The Economics of reproductive beef management

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to present a case study of the economic importance of reproductive management in a beef herd. Deseret Ranches, Ltd., of Alberta, Canada, have provided their computerized records for use in this project.

Unlike the dairyman, the beef breeder derives most of his income from calves born into the herd, making fertility the most important trait. A recent economic study showed that fertility was five times more important than growth rate and ten times more important than carcass quality.

The two major goals of reproductive management are: Increase the number of females in estrus early in the breeding season, and improve conception rates. In order to address these goals, a brief description of the physical ranch management practices must be given. This will be followed by a description and comparison of the reproductive management practices before (Program 1) and after (Program 2) the implementation of a veterinary supervised reproductive herd health program. The comparison will deal specifically with the economic efficiency of each program in striving to attain the two stated major goals.