What is also interesting is that a difficult birthing experience for a heifer can result in her being less likely to become pregnant in the future. Since you do want all of the females in the herd that are mature to have a calf annually, helping with the birthing process can increase the chances of that happening. There are tools available that can be used to help the calf be born without causing additional stress to the mother.

     Studies show that to prevent calves from being born at night, offer food at that time to the heifers. How this works isn’t really known, but there is enough research out there to indicate it does result in fewer calves being born at night. Since supervision during the calving season is likely to take place during the day, you can reduce mortality rates with this simple but effective trick. Starting this process of night feeding 2 or 3 weeks before calving is to start is a good idea.

      The young calves are the future for any beef cattle farm. It is important to document the number of births and the number of deaths that occur. Look for patterns if you have high mortality rates. You need to be able to find those contributing factors so that they can be reduced or eliminated before the following calving season. The problem could be with the bulls used for mating, the food sources, vaccines, a virus found on the land where they are at, and even the weather.

     By documenting as much information as you can, you can find those links that result in the calves not surviving. The goal should be to see as many of them growing rapidly and gaining weight consistently. If that isn’t happening with almost all of the calves then there is a serious situation that needs to be reviewed further.

      While a great deal of attention is spent focusing on the calves and the heifers, the bulls also need quality care. They are the males that offer the sperm for the young calves to be created. Genetic testing of these animals is a good idea if you are going to use them to breed a large number of heifers. Ensuring that the bulls aren’t genetically linked to serious health problems is important. Otherwise future generations of cattle can end up with those same genetic problems.

     Bulls need a quality diet in order to grow like they should and to produce enough sperm for the mating season. It is a good idea to keep young bulls away from the older and more experienced bulls. Otherwise it often will reduce the rate of their growth. It will also cause them to become fully mature later than they normally would.

      A diet that is carefully balanced for the needs of each bull is very important. Grain is a huge part of their diet and ensuring they make the right gains. On average, the bulls need to gain 2 pounds a day after they are weaned. This should continue until they are about 1,000 pounds. Monitoring growth will help to determine if the diet plan is working or if it needs to be modified.

     With the technology available for artificial insemination it is now possible to impregnate a large number of heifers with only a handful of bulls. This is a very cost effective part of successful beef cattle farming. Many agree that the overall quality of the genetics from the males is more important than the number of them available. The number of bulls to have on a beef cattle farm is a personal decision though.

     Other than breeding season, it is important to keep the bulls away from the heifers. They should be separated by pens with no chance of being able to come into contact with each other. The use of a high voltage electrical fence may be necessary to give a strong message that they are to remain separated. Bulls can be very powerful and aggressive so you must teach them where they are to remain.

     The ongoing health of the bulls is just as important during the non breeding season as when they are mating. They need to have a quality diet, room to graze, and regular checkups. This will ensure they are ready to go at the peak of their game for the next mating season.

      Adequate food for the other cattle is very important to evaluate too. Today many cattle farmers understand the importance of protecting their land. If the cattle consume it too close to the roots then the land may be useless in the future for grazing. This is why they often have sections in place. By rotating the areas where the cattle can graze, they give each area enough time to rejuvenate. Then the farmer can continue to use that land for grazing at different points in time.

      There are plenty of different growth strategies that a beef cattle farmer can implement. Having a great strategy in place is important because that is what will determine the quality of the cattle. It will also determine the longevity of the operation. Therefore the big picture needs to be evaluated – not just right now and how to make the most money in the market right now.

     The analysis of different types of feed need to be carefully reviewed. The type of environment where the cattle are grazing is part of the determining factors as well. Supplements can be used to help the heifers gain weight and to get the right balance of nutrition. Yet supplements can be very expensive so beef cattle farmers want to use them only when necessary. Otherwise they are cutting deeply into their profits.