Maddox, L. A. Jr.

Thompson, U. D.

Texas A&amp;M Repository

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SECTION 1, SELECTION OF COWS FOR GRADED HERDS -------------- 4 By Visual Observation ........................... 4 With Performance Records on Calves _------------------------------- 4 SECTION 2, SELECTION OF BULLS FOR GRADED HERDS 4 Without Performance and/or Production Records 4 With Performance and/or Production Records ...................... 4 Selection for the A Herd 4 Selection for the B Herd ---------------------------------------- 4 Selection for the C Herd 4 SECTION 3, GETTING PRODIJCTION INFORMATION AND GRADES _4T WEANING TIME -1 Without Dates of Birth on Each Calf 4 Working Cattle Every 60 Days During Calving Season _-------------- 4 Working Cattle Every 30 Days During Calving Season --------------- 5 With Dates of Birth on Each Cslf -_---------------------------------- 5 SECTION 41, GETTING ABILITY-TO-GAIN INFORMATION AND GRADES AFTER WEANING 6 Through Pasture Tests 6 Through Drylot Feeding Tests 6 SECTION 5, EVALUATION OF CALVES AND YEARLINGS USING FORM C---------------------------------------- d SECTION 6, USING MINIMUM WEIGHTS AND/OR GAINS IN SELECTING REPLACEMENT CATTLE _---------------------- 6 C SECTION L ,  F O R M S - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  7 C Form A, Weaning Record (60 days) .................................. r Form B, Weaning Record (30 days)--. ............................... 7 Form C, Selection -Sheet for Yearling Heifers ------------------------- 8 .r Breeding Program for Commercial Beef Herds L. A. MADDOX, J R . .  AND U. D. THOMPSON Extension Animal Husbandmen The Texas A. & M. College System 1 1 TIII: I~RACTICT: OF MATING outstanding bulls with out- loss than anything else. Overall management,. supple- I 1 51atiding cows, used by early breeders to establish mental and mineral feeding affect the percentage calf i l r  pr~sent heef breeds, is still the best method 01 crop, but these do not solve the problem completely. v[,rcninp beef cattle. Recent research information Most ranchers who have high percentage calf crops . I l ~ s  that more exact methods of selecting these cull those cows that do not calve regularly. Usually anillln]s can be used in a breeding herd. The use dry COWS are identified at the end of the,calving season. 1 1 1  production information (regularity of calving, Some n m c h e r ~  check their cows for pregnancy by s ~ n n i n ~  weight, ability to gain, conformation, finish rectal palpation about 60 days after the bulls have mrcasp information) makes it possible for a been taken out of the herd and sell the COWS not with I IIr~rikr to select animals that are, (1) outstanding calf- ;~ro~luccrs, (2) will develop into outstanding pro- ,!oc.rr(; or ( 3 )  select matings that should result in I iliintnlc capable of outstanding production. 1 I To have an efficient beef-~roducing unit, the ' 1  rirt1*11cr. through range management, pasture improve- .IPI~~. al ilnal health, supplemental feeding and good ~~~nalrelnent. should furnish a good home for the 1~11lr hpfore a breeding program can show the desired r~colti. Five important steps in a breeding program Preliminary studies in Texas show that 10 to 15 percent of the heef bulls used are poor risks in settling cows because of poor selnen quality. This factor can be checked by a qualified veterinarian in 10 to 20 minutes. Many ranchers with several bulls in a ,- pasture may have some that never settle a cow. If these bulls are identified and replaced with bulls capable of settling cows, the percentage calf crop and the number of early calves should increase. Using several bulls in a pasture with unselected ' 1. Know what type, conformation and weight of COWS fails to make the best use of outstanding breeding 1 cattle you want to produce. stock. A progressive breeding program should be 2. Strive for a 100 percent calf crop. i 3. Plan and work for high weaning weight. 1.. Breed for ability to gain if stocker and feeder cattle are to be produced. 5. Strive constantly for the type, finish and weights of calves which will be the most I profitable on your farm or ranch. I \I ,  exact recommendation cannot be made on I Ilt're slaughter and stocker and feeder cattle can be rc~tlucecl. Generally the northern and western parts I I I I P  State are better suited for the production of i .  ! ~ i k ~ r  and feeder cattle while the southern and eastern :Pa* chould produce slaughter calves. A large part ' ~ b r  State is in an overlap area where both slaughter ' rhtocker and feeder calves are produced. Slaughter 1 1 ~ 1 s . .  il5ually are heavier and may sell for less per lurid. hut the inci;nie per cow is about the same. I Tlie low percentage calf crop prevalent in most rp3\ of Texas causes the beef cattle industry more designed to produce top replacement cattle. This can be done efficiently if the best producing cows are bred to bulls with outstanding production records and most of the heifer calves are saved for replacements. In a multiple-bull pasture, the top bull will breed just as many below-average cows as he will top cows and below-average bulls will mate with top cows, resulting in average calves instead of outstanding replacement heifers. The mating of outstanding cows and bulls will result in the production of about four times as many top replacement heifers as a mass breeding program. The use of graded herds of cows selected on production and mated to bulls selected the same way will make the most efficient use of outstanding breeding stock. These herds usually are called: "A" herd, which produces most of the replacement cattle; "B" herd, which has the average producers and most of the calves are marketed; and "C" herd, which are cattle that should be culled as soon as practical. Sec- tions 1 and 2 describe the selection of the cows and bulls for these herds. Section 1Selection of Cows for Graded Herds may not be practical to purchase a new bull hi.': performance or production records. If new 1111". are not purchased, the present herd bulls be selected for A, B and C herds based productive ability observed in the bulls' of1 and the productive ability of the cattle prl by the breeder who raised, the bulls. The selection of graded cow herds by visual ob- servation usually appears the most practical for com- mercial cattlemen, however in many cases the extra time and expense necessary to make selection from actual records on all calves will pay large dividends because the graded herd (A, B and C) will be selected more accurately. A. BY VISUAL OBSERVATION 1. When the calves are 5 to 8 months old, the rancher should select 25 to 35 percent of the calves of the type and size he wants to produce, identify their dams and place them in an A herd. B. WITH PERFORMANCE: AND/OR PRODUCTION RECORDS 1. Selection for the A Herd In selecting bulls for an A herd, w weights, grade at weaning time, rate c and grades after the gain tests are nee make the proper selection. Bulls used A herd will become, in about 10 yea sires of the entire herd of breeding cows importance of their weaning weight rs. t h ~  I i, Th* P aPi 2. For the C herd, 10 to 25 percent of the small or off-type calves should be paired with their dams. grades cannot be overemphasized. A h~ that grades high and whose dam gives ull cal' , :noucJ a t l ~ "  , 1 3. The remainder of the cows that have calves (50 to 65 percent of the calves) will be in the B herd. milk to produce a heavy calf at weanin should produce daughters that will p heavy, high-gade calves at weaning ti] 2. Selection for the B Herd The bulls selected for the B herd shoul B. WITH PERFORMANCE RECORDS ON CALVES 1. From these performance records the top 25 to 35 percent of the calves based on grade and weight should be paired with their mothers to identify the cow for the A herd. 2. The C herd will be the mothers of the 10 to 25 percent of the calves with the lowest perform- ance records. 3. In the B herd will be the remainder of the cows that have calves. a high performance record and grade bulls' rates of gain become more iml than their weaning weights because the h p i f r  I calves they sire usually will be marketed and , will not become breeding cows. ( H i ~ h   rat^. of gain transmitted from these bulls t, " ' calves will result in increased weaning v and gain after weaning.) 3. Selection for C Herd Since the C herd is made up of cows th be culled as soon as practical and no r 4. Some shifting of cows from the A or B herds may be necessary if unsoundness (dwarfism, bad udders, cancer eyes, bad feet or legs and other physical defects) is observed. ment cattle will be retained, no particul phasis is placed on the bulls that arc Usually the rancher culls a sufficient n of bulls which takes care of this herd. Section 2Selection of Bulls for Graded Herds Section 3-Getting Production Information and Grades at Weaning Time The maintenance of a group of good-producing bulls is of major concern to a rancher. The selection of bulls becomes more important for graded herds because all of the time and money invested to improve the cow herd can be lost if low-producing bulls are purchased, due to little or no production information. A. WITHOUT DATES OF BIRTH ON EACH CALF 1. Working cattle every 60 days during calving season A. WITHOUT PERFORMANCE AND/OR PRODUCTION RECORDS In the initial stages of setting up a graded herd and breeding more productive beef cattle, it a. Identify each cow with a permanent I I U I ~ ~ .  1 ber brand, if practical. I b. Tattoo and weigh each calf 60 days a f t ~ r  the start of the calving period. ' I TABLE 1. DATES TO WEIGH AND GRADE IF CATTLE ARE WORKED EVERY 60 DAYS DURING THE CALVING SEASON (1) Use Form A for recording this infor- mation and weaning weights. Calves Tattooed Weighed a n d  Calves  Tattooed Weighed a n d  I born in a n d  weighed g raded  i n  born i n  a n d  weighed g raded  i n  period, to identify the month in which the calf was dropped. Jan. - Feb. Mar. 1 Aug. Mar. - Apr. May  1 Oct. May - June July 1 Dec. July - Aug. Sept. 1 Feb. Sept. - Oct. Nov. 1 Apr. Nov. - Dec. Jan. 1 June (2) Use a separate form for steers and c. Mark, each 30 days thereafter, all calves heifers. dropped in that 30-day period with an ear Feb. - Mar. Apr. 1 Sept. Apr. - May June  1 Nov. June  - July Aug. 1 Jan. Aug. - Sept. Oct. 1 Mar. Oct. - Nov. Dec. 1 May Dec. - Jan. Feb. 1 July I c. Tattoo and weigh, each 60 days thereafter, all calves dropped in that 60-day period tag or ear notch different from the ones used previously. using separate forms for each age group. d. Identify and weigh calves individually d. Weigh ancl calculate the gain of each calf using Form A when calves in each group are 5 to 8 months old. If practical, grade each calf using USDA Grading Standards. P. Select heifers that have gained the most I/ and come up to your conformation stan- dards as replacements if an individual grade is not available. f. List each caIf's tattoo number, if an indi- when they are 5 to 8 months old. Grade each calf using USDA Grading Standards, if practical. Use Form B for recording this information using separate forms for calves born in each 30-day period and for steers and heifers. e. Select the heifers that weigh the most and come up to your conformation standards as replacements if individual grades are not available. vidual g a d e  is available, on Section 2 f. List each calf's number, if individual in the lower right side of the Form A opposite gain and under proper grade grades are recorded, on Section 2 in the lower right side of Form B opposite actual using separate forms for each 60-day weight and under proper grade using sep- period and for steers and heifers. arate forms for calves born in each 30-day Working cattle every 30 days during calving period and for steers and heifers. qeason B. WITH DATES OF BIRTH ON EACH CALF a. Identify each cow with a number brand, If dates of birth are recorded use procedures if practical. shown in B-909 "Breeding Programs for Regis- ). Mark each calf with an ear tag or ear tered Beef Herds" for getting production informa- notch, 30 days after the start of the calving tion and grade at weaning time and after weaning. TABLE 2. DATES TO WEIGH AND GRADE IF CATTLE ARE WORKED EVERY 30 DAYS DURING THE CALVING SEASON Calves Should b e  Weighed a n d  born in marked g raded  i n  Calves  Should b e  Weighed a n d  born i n  marked g raded  i n  Jan. Feb. 1 Aug. Feb. Mar. 1 Iar. ?. !-Apr. 1 Oct. .pr. ' May 1 lay June  1 Dec. ine July 1 MY Aug. 1 Feb. Aug. Sept. 1 Sept. Oct. 1 Apr. Oct. Nov. 1 Nov. Dec. 1 June  Dec. Jan. 1 Section 4-Getting Ability-to-gain Information and Grades After Weaning Getting gain and grade information on calves after weaning is important, especially if the cattleman produces stocker and feeder calves. A. THROUGH PASTURE TESTS (Test should last 8 to 12 months.) I Information on all of the steers or "gate c1f on a smaller number of calves showing rat? gain, cost of gain, grade and time required I finish will give valuable information on the e f l p  tiveness of your present breeding program an may be useful in selling calves later. This i n f o r  mation can be gathered hy the rancher feedir. some of his calves or by:g$etting this informatio~ from the feeder who buys the calves. 1. Tattoo, horn brand, number brand or neck chain each calf if not already identified. Section 5Evaluation of Calves and 2. Use weaning weight as initial weights and Yearlings Using Form C - - grades if they have been taken. Select replacement heifers for further testir: or according to position on Form C, allowing sufficia: 3. ~~k~ weights and grades if no weaning weight numbers for further culling as ~earlings. The Ir; . information has been recorded. prospective replacement and/or salable cattle apppi. in the upper left corner. The top heifers ~houll' 1'. Weigh and grade each to l2 months go to the A herd and the remainder to the B herd after weaning and record the information. In cases near the cull line, consider the records of 111 5. List yearling number on Form 2 according to sire and dam. Cull from the bottom up and f r n r  gain and grade when date of birth and wean- right to left on this form. ing weight are not available. or Section 6-Using Minimum Weights I 6. Add the gain before weaning to the gain after and/or Gains in Selectjnn weaning for the total gain as yearlings when Replacement Cattle weaning calves were selected according to The main objective of this breeding pro; gain as shown in Part 1 of Section 3A, using herd improvement and little direct comparison Form A. List yearling number On Form made between herds except when replacernenl according to this total gain and grade. are purchased. Under range or pasture conc or the rancher should make allowances for diffl 7. Use the actual yearling weight as an adjusted in pasture condition and may not select the cattle \rill weight when weaning calves were selected the highest weights and/or gains. according to weight as shown in part 2 of Section 3A, page 5 using Form B. List When a buyer is looking at two or more group; yearling number on Form C according to of cattle that have been produced with exceller: actual yearling weight and gade .  pasture and feeding conditions, minimum weights and gains can be used. Table 3 shows some sug;est~? B. THROUGH DRYLOT FEEDING TESTS (Test weights and gains. Ranchers may want to set tli~ir should be 140 days or longer.) own minimums that will vary from those suggest~rl. * TABLE 3. SUGGESTED MINIMUM WEIGHTS AND GAINS FOR CATTLE WITH EXCELLENT PASTURE AND F1 CONDITIONS. Adjusted 205-Day Weights 140-Day Gain Tests 12 Month Conditions Bull Steer Heifer Bull Bull SEDING Weight -A cow and calf grazing on 475 lb. 450 lb. 425 lb. 364 Ib. 875 Ib. pasture with or without (2.6 lb.) (2.4 Ib. per) protein supplement. (per day) (day a g e  A cow and calf same a s  500 lb. 475 lb. 450 lb. above with calf on creep feeder. A calf, nursing its mother, 525 lb. 500 lb. 475 1b. raised in a feedlot. A calf raised in a feed lot 550 Ib. 525 Ib. 500 lb. on a nurse cow. 364 lb. (2.6 lb.) (per day) 364 lb. (2.6 lb.) (per day) 364 Ib. (2.6 lb.) (per day) 915 lb. (2.5 lb. per) (day a g e  915 Ib. (2.5 Ib. per) (day a g e  915 Ib. (2.5 lb. per) (day a g e  D-444 FORM A. WEANING RECORD (IVorked Every 60 Days during Calving Season) ITse Separate Sheets for Steers and Heifers ~ a m e . . .  . . .. ................................ ...................... e x  ... fie i./.e.cs ................................... Date,. bet.., 2 Q,..s.~.,, 1st \\eight Date .M. a8 ...(s ,... /:Yx.?..- eanlng we~ghts ........ .......... - FORM C--SELECTION SHEET FOR .. eaning, Yearling, or Gain Record) Use Separate Sheets for Bulls and Heifers Sex ......... ......................................... .............................................. ...................................* ................................................................. Name Date Breed J Weight 8 8 * B * or gain f +  C - -: + 900 I,, 00- + /95-99 90-94 

Breeding Program for Commercial Beef Herds.

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Breeding Program for Commercial Beef Herds.

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Texas A&M Repository

Breeding Program for Commercial Beef Herds.

Abstract

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Texas A&amp;M Repository

Texas A&M Repository