Track 2-8-1: Impact of Market Demands on Grassland Management and Livestock Husbandry
Description
Amount and distribution of precipitation is normally inadequate and uncertain in arid and semiarid Sonoran Desert rangelands. Low precipitation reduces forage quality and quantity and it can negatively influence livestock yield reducing milk production and calf gains. Early removal of the calf from its dam reduces forage needs of the cow-calf enterprise and has been found to improve body weight gain and pregnancy rates in the cow herd (Mulliniks et al., 2013). Additionally, weaning calves early can result in improved animal performance by increasing pregnancy rates, cow body condition scores and increased steer carcass quality while reducing forage needs of the cow-calf enterprise. Under normal conditions, a cow must yield a calf every year to be economically profitable so care should be taken in animal and range management to accomplish these goals.
Blanco et al., (2009), reported that income received for early weaned calves may be greater than traditionally weaned calves. Previous studies in Mexico have shown that early weaning is a practical tool for calf production; however, local information regarding performance of cows following early weaning does not exist. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effect of early and normal weaning of calves on cows performance, percent pregnancy, calving interval and total profitability.
Citation
Moreno, Salomón M.; Ibarra-Flores, Fernando; Rivera, Martha Martin; Antunez Navarro, Maria del Socorro; Lopez, Rafael Retes; Preciado, Jesus Fimbres; and Martell, Agustín Cabral, "Profitability of Early Weaning of Beef Cows at Northern Sonora, Mexico: A Rancher Experience" (2020). IGC Proceedings (1993-2023). 1.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/igc/23/2-8-1/1
Included in
Profitability of Early Weaning of Beef Cows at Northern Sonora, Mexico: A Rancher Experience
Amount and distribution of precipitation is normally inadequate and uncertain in arid and semiarid Sonoran Desert rangelands. Low precipitation reduces forage quality and quantity and it can negatively influence livestock yield reducing milk production and calf gains. Early removal of the calf from its dam reduces forage needs of the cow-calf enterprise and has been found to improve body weight gain and pregnancy rates in the cow herd (Mulliniks et al., 2013). Additionally, weaning calves early can result in improved animal performance by increasing pregnancy rates, cow body condition scores and increased steer carcass quality while reducing forage needs of the cow-calf enterprise. Under normal conditions, a cow must yield a calf every year to be economically profitable so care should be taken in animal and range management to accomplish these goals.
Blanco et al., (2009), reported that income received for early weaned calves may be greater than traditionally weaned calves. Previous studies in Mexico have shown that early weaning is a practical tool for calf production; however, local information regarding performance of cows following early weaning does not exist. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effect of early and normal weaning of calves on cows performance, percent pregnancy, calving interval and total profitability.
