Team Number_______________
Beef Cow Herd Case Study: Bred Heifer Selection
Your challenge is to review the information and decide how many and which bred heifers to retain, while
staying within the limitations of available financial resources. You will have 2 minutes to explain your selections
to the contest official.
Situation Statement:
You are the owner/manager of a 200 head commercial spring calving cow herd. The cow herd is
made up of approximately 100 crossbred cows (50% angus, 50% simmental) and 100 crossbred cows (50%
simmental, 50% Limousin).
The operation weans all calves at 180 days of age, selects enough heifers to replace 18% of the mature
cows, and the balance of the calf crop is placed in a custom feedlot. Due to a sterile bull, you only have 32 bred
heifers, so you are looking at purchasing additional heifers and you are selecting from the nine pictured heifers.
Your calf crop will reach market endpoint by 14 months of age. You are trying to sell your feedlot cattle on a
grade and yield basis, but have been taking some sizeable discounts on approximately 12% Standards (U.S.D.A.
Quality Grade).
Your ranch is in western Nebraska, where your grazing requirements are 10 acres per cow-calf pair. This
would indicate that moderate frame and structural soundness is important when selecting replacements.
Disposition is a problem in your herd, so you are also putting limited selection pressure on disposition.
Financial Situation:
Your 2002 Standardized Performance Analysis (SPA) closeout shows the following:
Your Herd
State Average
Total Production Cost Per Cow
$386
$295
Total Feed Cost per cow
$277
$198
Pounds Weaned per cow Exposed 486 pounds
476 pounds
Stored Feed Useage/ cow
5,340
3,750 pounds
Your financial resources are limited and you are working on lowering production costs. You can spend less
than, but must not exceed the $5000 budgeted for these purchases.
Herd Management Goals:
1) Reducing Feed Costs
2) Structural soundness.
3) Improved disposition.
Bred Heifers to select from:
No.
1
2
3
4
5
6
Breed
Simx
Angus
Limx
Angus
Simx
Angus
Simx
Angus
Simx
Angus
Simx
Angus
Frame
Score
Adj.
WW
Adj.
YW
Expected Progeny Differences
BW
WW
YW
Milk
Price
$900
8.1
545
845
$850
5.6
465
785
$850
7.9
535
830
$900
6.2
460
690
$1000
5.9
520
735
$1100
5.8
515
720
7
$1100
Angus
6.0
530
770
2.9
35
47
11
8
$1200
Angus
5.8
545
760
2.6
45
61
12
9
$2600
Angus
6.0
540
810
3.1
48
77
8
Heifer 9 is a registered Angus heifer that has been ultrasounded, to confirm she is carrying a bull calf.
Heifer 9 is bred to a leading growth sire in the Angus breed.
Average EPDs of Angus heifers for 2002:
BW=2.8
WW=30.0
YW=55.0
Milk=13.0
BW=birth weight WW=weaning weight YW=yearling weight
Official Response:
The scenario indicates that an 18% replacement rate is desired, so 36 bred heifers would be ideal for this 200 cow
herd. The herd already has 32 heifers, so you are looking for four commercial heifers. The goal of reducing feed
costs indicates the need to moderate both frame size and milking potential.
Unacceptable heifers are 2 because of structural unsoundness and 4 because of poor disposition (as viewed in the
videotape). Heifers 1 and 3 are considerably larger framed than desired, and therefore should not be considered for
purchase, however if you did, they net you 5 and 6 points, respectively. Number 9 is a high quality heifer that is too
high priced for this scenario. Keeping her nets you 10 points, but only leaves you $2400, therefore you can only buy
2 more heifers.
Optimum Heifer Purchases:Heifers 5, 6, 7, and 8 are all moderate framed, structurally correct females, making
them acceptable females relative to the goals. They were worth 11, 12, 14, and 13 points, respectively.