continued from page 68
“Again, not early in the
year, but early in the calving
get pregnant again in about
season, whether it starts in
90 days. That’s difficult. A
January or May. It really is
high bar to maintain a short
advantageous if heifers are
breeding season.”
as old as possible within
Thomas says reproductive
the context of the program,
technologies can be a useful
as their age is a large part
conduit to accomplish very
of what allows them to be
distinct plans for cow-calf
cyclic and hit puberty by the
operators. Whether trying
start of their first breeding
to generate cost per animals
season. It is associated with
for straight bred cattle or It is advantageous if heifers are as old as possible within the context of the how early they conceive and
tailoring distinctive sires to program, as their age is a large part of what allows them to be cyclic and hit their longevity in the herd as
different females, reproductive puberty by the start of their first breeding season. It is associated with how early productive functional females.”
technologies can be the driving they conceive and their longevity in the herd as productive functional females.
Further examples are the
force in realizing genetic goals.
marketing of yearling steers,
“I think commercial producers really have the same reproductive
grass fed beef or retaining ownership through the finishing stage
goal which is to have a defined length of calving season with as many
as opposed to direct marketing weaned calves. “I’m not sure those
calves born as early as possible in that season. This doesn’t necessarily
goals are really any different. There may be different enterprises, but
mean born as early as possible in the calendar year, but as early
the cow/calf enterprise still has to be as productive and profitable as
as possible in the calving season that you feel works best for your
possible.” Managing reproductive practices is key to accomplishing
operation and environment.”
these goals.
Thomas admits there is no ‘one size fits all’ breeding program
as the best genetics are specific to individual operations, but he
Applying Reproductive Strategy to Multiple Variations
For example, he says when selecting and marketing replacement
continued on page 72
heifers, data shows a huge advantage in having them born early.
BEUS FIRE POWER 11F
9/15/18 • B/HetP • 50% Lim-Flex
Musgrave Sky High 1535 x JBRH Sheza Playmate
CE: 14 BW: 0.2 WW: 63 YW: 97 MK: 21 DC: 10 YG: -.37 RE: .85 MB: .14 $MI: 57
Firepower was our choice from the recent Beus Blue Collar Bull Sale. He was one of
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development in addition to his abundance of body and impressive phenotype.
Contact us for semen availability and future progeny.
We are proud to have raised
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headed and the kind of genetics
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Sue Warmington
Cougar Mountain Lane - PO Box 33 - Fort Rock, OR 97735
(541) 576-2300 - [email protected]
Contact Warmington Ranch, we would enjoy the opportunity
to become your source on the West Coast for elite Limousin genetics.
70
• APRIL 2020