Drought Impact on Cattle Open Rates

For cow-calf operations, a major component of profitability is reproductive efficiency or the number of calves weaned per cow exposed. When open rates are higher than expected, it can be difficult to pinpoint the cause; there may be many factors that contributed. Dry conditions over the past several years have impacted many aspects of beef operations, including those that contribute to open rates. The quantity and quality of forage available to many cow herds has been reduced due to dry conditions. Pasture may be unable to supply the energy needed for cows to maintain their body condition. Cows in lower body condition at calving will be slower to resume cycling following calving, conceive later in the breeding season and calve later the next year or remain open if unable to conceive before bulls are pulled. To maintain herd size, more replacement heifers may be kept to compensate for an increase in open cows. If yearling heifers haven’t reached 55 to 65 per cent of their mature body