Progressive Cattle editors David Cooper and Cassidy Woolsey sit down with Irons in the Fire columnist Paul Marchant to chew the cud on current events in the beef industry, preview the upcoming edition of the magazine, and interview some good friends from the ag community. Saddle up and come along for the ride.

It is of no surprise when talking to cow-calf producers that overhead costs are a significant concern as there are substantial expenses that need to be covered by the beef cow herd. However, the productivity and profitability of the cow-calf enterprise can be greatly impacted by our management and evaluation decisions.

What is sexed semen?

Sex-sorted semen, or sexed semen, is a reproductive technology that allows beef producers to generate calves of the desired sex to fit their market and herd needs.

Now more than ever, producers are trying to maximize outputs and herd performance all while reducing costs. Taking advantage of tools that allow for reduced costs and increased productivity and profitability is an essential worth to producers in today’s industry. One tool that has been utilized in the beef industry for several years, and one that has evident value in beef production is crossbreeding. Crossbreeding provides increased performance with minimal, if any additional costs to the producer.

Prospective cow-calf producers who don’t have the cow but do want the calf can use some creative methods to get a foot in the door.