Question of the day.

[Diehard40]

What does efficiency mean to you?
in regards to beef cow/calf production

 

[rockridgecattle]

in relation to what?
feed conversion?
time management
dollar management?
herd health management?

Feed conversion
An animal that can maintain herself, raise a decent calf, breed back and start again with minimal input from us. We are willing to provide the feed, be it pasture or hay, rarely grain unless absolutley necessary like with crap hay. We are willing to provide minerals and salt and vaccination and deworming. The rest is up to her.
Time, dollar, doing the best with what we have. Make the most of what we have. Cost things out to find efficent ways of doing things rather than blind faith that it will all work out
Herd Health, well, vaccines, space, not crowding, decent but not costly working areas, and quality nutrition.

I have no idea if this was what you had in mind for an answer or not

 

[ROB]

IMO efficient cows are those that maintain body condition with minimal input for the area they are located. the benefits of their efficiency result in decreased input costs, increased stocking rates, longevity and better milk production. efficiency traits have been tested and found to have some degree of heritability, which provides for better economics growing/finishing their calves as well.

ROB

 

[Diehard40]

Question is pretty vague i admit.
the buzz word i hear a lot is cow efficiency.
I guess my question is what makes the total cow/calf operation efficient?

 

[backhoeboogie]

Question is pretty vague i admit.
the buzz word i hear a lot is cow efficiency.
I guess my question is what makes the total cow/calf operation efficient?

The best return on my grass.

Calves that bring upper bids and weigh the most on my grass. A half an ear will net me a little bit of hit but the steer will weigh much more in my climate. A half an ear will net me a lot more for replacement heifers in this climate.

I cannot change my climate. I need to get the most out of my pastures. Some years just growing hay would net me more.

 

[dun]

I don;t have enough edumacation to use those fancy terms. They're either "darn good cows", "good cows" or "crappy cows".

 

[Workinonit Farm]

An animal that can maintain herself, raise a decent calf, breed back and start again with minimal input from us. We are willing to provide the feed, be it pasture or hay, rarely grain unless absolutley necessary like with crap hay. We are willing to provide minerals and salt and vaccination and deworming. The rest is up to her.
Time, dollar, doing the best with what we have. Make the most of what we have. Cost things out to find efficent ways of doing things rather than blind faith that it will all work out
Herd Health, well, vaccines, space, not crowding, decent but not costly working areas, and quality nutrition.

Thanks rockridge, you summed it up pretty well for me.

The above is what I strive for/do and expect when it comes to thinking about "efficiency" in how I do things.

Katherine

 

[Roadapple]

My most efficient cows are my oldest ones, otherwise I would'nt have kept them.