Reproduction

The ovaries need air conditioning

caleb@rbnutritionconsulting.ca — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Weather patterns have been difficult to nail down with any degree of accuracy this year. In Saskatchewan, late snowfall has delayed thawing and therefore grass growth and typical seeding plans.

Breeding season decisions that stick

abby@agproud.com — Thu, 30 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Breeding season has a way of sneaking up on you. One minute you’re finishing up calving, and the next you’re turning bulls out or timing when to inseminate and hoping everything lines up the way it should. It’s a busy time, but it may also be the most important few weeks of the entire year.

Semen-handling protocols for successful pregnancies

katie.martin@urus.org — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

The genetic direction of your herd is one of the most powerful management decisions you make. As genetics improve, the performance of your herd improves as well.

A 90‑day countdown plan: Preparing cows for breeding season

jessica.drum@sdstate.edu — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0500

A successful breeding season begins months before the first A.I. straw or bull turnout. In the 90 days before breeding, cows and heifers move through metabolic, immune and reproductive shifts that shape follicle quality, uterine readiness and embryo survival.

The fast lane

Tue, 03 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0500

A productive cow can only have one calf per year. For generations, that biological limit has defined how fast beef producers can make genetic progress in their herds. No matter how elite a female is, her influence on a herd is constrained by time.

Synch smarter, not harder

grippe@genex.coop — Wed, 14 Jan 2026 00:00:00 -0500

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.

Getting that next calf

kalyn.waters@ufl.edu — Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:00:00 -0500

'Tis the season of one of the many seasons on the ranch. Many times, it seems like all the seasons run together. You have calving season, branding season, breeding season, hay season, weaning and shipping, and then before you know it, you’re into calving season again.

Decoding pregnancy loss in beef cattle

kimberly.davenport@wsu.edu — Tue, 30 Dec 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Pregnancy loss is one of the most frustrating and costly reproductive challenges in beef cattle production. Even with good nutrition, thoughtful bull selection and sound management, we still deal with open cows, early embryonic loss and the occasional unexplained abortion.

Embryo transfer trends and opportunities for beef herds

jeremy.howard@simplot.com — Fri, 28 Nov 2025 00:00:00 -0500

It’s fair to say embryo transfer (ET) isn’t a common practice for most U.S. beef herds. Current data indicate that less than 5% of cow-calf operations have adopted ET technology.

Bull buying strategies among large cow-calf producers

Thu, 30 Oct 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Bull buying strategies are a critical component of success for cow-calf producers across Canada. With operations ranging from small family farms to large-scale commercial enterprises, an important question must be asked: Do purchasing tactics differ depending on the size of the farm or ranch?

There’s a bright future for Speckle Park cattle

Fri, 17 Oct 2025 00:00:00 -0400

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.

Heifer selection strategies: Does she stay or does she go?

susan.markus@lakelandcollege.ca — Wed, 27 Aug 2025 00:00:00 -0400

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.

Need to buy a bull? Key considerations for smaller operations

Fri, 08 Aug 2025 00:00:00 -0400

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.

Weighing the benefits of using crossbred beef bulls

Tue, 17 Jun 2025 00:00:00 -0400

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.

Unlocking bull fertility: New technology reveals what traditional tests miss

tiffany.wood@dyneval.com — Thu, 05 Jun 2025 00:00:00 -0400

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?

Your breeding season checklist

nicola.oosthuizen@genusplc.com — Wed, 16 Apr 2025 00:00:00 -0400

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.

Genetically mitigating risk for bovine congestive heart failure

kramsey@neogen.com — Mon, 03 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0500

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.

Where’s your bull? GPS technology offers insight into bull location and breeding activity

susan.markus@lakelandcollege.ca — Mon, 24 Feb 2025 00:00:00 -0500

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.

Practical applications of genomics tools for improving commercial beef cattle efficiency: Livestock Gentec research update

Wed, 05 Feb 2025 00:00:00 -0500

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.

Progressive Events: Pushing for reproductive progress at 2024 DCRC annual meeting

matti@agproud.com — Fri, 20 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0500

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.

Four tips to help unlock the potential of beef-on-dairy

djdominguez@immucell.com — Mon, 28 Oct 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Using beef semen to cross with Holsteins, Jerseys and other dairy breeds has helped change the value of each calf. Dairy producers are looking for ways to maximize this strategy and reap the financial benefits. Here are four tips to help unlock the potential of beef-on-dairy calves and secure maximum results.

Being profit-minded for your next bull purchase

dempsey.106@osu.edu — Mon, 14 Oct 2024 00:00:00 -0400

What is the first word that comes to mind when you see a bull sale catalog in your mailbox? Usually, I hear responses like “profitable,” “cost-effective,” “traditional” or "necessary."

Efficiency matters, both in your feedlot and for your cow herd

kenny.wells@genusplc.com — Mon, 16 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Efficiency is efficiency, right? Turns out, it’s probably not that simple. Efficiency in a feedlot and at the cow-calf level are two very different things.

Larmer named World Dairy Expo International Person of the Year

jenn@agproud.com — Mon, 09 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Sitting in his home office sipping a cup of coffee, Paul Larmer is seemingly common. Unbeknownst to the average person, his influence on the dairy cattle genetics sector of the industry is undeniable. It is for both his remarkable leadership and self-effacing attitude that Larmer is named this year’s World Dairy Expo International Person of the Year.

How trace mineral status affects reproductive efficiency in bulls

Thu, 01 Aug 2024 00:00:00 -0400

When working to maximize fertility in cattle, cows are often the focus. However, bull fertility is a crucial consideration for any beef operation.

Data into profit: Using genomic tools to produce and select superior replacement heifers

kamacmil@ualberta.ca — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Historically, the relative value of traits to the commercial cow-calf sector has been stated as the “10-to-2-to-1 rule of thumb,” where fertility traits are 10 times more important than carcass traits and five times more important than growth traits.

Understanding lactation and cow efficiency

travis.mulliniks@oregonstate.edu — Fri, 12 Jan 2024 00:00:00 -0500

In the past 20 years, genetic potential of the cow herd and production costs have steadily increased; however, production outputs (pregnancy rates and weaning weights) have been stagnant or declined.

Genetic improvement driven by distinct factors

Thu, 14 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0500

“Genetic improvement” is a term with far-reaching implications, uniquely and individually defined by those in the beef industry.