 lbs., and calf weight as percent of cow weight ranged from 15.9% to 71.3%. With the continued conversion of grazing and forage ground to cropland, optimizing cow efficiency is important to commercial cow/calf operations and we suggest cow/calf producers consider percentage of cow weight weaned when making management decisions. Adoption, of these practices will increase productivity contributing to the overall goal of doubling the economic impact of agriculture in Missouri by 2030.
Authors: James Humphrey, Eric Bailey, Shawn Deering, Craig Payne
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James Humphrey Extension Field Specialist in Livestock, University of Missouri, Missouri, 64485
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Eric Bailey Extension State Beef Nutrition Specialist, University of Missouri, Missouri, 65211
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Shawn Deering Extension Field Specialist in Livestock, University of Missouri, Missouri, 64402
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Craig Payne Extension State Beef Veterinarian, University of Missouri, Missouri, 65211