Speckle Park cattle may get attention for their colourful appearance, but it is their ability to thrive in a variety of climates and feeding regimens that really make them popular.

Fertility is the number one trait linked to profitability for cow-calf herds. It’s also of low heritability and sometimes difficult to assess, depending on your record-keeping system.

For cattle operations of any size, a bull purchase represents one of the most significant investments producers make. The genetics, disposition and overall health of a herd sire will have far-reaching impacts on productivity, profitability and long-term improvement.

Crossbreeding beef cattle boosts performance and productivity by mixing genetics, leading to better weaning weights, reproductive efficiency and overall herd health. Often, the practice is reserved for females, but more seedstock and commercial producers are turning their eye toward males to identify potential benefits and profit opportunities.

A single low-fertility bull can wreak havoc on breeding success, leading to fewer calves and major financial losses. But how can producers know which bulls are underperforming before it’s too late?

Reproductive efficiency is a key driver of profitability in a cow-calf operation, since females that don’t conceive still consume resources without producing a return. Several factors influence pregnancy outcomes, including animal health, nutrition, stress and adherence to estrus synchronization protocols.

Over the past decade, bovine congestive heart failure (BCHF) has emerged as one of the biggest threats to the health and productivity of cattle on feed.

Pasture-checking cattle during the breeding season isn’t much fun when we can’t find the bulls. So, a research team from Lakeland College investigated direct-to-satellite monitoring of cattle on pasture using GPS eartags to locate and monitor bull breeding.

Genomic tools can add value to your cow-calf breeding decisions, though genotyping has a cost. Your willingness to invest in genotyping will affect what information is available to you. However, there are ways you can apply genomic tools to add value to your herd over a range of investment levels.

Dairy Cattle Reproduction Council (DCRC) brought producers, academia and industry experts together for discussions, presentations and panels Nov. 12-14 at the 2024 annual meeting in Arlington, Texas.