NEWS for North Dakotans
Agriculture Communication, North Dakota State University
7 Morrill Hall, Fargo, ND 58105-5665
April 27, 2000
The time between calving and breeding offers an opportunity for beef producers to evaluate their bulls, according to a North Dakota State University livestock specialist.
"Calving gives you a report card on your breeding program for you to consider as you go into the breeding season," says John Dhuvetter of NDSU's North Central Research Extension Center in Minot. "You look at how long your calving season was and how many open cows you had. That may suggest areas for improvement."
Dhuvetter says 60 percent or more of cows should be bred during the first heat cycle during the breeding season. About 20 percent should conceive during the next cycle with only a few remaining unbred after that. "If you have only 30 or 40 percent settling during that first cycle, you likely have a problem and should look for a solution."
A key component of a successful breeding program is a healthy bull.
Bulls should be in good condition going into the breeding season. "They will have a lot of physical activity and won't be eating as much, so they should have some body reserves on them." Dhuvetter says. Body condition should be moderate or above, although too much fat can also be a problem.
"If the bull has been on a grain diet, you may want to move him to a more forage-based diet and make sure he gets some exercise and movement," he says. Moving bulls to larger lots and placing feed away from water can encourage them to exercise.
"Our older bulls are often neglected during the calving season," Dhuvetter says. "Depending on the size, age and condition of the bull, you may want to add some grain to the diet. Bulls can also be disease carriers, so now can be a time to bring vaccinations up to date.
Nutrition has a big impact on fertility so rations should be supplemented with minerals and vitamins, especially in the 60 days before breeding begins.
Dhuvetter says, although only about 40 percent of the state's bulls receive a breeding soundness exam, the service is an important tool. "It can help you eliminate the potential costly mistake of having a bull that's not able to breed," he says.
During the exam, the veterinarian will look at structural soundness, any abnormalities and will take a semen sample to evaluate for sperm count and motility. The exam doesn't evaluate libido and genetic differences in breeding ability, so your own observations also are important, Dhuvetter says.
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Source: John Dhuvetter (701) 857-7682
Editor: Tom Jirik (701) 231-9629