Understanding and optimizing cattle breeding patterns is difficult without a reliable method to track which cattle are breeding successfully and which are less productive. A new study under way by the Texas A & M AgriLife research group is attempting to simplify the tracking process by using patriotically colored tags of red, white and blue.
Researchers leading the study are hoping to identify methods that can be put into practice across the country that will ultimately increase beef cattle production with reduced land use. In the study, cows that were expected to calve in January got red tags, and cows that were expected to calve in May got white tags, while cows that were expected to calve in September got blue tags. The team is monitoring the breeding patterns of each cow; if one fails to breed during the designated month, they are moved to the next group, with a note made on their tag.
Most breeders expect cows to calve once per year, but by breaking the season up into three groups of cows and giving cows that haven’t had the chance to calve in their originally planned period another chance in the next batch, researchers are hoping to increase the number of calves born throughout the year to impact grazing lands more evenly throughout the year.
This system will also allow breeders to notice patterns among cows that are failing to breed. If certain cows tend to not breed until their second or third round, breeders can manage them strategically and cull the lower fertility cattle to improve the year’s overall production.
Raising cattle is still a huge portion of the nation’s economy, and demand for beef production is expected to grow with the population. This study hopes to increase yield, Drovers reports, while making the process more sustainable for farmers and their land.
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