Estrus synchronization is a powerful tool to help tighten calving windows, incorporate superior genetics and improve long-term herd efficiency. But even with the right protocol, results can fall short if the fundamentals aren’t in place.

Collecting a genomic sample is as easy as tagging a calf. To help ensure actionable results, let’s review key genomic sample collection best practices for a clear path to progress cattle herd goals forward – beginning with why genomics matters, when to collect samples and how to take samples correctly to keep herd improvement goals moving forward.

For those of you who have been in the cattle production business for any amount of time, you have probably been burned once or twice by a handshake lease deal gone wrong.

Over the past several decades, beef cows have quietly gotten bigger. In 1975, the average beef cow weighed just over 1,000 pounds; by 2009, that number had jumped to 1,350 pounds, and today, many herds include cows tipping the scales at 1,400 pounds or more.

Few seasons on the ranch inspire more optimism than calving time. With calf prices at historic highs, every live and healthy calf represents not just an animal, but a major financial asset.

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans for 2025-30 make a direct push for whole, nutrient-dense foods, specifically protein, dairy, vegetables, fruits and whole grains, while reducing highly processed refined carbs, added sugars and sodium. Recommendations for daily protein intake were doubled from the previous 2020-25 version.

The 21-day cortisol surge in stressed cattle is a common problem that costs the combined beef and dairy sectors millions of dollars annually in mortality, morbidity, drug and labor costs, and impaired efficiencies in animals. And, yet, this inescapable reality is poorly understood and seldom planned for in producer protocols.

Beef producers today are navigating one of the most dynamic environments in recent memory, with many unpredictable variables positioned to influence the next phase of the market cycle.

The most rewarding time on a ranch is the time of new life – newborn calves hitting the ground. Calves have resiliency and spirit and often thrive even when born in the wrong circumstances or weather. Still, any beef producer will have the occasional calf who was stuck or had some other mishap that requires extra care.

Calving season is a time for renewed growth and is a product of planning and ensuring the continued growth of the ranch and the cattle industry. You know keeping records is important, but what does that look like at calving time?