With feeder calf prices at record highs and USDA predictions for prices to remain at or above $3 per hundredweight (cwt) into 2027, it’s an exciting time to be in the cow-calf business.

Artificial insemination as a regular practice may seem out of reach on your operation, but this floor- and ceiling-raising technology is more affordable and easier to access than ever before.

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.

We see a lot of variation in cattle, even when we utilize full siblings within sire groups. We wonder why there is so much variation from the lightest calf to the heaviest calf, and from the highest-quality grade to the lowest-quality grade, and from the calf that stays in the herd until she is 14 to 17 years old versus the one that falls out at 2 years old.

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?

With reproductive success estimated to be three to nine times more influential on operational profitability compared to other production traits, it makes sense that we would provide the best opportunities to maximize the number of cows we are able to get pregnant.

Today, sexed semen is available on a wide selection of sires and performs at a fertility level encouraging the most skeptical operators to give it a try.

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.

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.