An Economic look at feeding replacement beef heifers
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21423/bovine-vol0no22p121-123Keywords:
beef heifers, nutrition, feeding, reproductive management, fertilityAbstract
The purpose of this paper is to present a case study of the costs to feed replacement beef heifers through the winter. A comparison between heifers fed in a commercial feedlot (Group A) and heifers raised by the owners (Group B) will be made. The effects of the feeding programs on pregnancy rate will then be evaluated. The feeding study was performed by Deseret Ranches, Ltd. of Alberta, Canada, and their computerized results were used for this project. All heifers were examined rectally for pregnancy determination by E.G. Prince, D.V.M.
The two major goals of reproductive management are: increase the number of females cycling early in the breeding season, and improve conception rates. It is the first of these goals that is most affected by heifer replacement management programs. The remainder of the discussion, therefore, will center on the ability of the two feeding programs to increase the number of replacement heifers cycling early in the breeding season. The conception rate is assumed to be equal in the two groups since all bulls servicing the two groups successfully passed breeding soundness evaluations and were then randomly distributed between the two groups. The bull:heifer ratio was the same for the two groups (1:30), as were the environmental and management conditions. Both groups were maintained on the same ranch except during the winter when Group A was moved to the feedlot located approximately 20 miles from the ranch. With all other factors being equal, the success of the two feeding programs to increase the number of heifers cycling early in the breeding season, while minimizing cost, is demonstrated by the pregnancy rate.
In order to discuss the results of these feeding trials, a description of the two programs must be given. This will be followed by a summary of the performance of each group during the feeding trial and during the breeding season. The cost of the respective programs will then be discussed and the determined pregnancy rates presented.
