Beef cattle producers can use the BCRC Cow-Calf Production Indicators Calculator to enter their own production numbers (only 15 numbers are needed) and compare them with an industry target and regional benchmark from the most recent regional cow-calf surveys.
Cow-Calf Production Indicators Calculator
NOTE: If an indicator is below the target or regional benchmark it does not necessarily mean that changing it will be beneficial. The cost:benefit of investing in changing each production indicator must be made on individual operations as they will vary and reflect one’s production system and enviornment that you operate in.
Step 1: Enter information in yellow highlighted cells |
Step 2: Compare to the Industry Targets |
Step 3: Compare to the Regional Benchmark (for cows) |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Region | Choose From drop-down list |
TARGET |
Western Canada |
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| INDICATOR | ||||||||||
| Cow:Bull Ratio | # Females Exposed | 20:1 | 25 | 21 | ||||||
| # Bulls used | ||||||||||
| Length of Calving Period | (Last Calving Date – First Calving Date) | 60-80 | 87 | |||||||
| Conception Rate (% Pregnant) | # Females Bred | 92% | 93% | 92% | ||||||
| # Females Exposed | 360 | |||||||||
| Calving Distribution | ||||||||||
| Calves Born 1-21 Days | # Calves Born Day 1-21 | 76% | 60% | 55% | ||||||
| Calves Born 22-42 Days | # Calves Born Day 22-42 | 19% | 25% | 30% | ||||||
| Calves Born 43-63 Days | # Calves Born Day 42 – 63 | 4% | 10% | 30% | ||||||
| Calves Born 64+ Days | # Calves Born Day 64+ | 2% | 5% | 5% | ||||||
| Pregnancy Loss % | # Females Aborted/Born Dead | 41 | 12% | 1% | 4% | |||||
| # Females Expected to Calve | 330 | |||||||||
| Calving Rate (%) | # Live Calves Born | 88% | 92% | 87% | ||||||
| # Females Bred | 330 | |||||||||
| Calf Death Loss % | # Calves Died Before Wean | 3% | 4% | 5% | ||||||
| # Live Calves Born | 330 | |||||||||
| Calf Survival Rate | # Calves Weaned | 280 | 97% | 95% | 86% | |||||
| # Live Calves Born | 289 | |||||||||
| Weaning Rate (%) | # Calves Weaned | 78% | 85% | 85% | ||||||
| # Females Exposed | 330 | |||||||||
| Average weaning weight (all calves) lbs | N/A | No Target | 570 | |||||||
| Lbs weaned/ Females Exposed | Total Lbs Weaned | 146440 | 407 | 460 | 533 | |||||
| # Females Exposed | 360 | |||||||||
| Adjusted 205 day weaning weight | Average age at weaning, days | 553 | N/A | No Target | N/A | No Benchmark | ||||
| Weight per day of age (lbs) | Average weaning weight | 523 | 1.75 | N/A | No Target | N/A | No Target | |||
| Average weaning age | 299 | |||||||||
| Average WW as % of Cow Weight | Total Lbs Weaned | 550 | 39% | 45% | 45% | |||||
| (adjusting bred heifer weight) | Average Mature Cow Weight, lbs | |||||||||
GOLD Indicators |
Your Numbers |
Target |
Regional Benchmark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Growth (weaning weight as % of cow weight) | 50% | 45% | 45% |
| Open Cows (%) | 8% | 7% | 8% |
| Length of Calving Period | 72 | 60-80 | 8 |
| Death Loss of Calves (%) | 3% | 4% | 5% |