Gibb, Jim

Wagner, Wayne

Wallace, Roy

English

Texas A&amp;M Repository

/1- ~~.SrL·2165Texas Agricultural Extension ServiceUtilizing Performance Records inCommercial Beef HerdsHerd profitability is based on costs and total herdproduction. Evaluation of herd production, in asimplified and straightforward way, can be extremelyenlightening and result in obvious managementdeficiencies that can be changed many times easily.Today many commercial beef producers are usingsimple performance evaluations to determine whichanimals to cull. A pregnancy exam would be asimple performance evaluation. Too often selectionand culling decisions are based on visual appraisal.Although this can be highly valuable with a fewtraits, it generally results in some serious errors whenconsidering most growth and reproductive traits.The two sets of performance records important tocommercial production are total herd performanceand individual performance. Total herd performanceis the combined reproductive and growth perform-ance of each animal in the herd. The keys to totalherd performance are: (1) total growth of allindividuals in the herd, (2) the number of open cows,(3) length of calving season, and (4) death loss.Herd performance data in all of these four key areaswill give a good assessment of management leveland economic adaptability to the environment.These measures are economically the most impor-tant traits that producers should keep records on.Poor performance in anyone of these is a clearsignal to cull.The reproductive rate of a cow-calf operation isdefinitely affected by management. All performancerecord systems for commercial herds should bedesigned and used to evaluate the four keys to totalherd performance.Fertility is a trait generally considered to be of lowheritability. Therefore, the environment in which cattlemust live and produce is an important factor indetermining the reproduction level. Performancerecords established under a given environment andmanagement system should be used to select orcull cattle within that environment and managementsystem.Records should be used for more than just decidingwhether a cow is culled or not. They should indicatehow many cows are calving in the first 21 days of thecalving season and the number calving in eachsubsequent 21-day period. If a computer program isused to summarize the cow data, it should include acomputation of days from last calf. A summary of thisinformation is the best indicator of the herd'sreproductive efficiency. Reproductive efficiency un-questionably is associated closely with profitability.Producing a live, healthy calf early in the calvingseason is the most significant performance record acommercial cow can establish. A cow calving in thefirst 21 days of the calving season is more valuablethan a cow calving in the second, third, or later 21-day periods. The second most important item acow's record should contain is if she rebreeds onschedule. This is important if she is to have her nextcalf within 365 days, give or take 10 days. Proof thata cow's calf was weaned is the third important itemto record. The fourth important item is the relativeweaning weight ranking of a cow's calf comparedwith all other calves produced.Individual cow records should be kept when it iseconomical and practical to do so. Keep the recordsuncomplicated by recording only necessaryobservations.Prepared by Jim Gibb, American Polled Hereford Association; Roy Wallace, Select Sires, Inc.; and Wayne Wagner, West Virginia StateUniversity. Reviewed by AI Smith, Virginia commercial producer; Darrell Wilkes, National Cattlemen's Association; Roger McCraw, NorthCarolina State University; Kenneth W. Ellis, University of California; Dixon D. Hubbard, Extension Service-USDA; Harvey Lemmon, GeorgiaAngus breeder; Robert D. Scarth, beef breeding consultant; Daryl Strohbehn, Iowa State University; and A.L. Eller, Virginia Polytechnic Instituteand State University. Edited by Daryl Strohbehn and Gene Hettel, Iowa State UniversityTexas Agricultural Extension Service. Zerle L. Carpenter, Director. The Texas A&M University System. College Station, TexasThese records should include:• Cow 10 (10 can incorporate age);• Date of first exposure to bull;• Results of pregnancy examination-early (will calvein first 40 days), medium (will calve in next 20 days),late (will calve later than 60 days);• Date calved;• Problems at calving time (pulled calf, weak calf,cow did not claim calf);• Days from last calf;• Days of age at weaning; and• Weaning weight (if possible; if not, then an estimateof size-large, medium, small).A first record on a cow might contain thisinformation:• 1001 (Cow ID-first calf born in 1981);• 04/01/82 (date first exposed to bull);• Pregnancy medium (means settled in third heat);• 02/24/83 (calving date);• Hand-pulled calf (problem at calving time);• Not available (days from last calving);• 219 (days of age at weaning time); and• 460 lb. or medium size (actual weaning weight orsize).For the second year, the record format would be thesame, but would include the time interval (days) fromlast calf. This is all the information needed to decidewhether a cow should be culled or not. When allopen, old, unsound cows and cows that fail to weana calf are removed from the herd, the opportunity toExample record formatCow Datado further selection based on performance is limitedto a small number of cows. Additional culling shouldbe done using the calf's actual weaning weight orsize score.The two example cow records shown illustrate thesimplicity of commercial cow herd records. Eventhough these records are simple, they are quiteenlightening. Cow 9001 has been producing a calfevery year, but that is as far as her commitmenttoward product output has gone. Notice that she hasfallen later in the calving season fairly consistentlyand produced only small- and medium-sized calves.9001 does not represent the type of productive cowyou would want to select replacement heifers from.Cow 8103 shows the opposite extreme in produc-tiveness. Although she was a little late calving thesecond year, 8103 did nothing wrong after that year.During her third and fourth years, 8103 moved up inbreeding schedule (the first 21 days of the calvingseason). At the same time, 8103 is producing calvesfalling in the large weaning size category. 8103 is aprime candidate for raising replacement heifers.In commercial herds of 300 or more, the timerequired for individual lifetime records on all cowsmay not be economically justified. However, there isa practical way around this dilemma. First, you mustindividually identify all new replacement stock fromnow on and maintain that identification. Second,keep the simple records outlined above for the firstand second years of calf production. Research hasCalf Data10 Birth yearDate 1stexposedPreg.checkCalvingdateCalvingcommentsDays fromlast calfWeaningageWeaningsize1st cow9001 1979 6/01/80 M 4/15/81 Hand pull NA9001 1979 6/01/81 E 3/29/82 No assist 3489001 1979 6/01/82 M 4/21/83 No assist 3889001 1979 6/01/83 M 4/26/84 No assist 3709001 1979 6/01/84 L 5/15/85 No assist 384Averages- April 21 3732nd cow8103 1978 6/01/79 E 3/12/80 Hand pull NA8103 1978 6/01/80 M 4/14/81 No assist 3988103 1978 6/01/81 E 3/30/82 No assist 3508103 1978 6/01/82 E 3/12/83 No assist 3528103 1978 6/01/83 E 3/12/84 No assist 3608103 1978 6/01/84 E 3/14/84 No assist 367Averages- March 21 365190 S210 M187 M182 S163 S186 2S & 3M227 M194 M209 L222 L227 L225 L217 2M & 4Lshown that heifers producing in the upper level oftheir own age group (for instance, all replacementfemales born in 1982) for the first two calf crops willhave a high probability of continuing this level ofproduction as mature cows. As these cows get olderand you need to make culling decisions based onproduction factors, the records from the first andsecond calvings can be invaluable. During the first 2years, be sure to breed the cows to bulls of similarperformance in order to avoid adding confusion toyour records.Replacement heifers should be selected to increaseyour odds of early reproduction and high growthrate. This is done by selecting heifers born in thefirst 40 to 45 days of the calving season andshowing up in the medium- and large-size categorygroups. However, be careful in selecting only forlarge size. This may eventually lead to cows toolarge for your management and environmentalsituation. Close observation of your herd recordsmay show which size cow works best under yourfarm or ranch conditions.The best opportunity for genetic improvement in thecow herd comes from sire selection. Your currentherd bulls contribute 50 percent to the geneticimprovement of the calves. However, because youhave to cull cows based on things other thanproductivity, over time your herd bulls contributemuch more than 50 percent of the herd improve-ment, perhaps close to 90 percent. For betterguidelines to sire selection refer to Extensionleaflets L-2164 and L-2166.Simple reproduction and growth records will steeryour herd improvement program in the right direc-tion. They will allow for sounder decision making andhelp a management program result in greater profits.Without some type of records showing the facts,odds are that a herd will just hold its own and not becompetitive with small profit margins.ISUP-59County Extension Office."TexasAgriculturalExtensionServiceThe Texas A&M University SystemrrL!The place to gowhen you needto know ......about agriculture, home economics, 4-Hand youth or community resource develop-ment. Drop by or call your county Extensionoffice. You'll find friendly, well-trained agentsready to serve you with up-to-date information,advice and publications. Yourcounty Extensionoffice...the place to go when you need toknowlTexasAgriculturalExtensionService~ Reprinted by permission from the Beef Industry Federation.Educational programs conducted by the Texas Agricultural Extension SeNice seNe people ofall ages regardless of socioeconomiclevel, race, color, sex, religion, handicap or national origin.Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension Work in Agriculture and Home Economics, Acts of Congress of May 8, 1914, asamended, and June 30,1914, in cooperation with the United States Department of Agriculture. Zerle L. Carpenter, Director, TexasAgricultural Extension Service, The Texas A&M University System.10M-7-85 AS-1

Utilizing Performance Records in Commercial Beef Herds.

Texas A&M University

/1- ~~.Sr
L·2165
Texas Agricultural Extension Service
Utilizing Performance Records in
Commercial Beef Herds
Herd profitability is based on costs and total herd
production. Evaluation of herd production, in a
simplified and straightforward way, can be extremely
enlightening and result in obvious management
deficiencies that can be changed many times easily.
Today many commercial beef producers are using
simple performance evaluations to determine which
animals to cull. A pregnancy exam would be a
simple performance evaluation. Too often selection
and culling decisions are based on visual appraisal.
Although this can be highly valuable with a few
traits, it generally results in some serious errors when
considering most growth and reproductive traits.
The two sets of performance records important to
commercial production are total herd performance
and individual performance. Total herd performance
is the combined reproductive and growth perform-
ance of each animal in the herd. The keys to total
herd performance are: (1) total growth of all
individuals in the herd, (2) the number of open cows,
(3) length of calving season, and (4) death loss.
Herd performance data in all of these four key areas
will give a good assessment of management level
and economic adaptability to the environment.
These measures are economically the most impor-
tant traits that producers should keep records on.
Poor performance in anyone of these is a clear
signal to cull.
The reproductive rate of a cow-calf operation is
definitely affected by management. All performance
record systems for commercial herds should be
designed and used to evaluate the four keys to total
herd performance.
Fertility is a trait generally considered to be of low
heritability. Therefore, the environment in which cattle
must live and produce is an important factor in
determining the reproduction level. Performance
records established under a given environment and
management system should be used to select or
cull cattle within that environment and management
system.
Records should be used for more than just deciding
whether a cow is culled or not. They should indicate
how many cows are calving in the first 21 days of the
calving season and the number calving in each
subsequent 21-day period. If a computer program is
used to summarize the cow data, it should include a
computation of days from last calf. A summary of this
information is the best indicator of the herd's
reproductive efficiency. Reproductive efficiency un-
questionably is associated closely with profitability.
Producing a live, healthy calf early in the calving
season is the most significant performance record a
commercial cow can establish. A cow calving in the
first 21 days of the calving season is more valuable
than a cow calving in the second, third, or later 21-
day periods. The second most important item a
cow's record should contain is if she rebreeds on
schedule. This is important if she is to have her next
calf within 365 days, give or take 10 days. Proof that
a cow's calf was weaned is the third important item
to record. The fourth important item is the relative
weaning weight ranking of a cow's calf compared
with all other calves produced.
Individual cow records should be kept when it is
economical and practical to do so. Keep the records
uncomplicated by recording only necessary
observations.
Prepared by Jim Gibb, American Polled Hereford Association; Roy Wallace, Select Sires, Inc.; and Wayne Wagner, West Virginia State
University. Reviewed by AI Smith, Virginia commercial producer; Darrell Wilkes, National Cattlemen's Association; Roger McCraw, North
Carolina State University; Kenneth W. Ellis, University of California; Dixon D. Hubbard, Extension Service-USDA; Harvey Lemmon, Georgia
Angus breeder; Robert D. Scarth, beef breeding consultant; Daryl Strohbehn, Iowa State University; and A.L. Eller, Virginia Polytechnic Institute
and State University. Edited by Daryl Strohbehn and Gene Hettel, Iowa State University
Texas Agricultural Extension Service. Zerle L. Carpenter, Director. The Texas A&M University System. College Station, Texas
These records should include:
• Cow 10 (10 can incorporate age);
• Date of first exposure to bull;
• Results of pregnancy examination-early (will calve
in first 40 days), medium (will calve in next 20 days),
late (will calve later than 60 days);
• Date calved;
• Problems at calving time (pulled calf, weak calf,
cow did not claim calf);
• Days from last calf;
• Days of age at weaning; and
• Weaning weight (if possible; if not, then an estimate
of size-large, medium, small).
A first record on a cow might contain this
information:
• 1001 (Cow ID-first calf born in 1981);
• 04/01/82 (date first exposed to bull);
• Pregnancy medium (means settled in third heat);
• 02/24/83 (calving date);
• Hand-pulled calf (problem at calving time);
• Not available (days from last calving);
• 219 (days of age at weaning time); and
• 460 lb. or medium size (actual weaning weight or
size).
For the second year, the record format would be the
same, but would include the time interval (days) from
last calf. This is all the information needed to decide
whether a cow should be culled or not. When all
open, old, unsound cows and cows that fail to wean
a calf are removed from the herd, the opportunity to
Example record format
Cow Data
do further selection based on performance is limited
to a small number of cows. Additional culling should
be done using the calf's actual weaning weight or
size score.
The two example cow records shown illustrate the
simplicity of commercial cow herd records. Even
though these records are simple, they are quite
enlightening. Cow 9001 has been producing a calf
every year, but that is as far as her commitment
toward product output has gone. Notice that she has
fallen later in the calving season fairly consistently
and produced only small- and medium-sized calves.
9001 does not represent the type of productive cow
you would want to select replacement heifers from.
Cow 8103 shows the opposite extreme in produc-
tiveness. Although she was a little late calving the
second year, 8103 did nothing wrong after that year.
During her third and fourth years, 8103 moved up in
breeding schedule (the first 21 days of the calving
season). At the same time, 8103 is producing calves
falling in the large weaning size category. 8103 is a
prime candidate for raising replacement heifers.
In commercial herds of 300 or more, the time
required for individual lifetime records on all cows
may not be economically justified. However, there is
a practical way around this dilemma. First, you must
individually identify all new replacement stock from
now on and maintain that identification. Second,
keep the simple records outlined above for the first
and second years of calf production. Research has
Calf Data
10 Birth year
Date 1st
exposed
Preg.
check
Calving
date
Calving
comments
Days from
last calf
Weaning
age
Weaning
size
1st cow
9001 1979 6/01/80 M 4/15/81 Hand pull NA
9001 1979 6/01/81 E 3/29/82 No assist 348
9001 1979 6/01/82 M 4/21/83 No assist 388
9001 1979 6/01/83 M 4/26/84 No assist 370
9001 1979 6/01/84 L 5/15/85 No assist 384
Averages- April 21 373
2nd cow
8103 1978 6/01/79 E 3/12/80 Hand pull NA
8103 1978 6/01/80 M 4/14/81 No assist 398
8103 1978 6/01/81 E 3/30/82 No assist 350
8103 1978 6/01/82 E 3/12/83 No assist 352
8103 1978 6/01/83 E 3/12/84 No assist 360
8103 1978 6/01/84 E 3/14/84 No assist 367
Averages- March 21 365
190 S
210 M
187 M
182 S
163 S
186 2S & 3M
227 M
194 M
209 L
222 L
227 L
225 L
217 2M & 4L
shown that heifers producing in the upper level of
their own age group (for instance, all replacement
females born in 1982) for the first two calf crops will
have a high probability of continuing this level of
production as mature cows. As these cows get older
and you need to make culling decisions based on
production factors, the records from the first and
second calvings can be invaluable. During the first 2
years, be sure to breed the cows to bulls of similar
performance in order to avoid adding confusion to
your records.
Replacement heifers should be selected to increase
your odds of early reproduction and high growth
rate. This is done by selecting heifers born in the
first 40 to 45 days of the calving season and
showing up in the medium- and large-size category
groups. However, be careful in selecting only for
large size. This may eventually lead to cows too
large for your management and environmental
situation. Close observation of your herd records
may show which size cow works best under your
farm or ranch conditions.
The best opportunity for genetic improvement in the
cow herd comes from sire selection. Your current
herd bulls contribute 50 percent to the genetic
improvement of the calves. However, because you
have to cull cows based on things other than
productivity, over time your herd bulls contribute
much more than 50 percent of the herd improve-
ment, perhaps close to 90 percent. For better
guidelines to sire selection refer to Extension
leaflets L-2164 and L-2166.
Simple reproduction and growth records will steer
your herd improvement program in the right direc-
tion. They will allow for sounder decision making and
help a management program result in greater profits.
Without some type of records showing the facts,
odds are that a herd will just hold its own and not be
competitive with small profit margins.
ISUP-59
County Extension Office
."
Texas
Agricultural
Extension
Service
The Texas A&M University System
rr
L!
The place to go
when you need
to know ...
...about agriculture, home economics, 4-H
and youth or community resource develop-
ment. Drop by or call your county Extension
office. You'll find friendly, well-trained agents
ready to serve you with up-to-date information,
advice and publications. Yourcounty Extension
office...the place to go when you need to
knowl
Texas
Agricultural
Extension
Service
~ Reprinted by permission from the Beef Industry Federation.
Educational programs conducted by the Texas Agricultural Extension SeNice seNe people ofall ages regardless of socioeconomic
level, race, color, sex, religion, handicap or national origin.
Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension Work in Agriculture and Home Economics, Acts of Congress of May 8, 1914, as
amended, and June 30,1914, in cooperation with the United States Department of Agriculture. Zerle L. Carpenter, Director, Texas
Agricultural Extension Service, The Texas A&M University System.
10M-7-85 AS-1


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Utilizing Performance Records in Commercial Beef Herds.

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Utilizing Performance Records in Commercial Beef Herds.

Abstract

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Full text

Available Versions

Texas A&amp;M Repository

Texas A&M University

Texas A&M Repository