PSX-B-20 - Survey of Reproductive Management Practices for Beef Cow-calf Producers in VA

Abstract: The Virginia Master Cattlemen program has the goal to provide beef producers with essential knowledge in areas of beef production. Every year, beef producers from VA and neighboring states participate in this comprehensive 14-hour long program. During the 2021 program, we performed an online survey with participants addressing their reproductive management practices. We have obtained data from 133 participants, of which 67.7% indicated their operations have a defined breeding season. Of those, 41.1% have reported the length of the breeding season to be less than 70 days. In addition, 64.6% of participants indicated that at least 40% of their cows will calve during the first 21 days of their calving season. As far as seasonality, 50.9% of participants reported to have both a fall and spring breeding seasons, whereas 24% and 25% of participants reported to only hold their breeding season in the fall, and spring, respectively. Furthermore, only 35% of participants indicated that they collect body condition scores of their herds on a regular basis. In regards to natural service, 84.8% of participants reported to have a bull:cow ratio of 1:25 cows or greater during the breeding season; however only 50% of participants reported performing a breeding soundness exam prior to the breeding season. Finally, pregnancy diagnostics was the most commonly adopted reproductive technology, with 80% of participants indicating to perform pregnancy diagnosis every year, followed by 55% participants adopting artificial insemination, and 45% adoption of estrus synchronization. The least adopted reproductive technologies were embryo transfer with 9%, and sexed semen with only 10% of participants indicating use of those technologies. Contrasting our data with the 2017 USDA NAHMS Cow-Calf Study, participants of the VA Master Cattlemen program have a greater adoption of reproductive technologies than the average cattlemen in the USA.