Brown County Cattle Producers Face a Costly Winter Question: Which Cows Are Pregnant?

For Brown County cattle producers, a relatively small veterinary expense could help prevent a much larger winter loss. Pregnancy checking the cow herd can show which animals are carrying calves, which are open and which conceived late in the breeding season.

The timing is especially important as cattle prices remain strong and winter-feeding costs continue to affect producers’ bottom lines. Every mature cow represents an investment, and the goal is for each one to produce a marketable calf every year. An open cow continues to consume feed and other resources without producing a calf to generate income.

Why checking before winter matters

Keeping an open cow through the winter can become expensive because of hay prices, supplemental feed needs and winter conditions. Feeding her until spring, only to learn that she will not produce a calf, is an expense producers may be able to avoid by checking the herd now.

Pregnancy diagnosis can be performed through traditional rectal palpation or ultrasound by a veterinarian. The source material describes the cost as minimal compared with feeding an open cow for an entire winter. Even after including a veterinary farm call, identifying one open cow could offset a substantial portion of the examination expense.

For producers with limited hay or pasture, removing open cows can also help stretch forage. Feed that would have gone to a nonproductive female can instead support pregnant cows expected to produce the next calf crop.

More than a yes-or-no answer

A pregnancy check can also identify cows that conceived later in the breeding season. Those females may calve later than the rest of the herd and could have younger, lighter calves at weaning.

Knowing which cows are early-bred, late-bred or open gives producers more information for herd management, marketing and future breeding decisions. The results can also provide an early look at overall reproductive performance.

If more cows than expected are open, the issue could point to concerns involving bull fertility, nutrition, body condition or breeding-season management. Finding those problems early gives producers time to make adjustments before the next breeding season.

Producers encouraged to consult veterinarians

Producers should work with their veterinarian to determine the best time to check the herd. The practical decision is whether the cost of diagnosis is lower than the cost of feeding an open cow through winter—particularly when cattle values are high.

According to the Brown County Agri-Life information published by Brownwood News, pregnancy diagnosis can reduce unnecessary expenses, improve herd efficiency and help protect profitability as producers prepare for the winter months.

Local producers with questions about livestock, pasture management or related agricultural topics can contact the Brown County office at 325-646-0386, visit 605 Fisk Avenue in Brownwood or email [email protected]. Additional educational resources include Texas A&M AgriLife Extension’s information on determining pregnancy in cattle and management techniques intended to move cow-calf producers toward profitability.