Crossbreeding various breeds of cattle produced calves that are genetically varied. This expanded gene pool has positive benefits on calf survival, growth and subsequent reproduction as mature cattle.

Winter effects will vary, but for those cows that used up some conditioning during the cold winter, spring feed is critical to meet lactation needs, as well pending reproductive needs.

The point and challenge is that beef producers need to have a plan. In other words, it is the process of slowly changing stocking rates to reflect the changing plant communities in response to changing moisture supplies.

As producers, there is no way to control the amount of rain we get, so we are forced to develop management plans that will be accommodating to various levels of moisture.

Basically, a cow will calf when she and her calf decide the time is right.

The cost of implementing adequate biosecurity measures and associated vaccination protocols is minimal, compared with the cost of even losing one calf, let alone a cow or bull.

Drought and excess moisture are very frequent concerns in the agricultural community. This year appears to moving in the direction of dryness.

Every nice spring brings the comment: “Wish I could calve all my cows now.” Of course, those springs that bring cold weather and extensive snow and slush bring more negative comments about early calving.

The 60 percent goal is very realistic.

The market price of a calf minus the direct expenses of producing that calf often is stated as profit. However, that calculation is far from any indication of the financial status of a beef operation.

If the rate of return is inadequate for the one investing the assets into a business endeavor, there is no business.

Beef producers are meeting the demands of modern beef production and can look forward to future decades with optimism.

Each year, I look forward to the analysis that generates average values for beef traits.

A calving book is a book that allows producers to write down the tag number they put in the calf to record the date of birth as close as possible.

Access to the proper feed, good water and a reasonable space that has wind protection will keep a cow content.

In many ways, the diet is very similar to the “MyPlate” recommendations.

Adding some alfalfa hay to a low-quality feed base will make supplementing the ration easier.

A common mistake that is made as the weather warms is to reduce the feed a little bit.

Even if individual animal identification numbers are not available for all the cattle in the inventory, the registration numbers available throughout the purebred business are critical and the heart of the breed association.

The first and greatest cost is maintaining the cow inventory.

Those who do their homework will lessen the pains of life, but even then there are no guarantees in this business.

The process begins again each year by evaluating the genetics of the “keeper bulls” prior to going out and bidding on similar or better bulls.

Embedding the right EPD values for the chosen traits into the herd is critical for long-term genetic success.

The baseline traits used are simple growth traits that meet my “touchy, feely” criteria.

I like to start with the basic growth traits, which are those “touchy, feely” traits that connect what I see in the cattle to what the data is trying to tell me.

The bull’s EPD values are the best representation of who he is.

Genetic uniformity starts at home by selecting good bulls through knowledgeable and informed selection and implementing focused production goals for clear outcomes relevant to beef cattle production.

Focused breeding goals, with clear outcomes relevant to the production of beef, should be at the heart of all cattle operations.

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Cows that do not produce are just one notch above those cows that are open.