PSIX-26 - Reproductive management practices for beef cow-calf producers in Virginia – a survey

Abstract:

The Virginia Master Cattlemen (VMC) is an extension program with the goal of educating beef cattle producers on best practices and management. Reproduction management strategies are essential in ensuring beef cow-calf producers achieve one healthy calf, per cow, every year. Every year, during the VMC, a survey on reproductive management practices and adoption of technologies is performed as a representation of current practices of beef cow-calf producers. Over three years (2021-2023), we obtained data from a total of 276 producers in VA. Out of all participants, 71.74% indicated that they had a defined breeding season. Of those, 33.17% had a breeding season of 70 days or less. Furthermore, 47.81% of producers had both a Fall and Spring breeding season, while 24.12% and 28.07% of participants designated their breeding seasons as either Fall or Spring, respectively. Moreover, 62.28% of participants reported that 40% or more of their cows calve within the first 21 days of the calving season. The bull-to-cow ratio was assessed on operations electing to use natural service, with 71.27% of producers having a minimum of a 1:25 bull-to-cow ratio. A total of 66.54% of the participants reported regularly measuring body condition score of their cows. Over the three years, the most adopted reproductive practice on farms was pregnancy diagnosis, with 31.13% of producers indicating they perform pregnancy diagnosis on their herds every year. The second most utilized practice is the bull breeding soundness exam, with 26.11%. Artificial insemination is continuously gaining popularity, with 19.44% of producers reporting they artificially inseminated their cattle over the past three years. Additionally, 15% of producers reported estrus synchronization of their cattle. However, embryo transfer and sexed semen are the two reproductive practices that were least adopted by producers, with 3.72% and 4.60%, respectively. Overall, compared to the 2017 USDA NAHMS cow-calf report, Virginia producers are more advanced with their reproductive management practices when compared to the average cattlemen in the United States.