What is the best cross for pregnacy rates?

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RD-Sam":773snhum said:
Fullblood Wagyu are extremely fertile.

the number of heifers that calves in the pens at the feedlot ... yeah I'd have to agree with you, they are highly fertile (in terms of conceiving, and at a young age). It was a nightmare.

But, they were horrible mothers. Lot of dystocia, lot of death calves, and no mothering instinct whatsoever.
 
hillsdown":2680zije said:
novaman":2680zije said:
I don't know that any certain cross will guarantee higher PR. It has more to do with the genetics and nutrition of the animals.


BINGO !!!!!! Great post Nova.

Also preg check, have a definitive calving season and send all those that do not conceive down the road. All breeds can be fertile, but a cow is only as good as the person managing them.

Btw Gelbvieh is extremely fertile (we have had 100% conception 2 years in a row), and Knersie must have fertile herfs if he has won fertility production awards with his PB herd.

I don't really think "conception rate" is really even an issue. If you are in the cow/calf business they better be fertile no matter what the breed or cross. As hillsdown points out, have a defined calving season and anybody that is not pregnant at preg check time in the fall goes for a trailer ride ASAP. I don't see any way I can make up for carrying a open cow for a year with costs as they are and my limited acres.

I think this also gets back to the discussion here some time ago about the relative importance of preg checking. I can't see how you can run a profitable operation without pregnancy checking and having a strict policy of wheels under ones that are not pregnant. I had to switch a cow that was to be culled but turned up pregnant for a cow that looked good but was open at preg check last fall. Hated to do it but now glad I did. The scruffy looking cow I kept is raising a very nice big calf.

A part of this is having a bull BSE before turn in too so you know he is doing his part. I had one done for the first time this spring since I was concerned about the extremely cold winter possible effect and the fact I have just one bull. A BSE will be done every year from now on.

As someone mentioned above, good minerals esp some trace minerals, are said to have a large effect on conception rates. I think it is worth putting a bit more money into minerals then carrying an open cow for a year.

I don't know if it was just beginners luck or what but I was extremely pleased all of my calves were born within a 21 day period this spring. If nothing else, it shows me it can be done.

There was an article somewhere I read recently that said over half of all cattle operations have NO defined calving period. Read another article that says a defined tight calving period is the simplest and least expensive way of improving cow/calf profitability...

So I agree with others above, I don't think conception rate is even an issue, regardless of breed or cross. The nature of the cattle business is that everything takes so long, compared to hogs for example, that every heifer or cow MUST conceive promptly every year regardless of breed or cross or you won't be in business very long. jmho. Jim
 
yeah....... but back too the original question what cross .... i swear ask you folks about a part, you would will tell em how too build the factory
 
Crossbreds are more fertile than purebred as a general rule. Cross two breeds that works in your environment, or buy such crossbreds. They can easily be chosen from more valid criteria than preg rates. And as stated above provide minerals!
 
yeah be sure to give em minerals and dont turn em out without water and nutrition of some type itll come in handy..... oh yeah, don't forget you need too work em a couple times a year
 
SRBeef":fccu11vt said:
I don't really think "conception rate" is really even an issue. If you are in the cow/calf business they better be fertile no matter what the breed or cross.

I think you would be surprised at how many farms and ranches struggle with conception rate issues and sometimes even at very high dollar seedstock producers. Better Nutrition will improve conception faster than just about anything; but everything comes with a financial cost. Give me a stringent herd health program, lush fertilized, irrigated, crossfenced pastures, a nutritionist balanced supplement ration for each season of the year delivered by feedtruck every day to maintain a 6 BCS score, creepfeed the calves, and lutalyse all the cows ten days before turning the bull loose and I can come close to guaranteing 97% conception in a 60 day breeding season. You will probably also lose a LOT of money though we can probably have the best production numbers in the breed!! Some phenotypes (like the heaviest milking cows in a breed and often the growthiest) require more forage and/or supplementation than do other cows in the breed to maintain the same body condition and ultimately the same conception rate. Sure you can cull your open cows; but that is not really directly improving the conception rate especially when you are bringing in outside genetics (usually through the bulls) that probably come from a "friendlier" environment. To really maximize conception rate, you need to either increase the level of management (vaccines, minerals, fertilizer, paddock number, dewormer, BSEs, estrus synchronization, vets, forage renovation, etc) or find the genetics that will best match YOUR environment. Most places probably could use help in both areas.
 
Red Bull Breeder":243bumph said:
Brandon are you saying some cows may be high protein addicts??

Not exactly; but I think it has been pretty well proven that conception rate is directly linked to the amount of groceries (TDN, metabolizable energy, and minerals) that the cows have. Some cows need a higher plane of nutrition to stay in the herd producing and conceiving every year than do other cows. All I am saying is that for conception to be at optimum levels (and optimum is not necessarily maximum) you need either to be providing optimum nutrition OR you need genetics which will thrive in the conditions in which you operate.
 
Brandonm22":5kxstr7k said:
... All I am saying is that for conception to be at optimum levels (and optimum is not necessarily maximum) you need either to be providing optimum nutrition OR you need genetics which will thrive in the conditions in which you operate.

It seems to me conception is either yes or no. Yes is a calf every year no is a missed year. Maybe in large herds on western rangelands holding an open cow over a year does not seem that big a deal. And maybe that is also why they start having conception rate issues. Nutrition and minerals and shots to me are part of maintaining a healthy herd. I know rhere is a drought in TX which can make it tough but normally a healthy cow, exposed to a healthy bull for 45-60 days should be pregnant or she has to grow wheels. I don't think 100 percent conception requires a lot of purchased inputs other than what is needed to maintain good herd health for the entire herd. jmho. Jim
 
Nobody is suggesting holding over open cows.....the issue is decreasing the number of cows who come up open. Once a cow comes up open you have already failed. All you are doing by pregchecking and culling is minimizing the damage.
 
SRBeef":35mvp56c said:
I don't think 100 percent conception requires a lot of purchased inputs other than what is needed to maintain good herd health for the entire herd. jmho. Jim

And yet you admit that you had an open cow last year, thus something less than 100% conception!
 
alacattleman":17bs780v said:
yeah....... but back too the original question what cross .... i swear ask you folks about a part, you would will tell em how too build the factory


The question was answered ,there is no exact answer. There are fertile and infertile cattle in all breeds. Now it is up to Dude to do some research on what breeds are most adaptable for his/her environment . :)
 
hillsdown":3nxjl7dt said:
alacattleman":3nxjl7dt said:
yeah....... but back too the original question what cross .... i swear ask you folks about a part, you would will tell em how too build the factory


The question was answered ,there is no exact answer. There are fertile and infertile cattle in all breeds. Now it is up to Dude to do some research on what breeds are most adaptable for his/her environment . :)
if it were all about nutrition then my simbrahs and braford cross...both started and maintained the exact same. nutrition and health is a given or aleast you'd think that ground was covered ,,, but his question was what cross's are best
 
Fine then alal,,,Red Gelbvieh and Beefmaster. :)

Mostly because I would love to see what they look like .. :nod: I think they would do well and sell well as cross breds in that climate.

I would love to send BB a few straws so he can AI a couple of his Beefmasters .
 
hillsdown":328a5svy said:
Fine then alal,,,Red Gelbvieh and Beefmaster. :)

Mostly because I would love to see what they look like .. :nod: I think they would do well and sell well as cross breds in that climate.

I would love to send BB a few straws so he can AI a couple of his Beefmasters .
sounds like a good cross to me,,
 
Brandonm22":1n140phb said:
SRBeef":1n140phb said:
I don't think 100 percent conception requires a lot of purchased inputs other than what is needed to maintain good herd health for the entire herd. jmho. Jim

And yet you admit that you had an open cow last year, thus something less than 100% conception!

Yes you are right. I did have a first calf heifer who did not breed back. She made good hamburgers. Of course there will always be a small percent that preg checks open. If you don't cull them right away however you will breed in more. I suspect infertility is a highly heritable trait. Thanks for clarifying that. I'm sensitive to the idea of keeping open cows. Jim
 
Infertility is not a highly heritable trait. But it cost too much to keep a cow that is not producing.
 

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