GW JUNIOR CONNECTION
Painless Repro Planning
by Madalynn Welsh
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In the absence of a live calf, all other production variables have no value.” – Dr. Dan Kniffen, assistant professor, Penn State University and owner of Windy Butte Ranch. As producers, thoughts of the tasks that need to be done crowd our thoughts. Fixing fence, moving hay, registering calves, ordering semen, the list goes on and on. A successful operation wouldn’t be possible if we didn’t efficiently complete these tasks, and therefore we’re hardwired to maximize efficiency. It’s easy to get wrapped up in the day-to-day of raising beef cattle, and it’s far too easy to let some important management opportunities slip through the cracks. Dan Kniffen’s quote at the beginning of this article is a simple motto that can help bring things back into perspective. At the end of the day, our main goal as beef producers is to produce a live calf for every bred female in our operation every year. To attain this goal, no matter the size of your operation, you need a solid breeding program. In this article, I will discuss how to build and implement a reproduction plan tailored to your operation.
Step One: Set Goals 1. Write it Down: Although it seems mundane, physically writing out what you want to achieve is often the first step in actually achieving it. 2.
Be Specific: As a producer, you know what you want to see from your operation in the next year. Don’t be afraid to include specifics to keep you on-target—sometimes success is in the details. Examples include limiting calving season to a 90-day window, culling cows based on docility and sub-par reproductive traits, raising calves with above average weaning weights and/or generating a crop of bulls to sell to commercial producers.
Step Two: Map It Out. 1. Make a Pasture Plan: Map out where each animal, or group of animals, will be throughout the year.
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Be specific and include the group of animals you are talking about, the location they will be, and the duration for which they will stay. Note: Utilizing the pasture grouping tool available in the AGA Online Registry Service can be helpful during this process.
2.
Create a Breeding Schedule: For each pasture, add when they will be bred, preg-checked and when their calves will be weaned. Don’t forget to include any other important dates for your goals— try to include actual dates, this will help with timing and preparation. Example: Group A (20 pairs, 5-year-olds) will arrive at Pasture 1 on May 1. Group A will be AI’ed on June 15, their calves will be weaned on September 15, they will be moved to cornfield B on October 15, and the cows will be pregnancy checked on November 15.
Step Three: Communicate Creating a plan is a waste of time if you’re the only one sticking to it. Sit down with everyone who has a role in your operation and explain the operation’s goals and the plan that is currently in place to meet those goals. Ensure that everyone knows the role they are expected to play in making the plan come to life.
Step Four: Stick To It. Post the plan in an area that it will be viewed by everyone on the team daily. This could be on the refrigerator or in the feed room. Having the plan written out and in a place it will be noticed will allow your team to always keep in mind what the next step is to keep everyone on track. Writing out a plan may not seem essential if you already have a system, but it can provide a way for you to improve your current methods of operation. For me, it always helps to bring the main goal back into perspective: putting a live calf on the ground each year. D
