Leaning on science for quality calves

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Producing Calves Through Science

By Terry Ropp Big Branch-Cooper Cattle sees AI and ET as value-added processes

Brent and Tracy Cooper attended Arkansas Tech at the same

time but did not meet there. Rather, they met at the Old Fort Days Rodeo in Fort Smith right before Brent’s senior year when he was “chasing the rodeo road.”

After the couple married in 1991, Brent decided he needed a “real” job. Therefore, Brent worked for Briggs Ranches in Poteau, Okla., from 1995 until 2000, before switching to the Parker Red Angus Ranch in Mansfield, Ark., from 2000 to 2005.

Next he worked for Big Branch Breeders Service beginning in 2005 until he purchased the business in 2020 and changed the name to Big Branch-Cooper Cattle , where Brent managed a 500-head herd of Red Angus. In 1992, Brent began helping out his in-laws, Judy and Terry Duboise, becoming heavily involved in 2005.

In 2012, Brent went to Russia right near the Ukrainian border with 16 other AI specialists to artificially inseminate 42,000 Angus heifers. At the time, a Russian group was buying old collective farms and filling them with U.S. and Australian cattle.

“American breeders are slow to adopt innovation and technology. Brazilian breeders, for example, uses five times more AI than we d, but they use our semen because we have currently better meat quality,” Brent explained. “At first, their meat was simply cheaper, but now is not only cheaper but with better quality than before. If we want to stay on top, we need to be more open to change.”

The Duboise ranch runs a larger Red Angus/Simmental herd with Brent now becoming part of the decision-making process. One of his first contributions was helping the ranch to transition from an old Simmental herd because the nationwide preference for large calves had led to calves being too large for the butchering facilities.

Another important contribution was the ranch moving from natural to breeding all females by AI first and then using high-quality cleanup bulls. They raise their own bulls and replacement heifers with genetic diversi-

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Brent and Tracy Cooper utilize AI and ET to improve their cattle herd.

Submitted Photo

men sales, liquid nitrogen tank services and custom artificial as well as herd reproduction consultation. Two employees handle most of the work, with Brent traveling all over the state as needed, including performing AI on 2,500 to 3,000 females, with Tracy handling the books and records. “AI is not a magic bullet and doesn’t fix anything,” Brent said. “Successful AI is part of a comprehensive program that touches all parts of the production system. It also takes several years to see the kind of results people hope for.” Brent views the Red Angus/Simmental herd as a research herd and will recommend nothing that he has not successfully with that herd, including new technologies and science. According to Brent, not many semen companies are also in cattle production. Producing replacement heifers and bulls, maintaining high-quality feed and hay, as well as health protocols are essential elements for success. The result of the Big Branch-Cooper Cattle system is that an initial AI success rate of 50 percent with heifers and 55 to 60 perty coming from outside semen. Further, only “Getting a good price is not as much about cent with cows, in line with the national averheifers produced by AI are retained to pro- where you sell as what you sell,” Brent said. ages, increased to 74 percent in 2020. mote AI conception rates. Weaned calves are taken to one location Brent and Tracy are busy people and wear

An important value-adding process, a for at least 45 to 60 days of backgrounding many hats. Tracy taught math for 20 years and result of the dropping market for previous- depending upon the market. While cows has been a counselor at Hackett High School ly culled cows, is using them as recips for receive a small amount of grain in winter for seven. Jonathan and Mackenzie are Brent other producers who pay a fee for implant- to maintain optimum health, calves are and Tracy’s children. While a vet in the faming an embryo and raising the calve until fed a 14-percent protein and 4-percent ily naturally saves money, Jonathan and his weaning at 205 days. fat commodity blend to produce muscle wife Mary adding a very new member to the

“I consider steers a byproduct while my rather than fat. Health protocols maintain family named Jocelyn is even more important. father-in-law sees heifers as byproducts,” high standards, including vaccinations, Mackenzie will soon graduate from law school Brent said. “However, our differing view- medicated mineral, and rotating products and marry Harrison Sears. points make no difference because we both and distribution methods of fly control. Brent clearly remembers sitting in the want to produce calves using the most up- Another important component of the back while his grandfather Delorn harvestto-date technology and science.” ranch system is producing high-quality pas- ed square bales and thinking in his young

Perspective outside semen donors need ture and hay on dual-purpose land. Depend- mind that harvesting all day would be a genotype testing to improve EPD accu- ing on the timing of last cutting of hay, fields great job. He also remembers raking hay racy. When Brent purchases cut last are drilled with ryegrass when he was 7 or so with important insemen, the purchase is typi- and cereal rye for winter grazing. structions to turn the key off if he thought cally for 200 to 300 units. The goal is calf uniformity because Hackett, Ark. “I’d love to overseed with clover, but I need a better handle on he was going to get into trouble. “Of course,” Brent said, “I would like a a uniform group sells for more the weeds first,” Brent explained. safer experience for my granddaughter, but money. Calves are typically The lion’s share of Brent’s in- I’d love for her to feel the same sense of sold through video sales, off come comes from Big Branch-Coo- wonder and satisfaction I did as a child.” the ranch or in Oklahoma City. per Cattle. The company offers se-