84 - Awardee Talk: Managing Reproduction: A Key to Profitability

Abstract: In agriculture, the ability to reproduce dictates gross revenue and reproductive success is the culmination of implementation of multiple management practices that optimize the probability the animal will reproduce. About four decades ago, Extension Specialists recognized the need to develop a holistic approach to beef cattle management. Integrated Resource Management (IRM) is a concept developed by the Cooperative Extension Service and the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and the concept represents a systems approach designed to enhance the competitiveness, efficiency, and profitability of the beef business. My Extension program has focused on enhancing reproductive efficiency, revenue, and profits using IRM concepts and a hands-on approach. Nearly 2,000 farm visits and multiple Extension programs to thousands of producers have demonstrated methods to improve productivity and profitability. Perhaps the most impactful program was the UK IRM Farm Program. This program combined standard educational meetings discussing health, nutrition, genetics, and reproduction with extensive farm visits. Baseline data was obtained from each cooperator and farm goals were ascertained. From these, production plans were developed and implemented with the help of local Extension Agents. At the conclusion of the program, 147 producers from 84 counties with 6,943 cows committed to this program. Data collection and management was central to this project. We obtained gross data from all cooperators and accurate impact data from a subset of these producers. Integrated, organized management decreased the length of the calving season, increased calving percent, weaning percent, weaning weight and pounds of calf per cow exposed. Revenue was increased by 34% on average with a range of 25-200%. During this project, we recognized the need for a new data collection and management application and developed X10D (pronounced “extend”). An IRM approach making data driven decisions is a key to increasing revenue and enhancing profitability in beef cow-calf operations.