A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Service. The clostridial vaccination is a 7-way vaccine, which
reduces calf death loss. Previous research indicates that castrating and implanting steers and deworming can increase weight gain by 5 percent (approximately 25 pounds) at weaning. With use of all selected calf management practices,
it was assumed that average calf weights would in- crease 10 percent. All 4 evaluated calf management practices offer the
potential of signifi cantly increasing the profi tability of an operation. With no selected calf management practices (Scenario 1), the average net cash farm in- come (NCFI) was $76,970 per year, or $385 per cow per year and $428 per calf. The operation begins the fi rst year of each scenario
with a total cash balance of $10,000, and if profi table, it accumulates cash over the 10-year period (2014- 2023). Average cash reserves, at the end of the 10- year projections for Scenario 1 was $2,159 per cow and $2,339 per calf. Clostridial vaccinations (Scenario 2) offer a signifi -
cant potential for improving profi tability and fi nan- cial performance of a cow-calf operation, assuming the death loss reduction from 5 percent to 1 percent is achieved. NCFI averaged $83,790 per year over the 10-year
projection, 8.9 percent more than the no vaccination scenario. Returns per cow were $419, which is a $34 per cow increase. Each calf returned $466, an increase of $38 per calf. These increases were due to a reduc- tion in death loss. Average cash reserves at the end of the 10-year period increased $117 per cow and $130 per calf on average.
Low adoption rates of reproductive management practices, such as
pregnancy testing cows and checking breeding soundness of bulls, cost ranchers profi t.
Castration and growth implants (Scenario 3) also
increased profi tability based on the case study as- sumptions. NCFI averaged $78,790 per year, 2.4 percent more
than Scenario 1. This amounted to $9 per cow and $10 per calf increase over doing nothing. Average ending cash reserves improved by $33 per cow and $37 per calf. A $.04 per hundredweight market price reduction was assumed due to heavier calves (average 25 pounds
76 The Cattleman April 2016
Table 1. Scenarios evaluated in 2 economic studies of beef cattle production practices.
Calf Management Practices 1. Not using clostridial vaccinations, implants, cas- tration or deworming (no calf management)
2. Administering clostridial vaccinations to all calves 3. Castrating bull calves and implanting all calves 4. Deworming all cattle and calves 5. Using all selected management practices
Reproductive Management Practices 1. No pregnancy testing, no BSE and no-vaccina- tions (no reproductive management)
2. Pregnancy testing all cows 3. BSE all bulls 4. Vaccinate all cows for reproductive diseases 5. Using all selected management practices
heavier) reducing the potential gains in income and cash reserves. A 1 percent death loss due to castrating was assumed. Deworming (Scenario 4) is another practice that offers
potential gains to the bottom-line of a cow-calf operation. In the study, NCFI averaged $80,390, which was 4.4
percent more than Scenario 1. This is a net increase of $18 per cow and $20 per calf. Ending cash reserves increased by $66 per cow and $73 per calf. Gains in NCFI and cash reserves were again tempered by the $.04 per hundredweight market price decrease. All calf management practices (Scenario 5) com-
bined the benefi ts of clostridial vaccinations, castra- tion/growth implants and deworming. When these practices are used, calves are expected
to be healthier, grow faster and suffer less death loss. NCFI averaged $89,360 and represented $447 per
cow and $496 per calf per year. This refl ected a 16.1 percent or $12,390 ($62 per cow and $68 per calf) in- crease over Scenario 1. Ending cash reserves increased by 10.1 percent. Market price reduction was $.08 per hundredweight for a 50-pound average weight increase.
Reproduction management practices “Better reproductive management can improve herd
performance and calving percentages,” Young said. “Ac- cording to the Beef 2007-2008 National Animal Health Monitoring Survey Report issued by USDA, only 18 per- cent of U.S. beef producers utilize pregnancy testing. Only 19.5 percent conduct breeding soundness exams on their bulls and a mere 39.6 percent vaccinate for reproductive diseases.”
thecattlemanmagazine.com
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108