A Silent Thief in the Cow Herd  

by James B. Neel, Professor Animal Science, Univ. of Tenn.

Cows that don't get bred on the first eat cycle early in the breeding season are "silent thieves" in most cow-calf herds. The greater the number of cows that conceive on the first service, early in the breeding season, the greater will be the pounds of calf to market, the more uniform will be the calf crop at marketing to fetch a better price and the greater will be the returns.

The following illustrates the monetary loss from reduced market weight when a cow does not conceive on first cycle.  Under normal conditions, an average calf will gain about 2.2 to 2.5 lbs per day from birth to weaning.  If this calf was born 21 days later than his herd mates, it would weight  40 to 50 lbs less at marketing.  With a (U.S.) market price of 80 cents per lb, one missed estrus cycle getting bred "steals" $32 to $40 for each calf that is born one cycle late.

A short breeding and calving season is basic for a successful cow-calf operation.  A short breeding season, where most of the cows conceive on first service, should be the goal. One obvious advantage is the opportunity to manage and market the calf crop as a uniform group.

Developing and maintaining a short breeding and calving season probably is not as "high-tech" and "glamorous" as some of the other items that are being discussed today in the cattle industry, but it is basic.  It has to be done if the current technology in production and marketing to improve value of feeder cattle is to be used.

What is the value of the theft that results from a missed breeding cycle?  Without a short breeding and calving season, the loss will never be known.  Make plans to stop this silent thief.