  BeefTalk:
Use Herd Benchmarks to Evaluate Performance
By Kris Ringwall, Extension Beef Specialist,
NDSU Extension Service
Pen preparation and weaning are front and center on most beef producers’
minds as fall approaches. Data collection and analysis should also rank right up
there because, once the calves are loaded and on the road, the window of
opportunity to collect data is gone.
Here at the North Dakota State University Dickinson Research Extension
Center, a management trend becoming more commonplace is to combine data
collection with pre-weaning vaccinations. Collecting data on non-shipping days
is more organized and producers need to work the calves only once.
The North Dakota Beef Cattle Improvement Association (NDBCIA) has developed
the Cow Herd Appraisal Performance Software (CHAPS) program to help producers
understand cow-calf records. CHAPS helps producers overcome the void in data
collection and analysis.
In the business of beef production, knowledge is power. CHAPS data provides
producers with the knowledge necessary for management decisions. CHAPS producers
know what their herds produce and are not easy prey for the competition.
CHAPS records provide individual herd information compared against a rolling
five-year average for all CHAPS producers. This fall, herds will be compared
against the average performance of herds from 1998 through 2002.
One of the values of the five-year averages is to provide benchmarks for
CHAPS and non-CHAPS producers. The benchmarks provide valuable information on
how your herd competes within the industry.
The current benchmark value indicates the average CHAPS producer exposed 174
cows to the bull with an average cow age of 5.4 years. Of the 174 cows exposed
to the bull, 93.4 percent were pregnant in the fall, 92.8 percent calved in the
spring and 90.3 percent weaned a calf in the fall. During the calving season,
59.5 percent calved during the first 21 days, 85 percent during the first 42
days, and 93.8 percent within the first 63 days of the calving season.
The calves were weaned at an average age of 196 days, weighed 558 pounds with
a frame score of 5.4. These growth numbers translated to 2.87 pounds per day of
age and a 613 pound adjusted 205-day weight. For every cow exposed to the bull,
CHAPS producers weaned 501 pounds of calf. The average CHAPS producer had 87,674
pounds of calf available in the fall of the year.
A goal ought to be to increase numbers and uniformity to allow for the
marketing of a full semi-load of calves. Nothing is more attractive to potential
buyers, than a uniform, vaccinated and preconditioned load of calves. When loads
like this enter the sales ring, buyers quit talking and all attention goes to
the ring.
After selling the calves, cow culling is usually not very far behind. CHAPS
benchmarks showed 14.4 percent of the cows were culled and 16.9 percent were
added as replacements. Those numbers indicate growth.
As a producer, ask yourself if you know the answer to the above performance
questions. Your competition knows. You should too.
The herd at the Dickinson Research Extension Center is a CHAPS herd. The
CHAPS production averages provide a goal for us to strive for. My hat goes off
to those producers that constantly are on the cutting edge and leading the way
in cattle performance.
Webster defines an opinion as a view, judgment or appraisal formed in the
mind about a particular matter, a belief stronger than impression and less
strong than positive knowledge. The industry is full of opinions. Webster
defines data as factual information (as measurements or statistics) used as a
basis for reasoning, discussion or calculations.
Within an opinionated industry, knowledge derived from data will certainly
increase the survival odds. CHAPS producers are setting the standard because
they know what they have.
May you find all your ear tags.
Your comments are always welcome at
www.BeefTalk.com. For more information,
contact the North Dakota Beef Cattle Improvement Association, 1133 State Avenue,
Dickinson, ND 58601 or go to
www.CHAPS2000.com on the Internet. In
correspondence about this column, refer to BT0159.
###
Source: Kris Ringwall, (701) 483-2427, kringwal@ndsuext.nodak.edu
Editor: Tom Jirik, (701) 231-9629, tjirik@ndsuext.nodak.edu
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Graphic...
CHAPS 2003 Production Benchmarks
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Number exposed 174 cows
Average cow age 5.44 years
Pregnancy percentage 93.4 %
Calving percentage 92.8 %
Weaning percentage 90.3 %
Calving 1st 21 days 59.5 %
Calving 1st 42 days 85.0 %
Calving 1st 63 days 93.8 %
Average weaning age 196 days
Average weaning weight 558 lbs.
Average frame score 5.4
Weight per day of age 2.87 lbs.
Adjusted 205 day weight 613 lbs.
Pounds weaned per cow exposed 501 lbs.
Replacement percentage 16.9 %
Culling percentage 14.4 %
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