As exciting as calving season is, it is also riddled with challenges, including death loss. Now that we are nearing the end of calving season, and pasture turnout is around the corner, what are we going to do with the cows without a calf at side? All potential scenarios boil down to two: sell or keep.

Some producers may be leery of adopting practices such as artificial insemination, embryo transfer and in vitro fertilization due to perceived high costs and risk factors. Here’s a look at some of the numbers.

Like many Idaho beef ranching operations, Shaw Cattle Co. stands as a testament to the power of tradition, innovation and family values. A fourth-generation seedstock operation located in Caldwell, the ranch specializes in registered purebred Angus and Hereford cattle. Tucker Shaw and his family work together to uphold its legacy while embracing modern practices to shape the future of the beef industry.

Beef producers face countless obstacles in raising high-quality, nutritious products. Deficiencies, avoidances and half-hearted energies directed toward any management area will result in mediocre performance, reduced profitability at a minimum and financial disaster in the worst cases.

If the local farming community’s coffee row were surveyed about the beef industry’s major players, the rancher, feedlot operator and packing plants would likely dominate responses.

John Ferry of JY Ferry & Son Inc. in Corinne, Utah, has a different idea than most when it comes to protecting the environment and the role cattle can play in the process.

In Olds, Alberta, not far outside Calgary, Harvie Ranching stands as a testament to the lasting tradition of family farming. For over four decades, members of the Harvie family have dedicated themselves to the production of top-quality cattle.

We’ve asked before if producers would be interested in using A.I. (artificial insemination) on their cow herd, and the majority answer has been a big yes, if it was more accessible.

Many livestock economists have demonstrated over the years that there is a premium in the marketplace for uniform lots of calves. For further proof, just watch what happens at the local auction market when it comes to selling feeder cattle and then tune in to one of the online video auctions and compare prices.