Managing heifers and cows: Part 4

In the case of heifers, the emphasis is on selecting for desired traits. With cows, in contrast, the focus is on culling poor doers (animals that fail to develop properly, even though they have been fed and cared for properly).

Selecting heifers and culling cows in a beef herd must be based on the goals set for the enterprise, but some factors are important regardless. These include the following:

• Fertility

Reproductive rate (number of calves born in relation to the number of cows bred) is the most important factor determining economic efficiency in a beef