The Importance of Pregnancy Checking Cattle

By Travis Meteer

Pregnancy checking cattle is beneficial to any operation. Culling open animals allows for saved feed costs and potential profit. Keeping a tight calving window increases the importance of pregnancy checking. When checking, if cattle are bred and don’t fit your desired calving season, they can typically be marketed at a higher price. If cows or heifers are identified as open in a timely fashion, producers then have time to grow and market those animals. History has shown that cull cow prices can be 5-10% higher in August compared to October and November.

The year 2015 was just before a national election – which have major influences on policy paths, administration goals, and how farmers feel about their future.