Growing Beef Newsletter
September 2025, Volume 16, Issue 3
Breeding females: making informed decisions based on pregnancy status
Chris Clark, ISU Extension and Outreach beef specialist
If summer-bred cows have not already been evaluated for pregnancy, now may be a good time to get that job done. Early identification of open and late-bred cows allows producers greater flexibility in managing those females moving forward. With cheap feed and an incredibly strong cattle market, it may be difficult to make a bad decision, and perhaps there is less pressure to identify open and late-bred cows early compared to normal. However, even in this market, it can be advantageous to have the knowledge to make informed decisions. And once this information is obtained, what should be done with open and late-bred cows? There are many variables, and although the best answer will not be the same for everyone, here are a few options to consider for various scenarios.
1. Open heifers exposed this summer for spring calving are still young enough to easily transition into the market animal channels. These females could be marketed for placement in feedlots or fattened to be sold as fed cattle.
2. Open cows exposed this summer for spring calving hold great value as cull/market animals, but there are other options. These females could be bred this winter to calve next fall. In reality, that seems to be how many fall-calving herds in Iowa began … bull failure, heat stress, fescue toxicosis, etc., lead to more opens than a producer wants to part with, and they simply breed them back for the fall as opposed to selling or feeding for an entire year without a product.
Fall-calving herds have their advantages. Weather challenges are usually less than those during spring calving. Depending on exactly when a producer chooses to calve during the fall, there can be some heat, dust, flies, or perhaps some cold stress, but rarely the extreme mud or wintery conditions that we sometimes experience in the spring. Fall-born calves often have lighter weaning weights than spring-born counterparts, and of course, producers must feed lactating cows during the winter, but the calf crop is ready for market at a different time of year. This spreads out income, and because calf supply is relatively low at market time, demand is often relatively high. Fall herds can also spread out the workload for producers, bulls, calving facilities, etc.
Even for producers who would rather not have fall-calving herds, these females could be bred and managed to be marketed later as bred females. Once confirmed pregnant, they could be marketed at any point based on the market and other factors. Considering the current market for bred females, national cow herd inventory, and the bovine life cycle, there is reason to believe the market will remain strong, and these females will be valuable next fall. Of course, this involves risk. My optimism is based simply on supply and demand, but it should be noted that unexpected things can happen. Policy changes, foreign conflicts, natural disasters, weather events, disease outbreaks, droughts, and other such surprises are always possible and may have big impacts on markets.
3. Late-bred females exposed this summer for spring calving should be evaluated for fetal age/stage of gestation. These females could then be grouped and sold as bred females. Their late breeding and calving dates may not be ideal for current owners, but may work just fine for someone else. Again, once confirmed pregnant and grouped based on fetal age/stage of gestation, these females could be sold at any time depending on numerous factors. Producers can keep an eye on feed inventory, available space, bred cow market, etc., and market whenever they choose. Considering current demand for bred females, someone will be willing to calve them out as late spring or summer calvers, and it might be surprising what they are worth this winter.
4. What about open fall-calving females? Maybe a producer did not pregnancy check the fall herd, and some of the cows don’t seem to be bellying down as expected. It may be beneficial to evaluate for pregnancy to determine the best plan moving forward. For open fall-calving females, producers must weigh their options carefully. At this point, they have already been fed and managed for a significant period of time, and it will soon be approaching rebreeding time. Generally, if a cow does not settle, she needs to be replaced by a female that will better do her job. But having already fed her through the last nine months and knowing it won’t be cheap to replace her, one has to carefully weigh her cull/market value versus replacement cost. Of course, other factors should be considered, such as why she might be open (is it her fault), attitude, historical productivity, age, soundness, udder and teat confirmation, etc. In many cases, though, with recent market strength, the undesirable cows have already been marketed. Culling deeper may cut into the overall size of the herd, and without replacement, it will mean less ability to produce and take advantage of the strong calf market moving forward.
5. What about late-bred fall-calving females? Again, fall-calving cows that are not bellying down as expected and let’s now assume we find them to be late-bred rather than open? Late-bred fall-calving cows could still be very valuable right now. Although they may be late for one producer’s desired calving window, they may work well for someone else. And very late fall-calving females might wind up being due for winter or early spring, making them prime candidates to be sold this winter in what I expect will be a very hot bred female market.
The biology and life cycle are no different this year than any other year, but the dollar amount associated with each decision is greater now than ever before. Producers should use pregnancy evaluation data to make informed decisions and should be thoughtful about what to do with those open and late-bred females. It may prove to be well worth the effort.
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