To monitor progress, keeping adequate records becomes key.
While there are several programs you can enroll into to compare to other operations, comparison of your operation’s benchmarks is a more accurate representation of herd changes over the years. Additionally, outside of time, this can be done relatively inexpensively. Here are some important benchmarks that provide good insight to the success of an operation.
Calving distribution percentage is the cumulative number of calves born by day 21, 42 and 63 in the calving season divided by total number of calves born. Good targets for calving intervals include at least 60 percent of calves born in the first 21 days and 80 percent by 42 days. Calving distribution can be a good indicator about the adequacy of the nutrition program, as decreases early in the season may indicate inadequate nutrition and delayed return to estrus.
Often, we get caught up in increasing weaning weight each year. At weaning, a calf should weigh approximately 40 percent of the dam’s weight. However, continual selection for higher weaning weights leads to larger mature cow size. While average weaning weight is important, pounds weaned per cow exposed more accurately measures overall cow herd efficiency and whether cows are thriving in their environment.
Pounds weaned per cow exposed is defined as total pounds of calves weaned divided by total number of cows exposed at the start of the previous year’s breeding season. Even if you don’t have access to scales at weaning, sale weight of calves can be used to calculate this measurement.
Second to feed costs, reproductive efficiency is a large driver in profitability. Evaluating reproductive efficiency helps identify where pregnancies are being lost. Key calculations necessary to evaluate include pregnancy percentage (number cows confirmed pregnant at the end of the breeding season divided by number exposed), calving percentage (number of calves born divided by number of cows exposed) and weaning percentage (number of calves weaned divided by number of cows exposed).
Focusing on keeping more calves alive through weaning will result in more profit realized more efficiently rather than just increasing weaning weights.
Evaluating where your herd stands now is the first step in developing herd improvement goals. Understanding how to accurately calculate and interpret benchmark performance measurements unique to your herd is essential to being a sustainable and profitable beef producer. 
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Erika Lundy
- Extension Beef Program Specialist
- Iowa Beef Center - Iowa State University
- Email Erika Lundy
