Tag: Breeding

Cost of Cutting Corners in Breeding Season

Posted on by A.Miller-Cattle-Admin

The True Cost of Cutting Corners in Breeding season

As fall settles in and spring-born calves are weaned, it is easy to focus on what is happening now – sorting calves and making marketing decisions and winter feeding plans. But this time of year also is when the next breeding season truly begins. How we manage cows post-weaning directly affects their ability to breed back, calve on time and produce another healthy, profitable calf in the coming year.

Body condition is the foundation

A productive cow is one that produces (at least every 365 days) and weans one calf per year. To stay on that schedule, she must rebreed within about 85 days after calving. Cows calving in a body condition score (BCS) 6 are most likely to cycle back and rebreed early in the breeding season.
A BCS 6 cow will appear round across her topline and has some brisket fat, with no ribs visible. That extra energy reserve supports three critical functions simultaneously: milk production, maintenance and reproduction. When energy or protein requirements are not met, reproduction takes the back seat.
This is especially critical for first-calf heifers and young cows still growing. They have to juggle body growth, lactation and recovery from calving all before rebreeding. If these animals calve thin, their longevity in the herd can be compromised. According to research from CattleFax, it takes about five to six productive years for a cow to pay for her development costs; losing her after one or two calves is an expensive setback.

Start the next  calf now

Every stage of gestation matters. Organ systems, muscle fibers and even future fertility traits in the developing calf are programmed before birth. That means nutrition during gestation affects not only how quickly a cow rebreeds but also how her next calf performs.
As you plan your winter feeding program, begin with a forage analysis. Knowing nutrient levels helps match feed resources to cow requirements and identify gaps that need to be filled. In many regions, hay cut late or under drought stress is lower in quality. Sorting forages by quality and feeding higher-quality lots to thinner or younger cows is a cost-effective strategy to keep the herd on track.
Once forage quality is known, the next step is developing a nutrition program which includes a high quality mineral. Mineral pays off big when it comes to reproduction and calf health.
Why minerals matter for rebreeding
Minerals may make up only a small fraction of the diet, but they influence virtually every metabolic and reproductive process. From ovarian activity and conception to fetal development and immune response, phosphorus, and trace minerals like copper, zinc and manganese play essential roles. Deficiencies can delay estrus, lower conception rates and produce weak calves at birth.
Cows draw minerals from their own reserves to support the fetus and lactation. If these stores are not replenished before the next breeding season, reproductive performance will suffer. A year-round mineral program keeps cows in balance and prevents the “start-stop” effects that happen when mineral feeding is inconsistent.
Building a Strategic Mineral Program

Purina research and field experience suggest three key steps for developing an effective mineral plan.

  1. Analyze annual needs. Mineral requirements are influenced by production stage — as well as forage type. For example, spring pastures high in potassium can interfere with magnesium absorption, increasing the risk of grass tetany. Consistent mineral intake throughout the year can help avoid deficiencies.
  2. Choose a comprehensive mineral. Not all minerals are created equally. Produers should ensure their mineral is palatable, uses bioavailable sources and is weather resistant. A palatable mineral helps maintain consistent consumption. It’s also important to ensure it contains the proper balance of essential bioavailable minerals for optimal nutrient absorption and utilization.
  3. Monitor consumption. Even the best mineral will not work if cows do not eat it consistently. Tracking use with a simple calculation — pounds fed divided by cow numbers and days offered — helps ensure cattle are consuming at target levels. Targeted consumption with less waste ensures cows get the mineral they need to support overall health and performance.

How Purina® Wind & Rain® minerals support rebreeding success

Purina® Wind & Rain® mineral products are designed to help producers manage these variables year-round.
The line includes targeted formulations such as:
Wind & Rain® All-Season mineral
Balanced for year-round nutrition across a wide range of forage types and regions.
Wind & Rain® ProCycle® mineral
Designed for year-round use to support optimal reproductive performance.
Wind & Rain® Fly Control mineral
Combines balanced nutrition with fly control to protect cow comfort and conception rates during summer months.
Each product provides a precise balance of 14 essential macro and micro minerals and uses large, weather-resistant particles that stand up to wind and rain. Consistent intake and weather protection make it easier to maintain steady mineral delivery, even under variable pasture conditions.

Practical steps for fall and winter

As you evaluate your herd going into winter:
  • Score cows now and set a goal to reach a BCS 6 by calving.
  • Test forages to know where supplementation is needed.
  • Select a mineral that is palatable and contains bioavailable sources for optimal absorption.
  • Feed consistently, make mineral available 365 days a year, not just pre-breeding.
Rebreeding success does not start at bull turnout; it begins months earlier with nutrition and management decisions that set the cow up for success. By maintaining optimal body condition, balancing forages with quality mineral supplementation and staying consistent year-round, you can keep cows on schedule and calves thriving from one generation to the next.
Because in the end, the best insurance for next year’s calf crop is a healthy, well-nourished cow — and a mineral program that never takes a season off.
For more information on Purina® Wind & Rain® mineral products or to connect with your local Purina representative, visit PurinaMills.com.December 2025

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Embryo Opportunities Control Your Herd’s Future

Posted on by Jessica Graham

Embryos Offer Opportunities to Control Your Herd’s Future

Achieve rapid genetic gains, increase pregnancies during heat stress and switch cattle breeds in a single generation with embryos.

BOISE, Idaho [Sept. 10, 2025] – In today’s competitive dairy environment, herd genetics are more than a science — they’re a strategy. Forward-thinking producers are re-evaluating their breeding programs (and embryos) and tapping genetics to unlock gains in yield, animal health and sustainability.

According to researchers, embryo transfer is becoming an advanced breeding technology recognized worldwide as the fastest and most economical way to multiply genetics and increase the influence of genetically superior cows in a herd.[1]

By prioritizing genetics that drive animal productivity, improved feed efficiency and greater herd longevity, farms are not only meeting the demands of processors and consumers, but also future-proofing their operations.

“This shift is a pivotal opportunity for producers to align innovation with profitability in ways that strengthen the entire value chain,” says Brady Hicks, manager of Simplot Animal Sciences. “As dairy farmers adapt to market signals, implementing in vitro fertilization (IVF) embryos into reproductive programs opens many doors to better meet needs and expectations.”

For instance, embryos can be made from any breed, with any sires, based on a herd’s goals and objectives, enabling farms to switch breeds and improve genetic performance at the same time. Breed-leading sires are used to obtain optimal genetic value for the embryos.

Farms of all types and sizes use this tool to:

  • Achieve rapid genetic gains
  • Switch from one breed to another in one generation
  • Increase pregnancies during times of low fertility, like heat stress
  • Consistently meet herd goals

Embryos provide the option to specifically choose dam genetics in addition to the sire.

“Additionally, IVF technology and processes have rapidly evolved, making it an economically beneficial option for farms regardless of herd size,” says Hicks. “Strategic implementation of SimVitro® HerdBuilder™ technology gives dairies a unique opportunity to accelerate herd genetic progress over traditional artificial insemination (AI) or even conventional embryo transfer.”

Frozen IVF embryos make it viable to use this technology with the same flexibility and outcomes as AI. They also help dairies overcome the impact of seasonal heat stress on reproductive performance, often improving pregnancy rates by 10% or more. Embryos can also elevate the performance of low-fertility cows, often helping repeat breeders to conceive.

Plus, embryos  create a specific type of calf that is of high genetic value, regardless of the genetics or parentage of recipient cows. This allows for a more rapid rate of genetic progress on a whole herd level.

If a dairy herd consists of Jersey cattle is converting to Holstein cattle, the transition could be complete in a single generation. Conversely, a Holstein herd could become a Jersey herd in one generation, if desired.

Lastly, improving genetic gain in breeding programs is limited by the generation interval, or the average age of an animal when replacement progeny is born. When a systematic approach is taken to decrease the generation interval by balancing accuracy and intensity, more rapid genetic change can be achieved.[2]

“Customized options help intensify the generation interval while driving genetic goals, herd uniformity and economic returns,” concludes Hicks. “Embryos help you build the herd you want – and need.”

To learn more about Simplot Animal Sciences and HerdBuilder embryos, visit Simplot.com/animalsciences.

About Simplot Animal Sciences

The J.R. Simplot Company, a privately held agribusiness firm headquartered in Boise, Idaho, has an integrated portfolio that includes phosphate mining, fertilizer manufacturing, farming, ranching and cattle production, food processing, food brands, and other enterprises related to agriculture. Simplot’s major operations are located in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Australia, South America and China, with products marketed in more than 60 countries worldwide. For more information, visit simplot.com. 

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Strategic Bull Selection

Posted on by Weicks-Webmaster

Strategic Bull Selection

Breeding season – and the work that leads to it – is a crucial time for a ranch. The decisions made here directly impact calving and sale season results.

As you identify goals and ambitions and create a map to get there, it is imperative to have herd sires either on the ground or in a straw that can help you reach your destination.

In today’s fast-paced and ever-changing food system, ranchers are more pressured to keep a close eye on the market flow and demands as they develop the next cattle crop. That means that, more than ever before, the decisions made each breeding season must be as strategic as possible.

Goal setting

When selecting bull characteristics, identify both the marketing and breeding aspect for your goals. Determine the destiny and purpose of the calves. Are they replacements? Or will they be sold as beef animals? 

Grady Ruble of South Dakota State University notes in his Bull Selection bulletin that this also requires the producer to look at what traits they desire and if there are any environmental factors that might impact certain traits.

More than at any other point in history, beef producers have the capability to harness health and environmental traits for their herds thanks to genomics. With continual evaluations and indexes becoming available, it’s wise for both commercial and seedstock producers to keep a pulse on the genetic world.

Performance traits for both terminal and maternal animals should be considered alongside the current state of the whole herd and its potential. 

To keep abreast of the overwhelming indexes and expected progeny differences (EPDs), it’s helpful to start the old-fashioned way by creating a list of desired traits and then sorting them based on the importance of each. That provides a baseline when examining and comparing bulls.

Determining the traits that make the cut should include a blend of combing through tangible records and sale numbers along with a visual inspection and perhaps professional consultation. Visual and record inspection before breeding also affords an opportunity to do a last-minute culling of animals that are costing more than they are worth.

Making the selection

In my previous article, Strategic and Scientific Bull Selection, I mentioned how every new sire you bring into the herd (herd bull or from a tank), brings in some permanent genetic change. Additionally, operations that retain their own heifers in a closed herd are limited to some extent in their genetic change. 

In many cases, genetic change is accelerated in crossbreeding programs due to heterosis. Crossbreeding is becoming more popular in the seedstock circle as well as commercial circles.

While EPDs continue to grow in their accuracy, there has been an industry-wide trend to move  towards the dollar index as the be-all-end-all for multitrait selection.

It’s a valuable tool no doubt, especially for those tricky economic traits. However, using them exclusively – or using them without consideration as to what they actually stand for – can be detrimental.

Remember that indexes like EPDs can update and the formulas can change. Be sure to do your research with the most up-to-date information about the indexes and the traits they include. Breed associations and geneticists are your friends on these matters. As well,  they are often an excellent source of free information.

In her bulletin Here’s the Beef: Basics for Selecting a Bull  for Texas A&M University, Kaitlyn Arnold noted that it is very important that herd bulls or bulls that are physically being brought in to service a herd come with records and are visually inspected for physical appearance.

Structural soundness is important to evaluate as it will impact performance and longevity. You need to see and evaluate this because it will not be qualified by a number on paper.

It is additionally important to evaluate their reproductivity through a breeding soundness exam. This should be done routinely to make sure the bull is still a viable option.

From this aspect, it’s also helpful to purchase a live bull that has been in conditions similar to the one you provide in your operation. This will ensure he can do his job and does not need to adjust to harsher conditions he hasn’t been able to acclimate to.

Points worth remembering

Be sure you don’t put all your eggs in one basket from a genetics standpoint when choosing a herd sire. Many traits need to be a consideration. Choosing a bull because he is strong in one suit, may leave important traits overlooked or neglected.

Artificial insemination can be a powerful tool during breeding season, opening the herd to a larger pool of genetic traits that can influence change.

Small-scale producers must especially be judicious in their selection. Be mindful of negative correlations and trade-offs between carcass quality and performance traits.

Rachel Owens writes in her bulletin  Selecting the Right Bull for your Herd for North Carolina Cooperative Extension: 

“Selecting for only calving ease can lead to calves that stay small at weaning and yearling weights, which means less money in your pocket on sale day. However, you cannot select for every single trait, especially since some traits are inherently opposite. Consider how traits interact when making decisions.”

Again it is important to consider the traits you are selecting for and the potential risks of what other traits might impact or limit by the mating decision for the trait.

Choosing herd sires for the next generation of calves is a very personal decision based on a myriad of individual factors that vary by herd. Determine what traits most impact your operation, evaluate the tools available to help you choose sires and then look for the bulls that most closely fit your needs.

For some, this will be a single bull. And for others, it could be several bulls. For some, this may mean creating their own bulls through A.I. or embryo transfer.

Here is another Genetics Article, check it out!

Genomic Testing

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