What Do You Know About Fetal Programming?

by North Dakota State University Area Extension Livestock Specialist Janna Kincheloe   The relationship between nutrition and reproduction has been well established with measures such as calving interval, calf health and survival, and overall pregnancy rates affected by body condition score at calving. To date, most research has focused on optimizing reproductive response in the…

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Commercial Producers Can Use Crossbreeding to Improve Profit and Sustainability

by Kansas State University Cow-Calf Extension Specialist Bob Weaber, Ph.D.   The dramatic changes and volatility cow-calf production system input costs and calf values have many producers wondering about the value of heterosis in today’s beef industry pricing structure. Many producers are seeking ways to improve cow-calf production efficiency and profitability. Profitability may be enhanced…

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Selection Considerations to Improve Longevity

by Associate Professor & Extension Beef Cattle Specialist Longevity Jason Banta, PhD., PAS Every cow-calf producer wants a cow that is productive for 12 to 15 years or more. Longevity of both cows and bulls is influenced by a host of factors including disposition, feet and legs, udder and teat confirmation, fleshing ability, fertility, function…

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Nine in Five

by IBBA Communications Coordinator Peyton Waldrip IBBA member Clarence Tays is a Brangus breeder in Cookeville, Tennessee. An Ultrablack® female named MISS LOF 144, or “Lollipop,” was born into his herd on Aug. 30, 2009. After Tays’s granddaughter, Elizabeth, showed the heifer in 2010, the female was sold to a neighbor: Randy Randolph. Randolph is…

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Reproduction, Twinning and Genomics

by Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Livestock Specialist Joe Paschal, PhD. Reproduction in cattle is generally thought to be lowly heritable (0.10-0.20 percent), and as a result selection response is low. Regardless of what reproductive trait is being selected, there is not a lot of variability in breeding value from which to select. These reproductive traits…

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