CowCalf Operations in Virginia

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Cow/Calf Operations in Virginia

• AT 0614 9/15/04

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Impact of Cow/Calf Operations

• 50 of the VA Beef Cattle numbers are beef cows
  and heifers that have calved
• Produces 600,000 to 720,000 calves annually
• Accounts for about 2.4 million per year
• Average VA operation has 29 cows

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Different Cow/Calf Enterprises

• Commercial feeder calf
• Selling calves
• Retaining ownership
• Commercial heifer breeders
• Seedstock operations
• Club calves

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Characteristics of Cow/Calf enterprise

• Low labor input
• 1 person for every 200 - 1000 cows
• High land requirement
• 2 to 5 acres per cow
• Low - moderate capital investment
• Low to moderate risk
• Low profit
• By - Product of land ownership!

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Cow/Calf Profitis determined by

• 1. Reproductive Efficiency
• 2. Early Growth
• 3. Maternal Ability
• 4. End Product Merit

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Barriers to Profitability in Cow/Calf operations

• No controlled calving season
• Low reproductive efficiency
• High feed costs
• Feeding cattle greater than 60 days
• Non uniformity of calves
• High capital investment

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Basic must do Management Practices

• Controlled calving season
• Reproductive management
• Pasture management
• soil fertility, proper grazing, stockpiling
• Effective nutrition program
• Planned breeding program
• Minimize the equipment

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What is the Brood Cows Job?

• Calve at 2 years of age
• Calve within defined season regularly
• Wean a heavy, marketable calf
• Match environment
• Be available for long-term production

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Maternal Traits

• Milk Production
• Fertility
• Early Puberty
• Calving Ease
• Longevity
• Moderate Frame Size
• Fleshing Ability
• Disposition

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Where do VA Calves go

• Pennsylvania
• Kansas
• Iowa
• Ohio

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Ideal Feeder Calf

• Medium framed
• Crossbred at least 1/2 British
• US number 1 muscling
• Gain 3.5 lb/ day in feedlot
• Finished weight of 1100 lbs. to 1350 lbs.

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Ideal Feeder Calf

• 70 Low Choice or better
• 70 YG 1s and 2s
• 0 Standards, YG 4s and 5s, Light or
  Heavyweights

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Basic Heifer Selection

• Sire history performance
• Individual performance
• Weight
• Age
• Frame size
• Conformation

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Heifer SelectionGrowth and Age

• Select heifers born in defined calving season
• Select heavier heifers
• Indirect selection for growth
• Indirect selection for milk/maternal ability
• Facilitates early breeding calving

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Cautions on SelectingHeaviest Heifers

• Avoid excessively fat heifers
• Impaired milk production
• Decreased lifetime productivity

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Need for Performance Records

• Excellent to track bull and cow performance
• Identifies superior growth
• Need minimums for
• Age
• Weight

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The Need for Optimum Frame Size

• Large framed cows
• Increased maintenance costs
• Potential reproductive complications
• Potential calf marketability problems
• Small framed cows
• Risk of calving difficulty increased
• Potential decreased calf performance
• Potential calf marketability problems

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Convenience TraitsLongevity

• Structural Correctness
• Volume
• Fleshing Ability
• Carcass Merit
• Visual evaluation of muscle

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Costs of Calving Difficulty

• Decreased calf crop weaned
• Increased calving interval
• Decreased weaning weights

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Heifer Bull Selection Goals

• Minimize birth weight and dystocia
• Optimize growth and maternal traits

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Thinking outside the box

• Buy Replacement heifers
• Coordinated Marketing
• Horizontal Alliances (eg. Buckingham)
• Vertical Alliances (eg. Future Beef)
• Capitalize on the total resources of the farm
  (eg. hunting, cull cows, sheep, dudes,
  agri-tourism)

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A few thoughts

• Make it a business
• The price of independence may be failure