Mark Johnson, Oklahoma State University Extension Beef Cattle Breeding Specialist, offers herd health advice as part of the weekly series known as the “Cow Calf Corner,” published electronically by Dr. Peel, Mark Johnson, and Paul Beck. Today, Johnson talks about weaning weight and reproductive efficiency.
Economic analysis of cow-calf operations shows a strong relationship between Profitability and both Percent Calf Crop Weaned per Exposed Female, and Pounds Weaned per Exposed Female. This “economic analysis” discussion often leads to a debate of what has more value to the profit potential of a commercial cow-calf operation that sells calves at weaning. Is it reproductive efficiency in the form of a higher Percent Calf Crop Weaned? Or is it the Weaning Weight of the calves? This week we take a look at the value of an extra 50 pounds of Weaning Weight versus an extra 5% Calf Crop Weaned per Exposed Female relative to current market values. We frame the debate as follows:
Herd A
200 cow operation
Average mature weight = 1,300 pounds
90% Calf Crop Weaned, resulting in 180 calves (90 steers and 90 heifers at an average of 525 pounds). Herd A is averaging 472.5 pounds of weaning weight Per Exposed Female.
Herd B
200 cow operation
Average Mature Weight = 1,300 pounds
85% Calf Crop Weaned, resulting in 170 calves (85 steers and 85 heifers at an average of 575 pounds). Herd B is averaging 488.8 pounds of weaning weight Per Exposed Female.
According to the November 17, 2023 USDA Oklahoma Weekly Cattle Auction Summary:
Herd A’s Calves
525 pound steer calves are worth $294/cwt, or approximately $1,544 per head.
525 pound heifer calves are worth $243/cwt, or approximately $1,276 per head.
90 steers x $1,544 = $138,960
90 heifers x $1,276 = $114,840
For a total gross value of $253,800
Herd B’s Calves
575 pound steer calves are worth $273/cwt, or approximately $1,570 per head.
575 pound heifer calves are worth $235/cwt, or approximately $1,351 per head.
85 steers x $1,570 = $133,450
85 heifers x $1,351 = $114,835
For a total gross value of $248,285
The Bottomline
Under current market conditions, Herd A’s advantage of 5% more Calf Crop Weaned results in $5,515 in extra revenue over Herd B’s 50 pound advantage in actual Weaning Weight. Reproductive efficiency (in the form of a higher percent calf crop weaned) is a very economically important trait in a cow-calf operation.
References:
Chapter 4, OSU Beef Cattle Manual, Eighth Edition, E-913
USDA AMS Livestock, Poultry & Grain Market News. OK Dept. of Ag Market News
Below, Dr. Mark Johnson, OSU Extension beef cattle breeding specialist, explains the importance of reproductive efficiency on SunUp TV’s Cow-Calf Corner from October 27, 2023.
