At the time of this writing, we continue to enjoy a mild, dry winter in the Southwest. This has been a blessing from a standpoint of winter feed bills. The mild weather also creates a good opportunity to put flesh on the breeding herd prior to calving and breeding season, if it’s needed.
Optimum body condition score (BCS) on bred heifers going into calving season is a 6, and for mature cows, it’s a 5.5. This is important because there is a strong relationship between BCS at calving and reproductive success in the first 90 days after calving—the critical interval post-calving when cows need to breed back to stay on schedule to wean off a calf every 365 days. Cow body condition also influences the calf’s ability to develop a strong immune system.
It’s also important to monitor the BCS on herd bulls at this time of year. Herd bulls at a BCS of 5.5-6 at turnout are more fit and athletic and have batteries fully charged when they are turned out later this spring. Bulls in optimum condition at turnout are more likely to service and settle more cows early in the breeding season and contribute to the bottom line in a positive fashion.
Now is a good time to evaluate BCS on the breeding herd and feed accordingly. The mild weather gives an opportunity to add some body condition more efficiently if it’s needed. It’s more effective to do that now than to try and accomplish it if colder, wetter winter weather looms on the horizon. — Mark Z. Johnson, Oklahoma State University Extension beef cattle breeding specialist
