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Improve your profits by lowering open rates in first calf heifers

November 12, 2019

This is a guest post written by Karin Schmid, Beef Production Specialist with the Alberta Beef Producers. Young cows are investments. And like investments in a stock portfolio, they need to be monitored and their management needs to be periodically adjusted if they’re going provide you with your desired return. While the average cost of raising a bred heifer in 2018 was $1,840, the most expensive (or valuable, depending on your perspective) cow in the herd is the one that has just had her first calf, because she hasn’t had a chance to recoup any of that investment through the sale of her calf yet. You’re hoping she has a second calf, and a third, and many more to pay for and profit from that investment, but first she has to breed back for the second time. We ask quite a lot of these first calf heifers. Even while they are still growing, they’re expected to raise a calf and rebreed back on time. Their energy and protein demands are going to be 10 to 20 per cent more ....
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Supplementing your cow herd: Managing the pregnant cow for better calf performance. Webinar November 21

November 6, 2019

This is a guest post written by Karin Schmid, Beef Production Specialist with the Alberta Beef Producers. Young cows are investments. And like investments in a stock portfolio, they need to be monitored and their management needs to be periodically adjusted if they’re going provide you with your desired return. While the average cost of raising a bred heifer in 2018 was $1,840, the most expensive (or valuable, depending on your perspective) cow in the herd is the one that has just had her first calf, because she hasn’t had a chance to recoup any of that investment through the sale of her calf yet. You’re hoping she has a second calf, and a third, and many more to pay for and profit from that investment, but first she has to breed back for the second time. We ask quite a lot of these first calf heifers. Even while they are still growing, they’re expected to raise a calf and rebreed back on time. Their energy and protein demands are going to be 10 to 20 per cent more ....
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