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 is around the corner, and many producers are looking to relocate the cow herd to the location best suited for their calving season needs. A few regions and operations can trail cattle between summer, winter and calving pastures, but many rely on fuel and wheels to get them where they need to be.

In reviewing large commercial datasets, experts are seeing certain patterns beginning to emerge – particularly as it relates to a cow’s ability to stay in the herd. These trends are important to be aware of to identify challenges as well as opportunities.

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.

Land is our largest investment, asset and expense. So how exactly can we add to its production? One key goal to start with: Convert unproductive land to productive. Cattle perform miracles in converting poor land into production.

How often has the calving book been lost or accidentally destroyed by the calf being warmed in the feeding pickup? Or when has information failed to be recorded toward the end of the calving season because our attention turns to other matters that time of year?

Calving season is an ongoing process that can occur over a few months, rather than a single short-term event like pregnancy checking or weaning. Recording calving records provide great benefits and opportunities to collect data and details that can then be used to evaluate and rank cows in the herd.

Almost all breeds in the U.S. today are of British and European descent, but many ranchers in Southern areas prefer cattle with some Zebu influence. In recent years, African types with less Zebu genetic influence and more Bos taurus have been introduced.

Herd management programs and data collection solutions are being advanced by various sectors of the beef industry today. And, while more of a good thing might be better than less, it can also lead to confusion and uncertainty when attempting to navigate its extreme boundaries.