Next came “cow math,” which was the core target of our stocking rate discussion. The “grass math” calculated 175 animal units (AUs), with a total herd stocking weight of 175,533 pounds. The “grass math” stocking rate, calculated using ecological site maps updated in the mid-2000s, calls for 789 animal unit months (AUMs) of forage for the three summer pastures’ stocking, or 1.92 acre per AUM. One 1,519-acre grazing parcel utilized the twice-over grazing system from early June to mid-October. Why? The pastures at the center have set stocking rates, and the calculated stocking rate is based on total cow weight.Įnter “grass math,” a prerequisite for cow math.
So, by June of 2010, the center sorted cow-calf pairs, particularly targeting the excessively large cows and sold them. Multiple breeds were utilized and life was good we had no time for “cow math” because the center accepted what was.Īfter the turn of the century, the large cows were becoming more noticeable. The center has retained ownership in most of the steers since the mid-1990s, and the cattle were representative of cattle throughout the industry. Was this an issue? Not really because the cattle performed well all the way to harvest. To no surprise, the center’s cattle were a product of available growth genes within the beef business. In other words, the cows matured at weights similar to the center’s raised heifers. These purchased heifers were from various sources, and their mature weights were indicative of growth bulls. If raised heifers were short in number, then those heifers purchased generally were crossbred heifers. Heifer replacement was a side product of these good growth bulls. Some cows in the herd were approaching 1,800 to 2,000 pounds because growth was prevalent in the background genetics of the cattle and purchased sires were good growth bulls. The beef industry has efficient cows, but the definition of efficiency varies, depending on the background of the discussion.Īt the center, the search started in the mid-1990s. The search for efficient cows at the Dickinson Research Extension Center has resulted in “cow math,” the translation of biological and economic efficiency into the herd production inventory based on land units.
BeefTalk: Walking a Trail, Understanding Cow Math
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