Reproductive Failure and Long-Term Profitability of Spring- and Fall-Calving Beef Cows
By: Boyer, Christopher N.; Griffith, Andrew P.; DeLong, Karen L.
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Citation
Boyer, Christopher N.; Griffith, Andrew P.; DeLong, Karen L., Reproductive Failure and Long-Term Profitability of Spring- and Fall-Calving Beef Cows, Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Volume 45, Issue 1, January 2020, Pages 78-91
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Abstract
We determined how reproductive failure impacts the long-term profitability of beef cows in spring- and fall-calving herds. Simulation models were established to generate distributions of net present value, payback periods, and breakeven prices of calves when a dam fails to wean zero, one, or two calves over her life. Results indicate that giving a dam another calving opportunity after failing to wean a calf would likely result in her being unprofitable. A producer would be better off selling the open dam than giving her another chance to breed. This illustrates the value in selecting replacement heifers based on fertility.