New MU beef reproduction manual is basis of fall workshop series

COLUMBIA, Mo. – A new manual, Whole System Management of Beef Cattle Reproduction, is available through University of Missouri Extension, said Jordan Thomas, extension state beef reproduction specialist. Spiral-bound copies are available for purchase, but PDFs of each chapter are also available for free download, said Thomas.

Profitable cow-calf operations begin with early calvers

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Cows need to conceive and calve early to earn their keep. University of Missouri Extension beef cow-calf specialist Jordan Thomas says managing for a short or even an “ultra-short” calving season should determine which cows get to stay on the farm. Late-conceiving cows should go to market.

Evaluate your calving distribution this spring

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Record calf birthdates this calving season to track calving distribution.“Evaluating a calving distribution takes very little time but can provide valuable insight into reproductive performance and productivity of the herd,” says University of Missouri Extension veterinarian Craig Payne.Calving distribution is often expressed as the percentage of calves born at 21-day intervals, since 21 days is the average length of…

MU beef researchers find improved pregnancy rates with new synch protocol

COLUMBIA, Mo. – A new estrus synchronization protocol evaluated at the University of Missouri greatly improves heat response and pregnancy rates to fixed-time AI in beef cows.