The Angus Journal is a monthly magazine known for in-depth coverage of American Angus Association programs and services; the Angus business; herd management techniques; and advertising reflecting genetics herd philosophies.
Issue link: http://angusjournal.epubxp.com/i/435083
I t looks like more heifers will be bred this year. Reduced cow slaughter and declining heifer placement in feedlots suggest that expansion of the U.S. beef cow herd is under way. During his late-2014 speaking engagements, Livestock Marketing Information Center (LMIC) economist Jim Robb repeatedly predicted a very modest rate of expansion. Barring a return to widespread drought, Robb said he expects cow-calf producers to continue retaining heifers for breeding. However, he looks for the national tally of breeding females to increase by about 1% during each of the next few years. For most producers, the rate of expansion will be limited by its high cost. "Potential returns for the cow-calf business are record-high, but the capital requirements have never been higher," explained Robb at the recent State of Beef Conference in North Platte, Neb. "All inputs, except for fuel, could and probably will go higher still, and while interest rates have been low, that's likely to change, too." Robb's prediction isn't meant to dampen anyone's enthusiasm for heifer retention, but it emphasizes the importance of implementing a cost-effective process for selecting and developing heifers. Depending on development costs and the value of the calves she produces, a breeding female may not pay for herself until she has raised three or four calves. So, heifers with the most proft potential are those having potential for staying in the breeding herd for a long time. With longevity and long-term improvement of reproductive performance of the cow herd in mind, we asked some reputable producers about their methods of heifer selection and development. Included were Cusseta, Ala., cattleman Jim Collins and Yuma, Colo., rancher Ryan Noble, who retain heifers from within their respective commercial Angus herds. In contrast, Kent Hubbert buys heifer calves from which he chooses replacements for his Odessa, Neb., operation. All three of these producers manage their replacement-heifer enterprises with an eye on long-term proftability. Raising females for the Southeast Headquartered in east-central Alabama, Jim Collins and his family have marketed bred heifers throughout the Southeast for more than 20 years. Collins says raising replacement-quality females starts with sire selection. Cows are bred by natural service, using closely related bulls that have been DNA-tested with the high-density (HD) 50K genomic test. Genomically enhanced expected progeny differences (GE-EPDs) offer improved predictability that helps Collins better match bulls with various groups of cows. "We're looking for a targeted balance of maternal, growth and carcass traits," explains Collins, noting how bulls are assigned to breeding pastures in an effort to complement female bloodlines and the cows' recorded performance. Evaluation of heifer calves starts early with monitoring of growth. Weights are taken at frst processing and again at weaning. Eliminated from consideration are any poor-doing heifers, along with any that don't measure up structurally, and those with questionable temperament. "Our goal is to retain heifers of moderate frame (Frame Score 5) with good feet and legs. They need to be deep-ribbed to have the volume and capacity to thrive on forage," says Collins, who also prefers to retain daughters of older cows, provided the heifers meet other selection criteria. "Those older cows have raised a calf every year, even when conditions were harsh, so they are adapted to the environment," he explains. After weaning, replacement-heifer candidates are sorted into management groups by age and size. Targeting a breeding weight of approximately 60% of expected 118 n ANGUSJournal n January 2015 35 Keys to Success Seedstock & Genetic Selection PHOTO BY SHAUNA ROSE HERMEL Replacement Rationales Heifer selection and development for the long haul. by Troy Smith, feld editor