July 27, 2015 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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MSU Students Place Second in Regional Animal Science Competition

Rachel Endecott, Montana State University Extension Beef Cattle SpecialistBy Dr. Rachel Endecott, MSU Extension Beef Cattle Specialist

Happy summer! This month, I’m proud to feature this press release from MSU News Service about the MSU Academic Quadrathlon Team.

BOZEMAN – Four students from Montana State University’s Department of Animal and Range Sciences in the College of Agriculture placed second in the Western Region Academic Quadrathlon, held June 22-23 in Ruidoso, N.M.

The regional contest was held in conjunction with the 2015 Western Section American Society of Animal Science meetings, hosted by New Mexico State University. The MSU team competed with four other universities in the western region, including California State University-Chico, New Mexico State University, Oregon State University and Utah State University.

L to R, Elena Combs, Alyson Hicks-Lynch, Bailey Engle, Emily Griswold

L to R, Elena Combs, Alyson Hicks-Lynch, Bailey Engle, Emily Griswold

Elena Combs of Missoula, Bailey Engle of Big Timber, Emily Griswold of Millerstown, Pa., and Alyson Hicks-Lynch of Hood River, Ore. competed in a four-part contest that consisted of a comprehensive written exam, impromptu oral presentation, hands-on lab practicum and a double-elimination quiz bowl tournament.

“Elena, Bailey, Emily and Alyson did a spectacular job representing MSU at the contest,” said Rachel Endecott, team adviser and MSU beef cattle extension specialist. “I’m extremely proud of them and their hard work.”

All four students graduated in May from the department. Endecott said Combs has been accepted into the Washington, Idaho, Montana and Utah (WIMU) Regional Program in Veterinary Medicine and will complete her first year of veterinary school in Bozeman this fall. Engle will begin a five-year Ph.D. program in breeding and genetics at Texas A&M University. Griswold works as a veterinary technician at Sorenson Veterinary Clinic and is applying for vet school this year. Hicks-Lynch will begin a master’s degree program at Oregon State University in range management and ruminant nutrition this fall.

July 20, 2015 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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How Much Seed Should I Plant?

Emily Glunk Montana State Forage ExtensionDr. Emily Glunk, Extension Forage Specialist and Dr. Jessica Torrion, Crop Physiologist

Depending on who you ask, you may get a wide range in how much seed you should be planting per acre. There are a lot of factors to consider, but in my experience, there are many producers throughout the nation that are spending more money, and putting more seed in the ground, than is necessary. There are some situations where it may be desirable to increase your seeding rate, say in an irrigated field versus a dryland field, if the seedbed is less than optimal, or where the seeding depth is hard to get completely accurate due to rough terrain.

It is important to remember that not every seed that is dropped will result in a plant. This is where your seed tag can be helpful. On the seed tag, it should list a germination percentage. This is an estimate of how many of the seeds in that bag are actually viable and able to germinate. Also important on the tag is the list of other potential “contaminants”, such as weed seeds (which will be listed as a percentage), other seed, and inert matter. The percentage of each of these should be minimal.

Another factor that can decrease germination rates is the seeding rate itself. Research from other states has found an estimated 45% mortality rate in the first year for alfalfa planted at 10 pounds per acre, and a 60-70% mortality rate for seeding rates over 20 pounds/ acre. So having a high seeding rate can actually be detrimental to your seed!

The important thing to start with is how many plants do you need per square foot? This will then help you to calculate how many pounds of seed you will need per acre. There are many tables available which provide estimates of desired number of plants per square foot. Alfalfa, for example, 30 plants per square foot is an optimal target plant population. Now, that does not mean that every year thereafter we are expecting to have 30 plants per square foot. Competition amongst plants for nutrients, canopy space, and water will decrease that number to less than 20 plants per square foot just after the stand’s first winter.

There are approximately 199,000 alfalfa seeds in one pound of seed, which equates to about 5 seeds per square foot if that pound were spread evenly over an entire acre. So, to figure out how many seeds you are planting an acre for alfalfa, take your seeding rate (in pounds per acre), and multiply by 5. If you were planting at 8 pounds of Pure Live Seed (PLS, we’ll cover that later), that means that you are putting approximately 40 seeds per square foot. Will you see 40 plants per square foot? Likely not. Seeds will also compete with one another, just like germinated plants, for light, moisture, and nutrients, and the most competitive plants will survive.

How can we figure out then how many pounds of seed we need to put in the ground? Let’s first get back to that thing I mentioned before, pure live seed or PLS. This is the amount of seed that has the ability to germinate, and is what we should be using when we are considering how much to plant. To figure this out, we simply use the information provided on the seed tag.

seed tag how much to plant

Step 1. We first want to figure out the purity of the seed in the bag. To determine this, we simply subtract the percent other crop, percent innert matter, and percent weed seed from 100.

For this tag, it would look like:

100-.11-.69-.18= 99.02% purity.

As you will notice, this number is already on the seed tag, however, not all seed tags will list this.

Step 2. Next, we need to determine PLS by multiplying that percent purity by the percent germination, and then by 100 as a conversion factor. Also remember to convert your percent’s to decimals, so 99.02% would be .9902.

.9902 (% purity) * .93 (% germination) * 100= 92.08% PLS

You will notice the percent germination was not actually listed on the bag, but we were able to figure it out by dividing the PLS weight (2.79 pounds) by the bulk weight (3 pounds).

Step 3. To figure out how many pounds of PLS we would need to get our desired establishment rates with this bag, we would then divide the recommended seeding rate (usually listed on the tag, for this we’ll use 10 pounds).

10/ .9208 (PLS in decimal form)= 10.9 pounds required at seeding

For this particular bag, there was very high germination rates and low levels of foreign seed, so we didn’t have to increase our seeding rate that much to get the desired number of seeds in the ground. This may not always be the case, which is why knowing how to figure out your PLS rate is extremely important to attain adequate stand establishment.

One final note, just like any other crops, seed size can influence the number of seeds per pound. Bigger seeds means less seeds per pound, and smaller seeds mean more seeds per pound. This is something to be mindful of, and to ask of your seed dealer, when purchasing seed.

For a list of recommended seeding rates, contact myself, Dr. Jessica Torrion, or your local county extension agent. There are also numerous publications available with seeding rate recommendations, such as the “Dryland Pastures in Montana and Wyoming”.

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact Dr. Emily Glunk at 406-994-5688 or [email protected], or Dr. Jessica Torrion at [email protected]

July 17, 2015 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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Strategy for Managing Horn Flies

megan van emon msu extension beef specialistDr. Megan Van Emon, MSU Extension Beef Cattle Specialist

As I’m sure many of you have noticed, it’s shaping up to be another bad fly year.  Horn flies are common on beef cattle here in Montana.  Annual control costs and cattle production losses can exceed $780 million annually in the U.S.

Horn flies spend the majority of their time on animals and will move from the back to the sides of the belly during the heat of the day.  Female horn flies deposit their eggs in fresh manure and can deposit up to 500 eggs during her life.  Horn fly larvae hatch and develop in manure.  Several generations of flies occur during the summer, with adult horn fly populations typically peaking during late summer.  When temperatures decline in the fall, horn fly pupae hibernate in the soil.

Horn flies prefer larger animals (cows, steers, heifers, and bulls), and tend not to bother calves until late summer.  One horn fly can bite 20 to 30 times per day, which can result in thousands of bites per day in large populations.  Cattle that are infested with over 200 flies will begin to bunch together in an attempt to escape the flies.  Large populations of horn flies cause changes in grazing behavior and can reduce feed intake, which ultimately decreases production.  Production losses include reduced feed intake, reduced feed efficiency, decreased milk production, and decreased weight gain.

Multiple methods are available for controlling horn fly populations.  Insecticides are the primary method for horn fly control as other methods are ineffective.  Methods available for cattle on pasture include dust bags, ear tags, sprays, pour-ons, boluses, and feed additives.

Dust bags, back rubbers, and oilers are most effective when cattle must pass under them on their way to water, feed, or mineral.  Dust bags can also be placed in loafing areas where they can be used free-choice.  Ear tags contain insecticides that allow for small amounts to be released over time by traveling through the hair coat when the animal is moving or grooming.  When using animal sprays to control horn flies, complete coverage and penetration to the skin is essential.  Sprays are easily applied, but require multiple treatments throughout the summer because the control of horn flies only lasts 3 to 4 weeks.  Pour-ons are also easily used and provide effective treatment for several weeks when used properly.  However, pour-on control may vary with weather and other factors.  Feed additives and boluses may be incorporated in mineral blocks, loose mineral or tubs.  The insecticides included as a feed additive pass through to the manure and kills the fly larvae.  Feed additives are most effective when consumed in sufficient amounts all season long.

For additional information and horn fly control contact your local Extension office to request a copy of the MontGuide by Greg Johnson, MSU Veterinary Entomologist.  The article is entitled “Horn Flies on Cattle: Biology and Management” (MT200912AG) and contains additional information about horn fly biology and available insecticide products.

June 19, 2015 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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MSU to host Twitter town hall with agriculture faculty on agricultural production topics #BigSkyAgChat

montana state extension logoMontana State University’s College of Agriculture, Montana Agricultural Experiment Station and MSU Extension will host a Twitter town hall on Monday, June 22, from 11 a.m. to noon. College of Agriculture faculty will participate in the town hall and answer questions regarding soil science, water security, agricultural production and the importance of youth in agriculture. Statewide agriculture-related organizations, industry leaders, and friends and supporters of agriculture are encouraged to join the discussion using the hashtag #bigskyagchat.

A Twitter town hall is similar to a public meeting or seminar, where participants engage in a discussion to raise awareness or ask questions. Instead of a physical meeting, the conversation takes place on Twitter in a question and answer format, in 140 characters or less.

The town hall is an outreach event in conjunction with Agriculture Is America, a national communications initiative aimed at highlighting the myriad teaching, research and extension accomplishments by the nation’s land-grant institutions.

June 15, 2015 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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Range Ruminations: How Much Grass Will I Have This Summer?

Jeff Mosley MSU ExtensionDr. Jeff Mosley, MSU Extension Range Management Specialist

Range forage growth this spring has been slow out of the chute in many parts of Montana.  My optimistic nature assures me, however, that plenty of rainfall and warmer temperatures will soon combine to ease my worries.  Those less optimistic souls among us might prefer to plan ahead using estimates of summer grass production.

Reliable estimates of summer grass production can be made by comparing this year’s amount of precipitation to the long-term average.  One method compares the amount of precipitation received in a “crop year”, while another method compares the combined total precipitation received in April, May, and June.

A crop year beginning 1 September and ending 30 June is appropriate for assessing precipitation effects on rangeland plant productivity in Montana.  For example, if precipitation during the crop year from 1 September 2014 to 30 June 2015 were to equal 80% of the 30-year average, then range forage production would likely be about 80% of normal in summer 2015.  Similarly, if the combined total precipitation received in April, May, and June 2015 were to equal 80% of the 30-year average for April + May + June precipitation, then range forage production would likely be about 80% of normal in summer 2015.

Either the crop-year precipitation method or the April + May + June precipitation method can also be used to help manage risk.  For example, if your area normally receives 4 inches of precipitation in April + May + June, and no moisture was received in April, you can examine long-term weather records to find how often your area received 4 inches in May + June alone.  The percentage of times this occurred in the past 30 years indicates the chances of it happening this year and the likelihood that summer forage production will be normal following a dry April.  Continuing the example, let’s say you receive 2 inches of precipitation in May.  You can then examine the long-term weather records to find how often your area received 2 inches in June alone.  The percentage of times this occurred in the past 30 years indicates the odds that your area will receive its normal 4 inches by the end of April + May + June and the likelihood that summer forage production will be normal.

Over the years I have used one or the other of these two precipitation methods to estimate summer grass production, and both methods have proven reasonably accurate.  These methods do not provide perfect estimates, of course, because they do not account for the many other factors that also affect range forage growth such as air temperature, humidity, and wind.  Both methods, however, provide useful ballpark estimates that can help you adjust livestock stocking rates, adapt pasture rotations, or make other management decisions.

Recently I encountered a situation that has convinced me to use both of these precipitation methods in tandem when making future estimates of range forage production.  I was reviewing the range forage growing conditions in summer 2014 on some foothill rangeland in west-central Montana.  Precipitation received in the 1 September to 30 June crop year of 2013-2014 was 17.3 inches, which was 25% more than the prior 30-year mean of 13.8 inches.  This figure alone might have led me to conclude that there was about 25% more range forage last year than normal.  But the combined total precipitation in April, May, and June 2014 was 6.2 inches compared with the prior 30-year mean of 7.1 inches, or 13% below average in 2014.

Overall, forage production in summer 2014 was not as great as the 25% above average crop-year precipitation indicated, but forage production was not as poor as indicated by the 13% below average April + May + June precipitation.  What happened?  Much of the above average precipitation in the 2013-2014 crop year was received in September 2013 and February and March 2014, and this stored soil moisture from fall, winter, and early spring helped offset the lack of rainfall during the prime late spring-early summer growing season.  Taken together the two estimates averaged 12% above normal, which matched very well with the actual amount of forage available in summer 2014.

If you don’t have precipitation records for your ranch, the Western Regional Climate Center has long-term data from hundreds of weather stations across Montana:  http://www.wrcc.dri.edu.  For assistance accessing these data, contact the Western Regional Climate Center, your local office of MSU Extension, or send me an email: [email protected].  Happy ruminating.

June 12, 2015 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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Beef Cattle Water Requirements Changing With Summer Heat

Dr. Rachel Endecott, MSU Extension Beef Cattle Specialist

Of the six classes of nutrients — carbohydrates, fat, protein, vitamins, minerals, and water — water is the most often overlooked, yet the most critical. Cattle performance can be affected by water intake.

Water requirements are a bit of a moving target, as feeds contain water and the metabolism of certain nutrients in the body produces water. This means that not all the water needs must be supplied as drinking water. High moisture feeds such as silages or pasture have increased water content, while harvested forages such as hay and straw contain little water. Cattle water needs are influenced by temperature, physiological stage, and weight (Table 1).

Endecott requirements of range livestock

Water intake increases dramatically at high temperatures; in fact, water requirements double between 50° and 95° F!  Table 2 illustrates the daily water requirements in gallons per 100 pounds of body weight for cattle at 90° F. This implies that a spring calving cow-calf pair would require 28 gallons of water for a 1400-lb cow plus an additional  7-9 gallons for a 350-450-lb calf (some of this increased calf water requirement can be met by milk intake).

Endecott water requirements cattle temperature

Providing unlimited access to clean, fresh water will ensure cattle performance is not negatively impacted; this goal becomes even more critical with increasing temperatures.

May 20, 2015 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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Tips for a Successful Bull Season – Breeding Soundness Exams

Vet Tested. Kid Approved! Image via Jennifer Nielson from Fallon during 2015 Spring Bull Testing

Vet Tested. Kid Approved! Image via Jennifer Nielson from Fallon during 2015 Spring Bull Testing

By Dr. Megan Van Emon, Montana State Beef Cattle Extension Specialist

One of the most cost efficient methods of a successful breeding program is the breeding soundness exam (BSE) conducted on bulls.  Bulls are responsible for breeding 20 to 50 cows each breeding season while cows are responsible for one calf each year.  Having a BSE conducted on the bulls is crucial to a successful breeding program.

The BSE is an exam conducted by veterinarians that includes a physical exam, semen evaluation, and an internal and external exam of the reproductive tract.  Evaluating the feet, legs, teeth, eyes, flesh cover, and scrotal circumference and shape is included in the physical exam.  The semen evaluation includes semen normality and motility.  The BSE should be conducted 30 to 60 days prior to the beginning of breeding.  It is important to note that the bull’s sperm production cycle is approximately 60 days, and if illness, injury or other issue occurs, this could negatively impact the BSE and breeding capability of the bull and may need to be re-evaluated.  An additional BSE can be conducted at the end of the breeding season to determine if bull fertility decreased throughout the breeding season.

Body condition is crucial for bulls during the breeding season.  Having adequate flesh cover during the breeding season is needed to provide the extra energy required for breeding.  Body condition can be impacted by the number of cows the bull is expected to breed, the distance traveled to breed or eat, and nutrition during the breeding season.  A body condition score 6 or sufficient body condition that the ribs appear smooth across the bull’s side is the ideal flesh cover at the start of the breeding season.

Ensuring bulls are structurally sound in their feet and legs is needed to begin the breeding season.  Bulls with unsound feet and legs will have a difficult time walking and mounting for mating if a significant distance needs to be traveled for breeding.  General health of the bull is also needed to ensure bulls have adequate semen quality and the ability to mate.  Scrotal circumference is an essential measure because it is directly related to sperm production, sperm normality, and the onset of puberty.  The external and internal reproductive tract examinations ensure there is no inflammation, abscesses, warts, or penile deviations.

The semen evaluation includes the measurement of semen motility or the percentage of sperm cells moving in a forward direction.  The bulls needs to at least have 30% sperm motility to pass the BSE.  Sperm morphology, or the proper shape, is also determined and at least 70% of the sperm cells should have a normal shape.

If all of the minimum requirements are met, the bull will be classed as “satisfactory.”  However, if a bull does not pass one of the tests, they will be classed as “classification deferred.”  If a bull is classed as “classification deferred,” the bull should be tested again after 6 weeks.  If a mature bull fails the subsequent BSEs, they will be classified as “unsatisfactory.”  A young bull may be “classification deferred,” and pass the subsequent test.  Exercise caution when making bull culling decisions based on a single BSE.

May 18, 2015 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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Importance of Soil Testing Livestock and Hay Pastures

Image via: nrcs.usda.gov

Image via: nrcs.usda.gov

By Dr. Emily Glunk, Montana State Forage Extension Specialist

I get a lot of questions on the importance of soil testing, and if it’s worth it. My answer: yes.

A soil test can give you a lot of very helpful information that can help in your forage production, for a relatively small amount of money. I like to use the comparison of feeding your livestock to feeding your forages. When we develop a ration for our cattle, we make sure that they are meeting their energy, protein, vitamin and mineral needs so that they can perform to the best of their abilities. Why wouldn’t we do the same for our forages? By neglecting to ensure that there is sufficient Nitrogen (N), Phosphorous (P), Potassium (K), Sulfur (S), etc. in our soils, we are decreasing that plant’s ability to produce to its maximum potential, also decreasing the amount of nutrients that it can supply to the foraging animal.

The first thing I always ask when people look for advice on forages to establish is “what is your pH?” This piece of information is so important, and can save you a lot of time, money, and headache down the road. However, the only way to accurately estimate this is by performing a soil test.

The pH of a soil is important for a couple of reasons. 1. It gives you an idea of whether or not a species will be able to establish in your soils. For example, sainfoin does not particularly like acid soils, so if your pH comes back at a 6, then you may have some issues getting sainfoin seeds to germinate. And 2. It gives you an idea of the availability of the nutrients in your soil

Not every nutrient is going to be highly available at every pH. Macronutrients, such as Nitrogen, Phosphorous, and Potassium are usually more available to a plant at a more neutral to alkaline pH, or a pH greater than 7. Micronutrients like Iron (Fe), Copper (Cu), Molybdenum (Mo), and Manganese (Mn) are typically more available at slightly lower pH, say around 6. Knowing this helps us to cater to the soils, and provide adequate amounts of necessary nutrients for plants.

Image via extension.org

Image via extension.org

Soil tests will also give us an idea of how much of a particular nutrient is already in the soil. This will help us in developing a fertilizer regimen, and potentially save us some money in the long term. Instead of applying the same amount of fertilizer year after year, which may or may not be needed in that particular amount, we can provide only what is necessary to produce a healthy plant.

Nutrients will differ in how long they “stick around” in the soil. Nitrogen is a highly mobile nutrient, and fertilizing annually (if recommended from the test) is usually appropriate. However, because it is highly mobile, we don’t want to over-fertilize, which can lead to nutrient leaching, and wasted money on fertilizer. Nutrients such as Potassium and Phosphorous are relatively immobile, and usually are in the soil for longer periods of time after fertilization. In fact, if a stand is deficient in Phosphorous, and adequate amounts of P are applied, you may not see a huge increase in yield or quality until up to a year after that first application, due to its slow release.

When soil testing and fertilizing, don’t forget to look at the micronutrients. While needed in much smaller amounts that the macronutrients, these can play just as important of a role in forage production and quality. Things like Selenium (Se), Boron (B), and Manganese (Mn) can all be limiting to plant growth if they are in too small of amounts, or too large of amounts as well. With Boron, for example, it can be easy to surpass sufficiency needs and enter into toxic levels of applied B. Soil testing is extremely important in determining exactly how much your plant needs so that you can feed it properly. To help in developing these recommendations, Montana State University Researchers are looking into fertilization guidelines, and have developed several publications, with more still on the way. Most can be found on my website (http://animalrangeextension.montana.edu/forage/) or on the other Extension specialists’ websites as well.

For more information on how to soil test, or if you have any questions, please contact Dr. Emily Glunk at 406.994.5688 or [email protected].

May 1, 2015 1 Comment Montana Stockgrowers Association
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2015 Montana Nutrition Conference and Livestock Forum in Tweets

MSU Extension Montana Nutrition Conference and Livestock ForumThis year’s Montana Nutrition Conference and Livestock Forum was held April 28-29 in Bozeman with a great line up of speakers. Topics ranged from alternative forage crops, market trends, weaning strategies, mineral and vitamin deficiencies, antibiotic use, Veterinary Feed Directives, consumer perceptions of beef production and more. Keep an eye out on future blog posts to learn more about the topics discussed.

Below is a snapshot of the conversations happening via Twitter! Visit Montana State University Extension online for more resources from the conference.

March 26, 2015 1 Comment Montana Stockgrowers Association
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Postpartum Interval and Fertility | Rancher Education

Rachel Endecott, Montana State University Extension Beef Cattle SpecialistBy Dr. Rachel Endecott, MSU Extension Beef Cattle Specialist

After calving, cows go through a period of temporary infertility known as postpartum anestrus. Cows will not experience estrous cycles during this time. Another common term associated with this phenomenon is postpartum interval, which is the time from calving to the subsequent conception. Postpartum interval plays an important role in determining a cow’s calving interval, or the number of days from calving date in one year to calving date the next year. To maintain a 365-day calving interval, a cow must have a postpartum interval of 80-85 days. If a shorter calving interval is desired to move the cow up in the calving cycle, she must have a postpartum interval of less than 80-85 days.

Several factors can influence the length of the postpartum anestrous period, including uterine involution, short cycling, suckling effects, and nutritional status. Uterine involution is the regression of the uterus—in both structure and function—to a status that is capable of carrying another pregnancy. This entails the uterus returning to a non-pregnant size, shape, and position, shedding all fetal membranes, and the repair of uterine tissues. This process is completed in approximately 20-40 days post-calving if no complications arise.

The first ovulation postpartum often occurs without visual signs of the cow being in heat, and is often followed by abnormal function of the corpus luteum (CL). Normal CL lifespan takes up 14-18 days of the typical 21-day estrous cycle of a beef cow. The short estrous cycles experienced by cows overcoming postpartum anestrus are characterized by a CL lifespan of 10 days or less. This is thought to be due to high levels of prostaglandin production and metabolism by the uterus during uterine involution. Prostaglandin is responsible for regression and death of the CL in a normal estrous cycle, but at the elevated levels described, that regression and death of the CL is premature. If fertilization of the egg from this ovulation were to occur, maternal recognition of pregnancy would fail as CL regression would take place too soon, and the embryo would be lost.

A nursing calf can be a factor in the length of time a cow takes to return to cyclicity. One might assume that the energy demand of lactation is the major issue at play in this case, but it is actually the suckling effect and presence of a calf. Suckling triggers a complex system of brain and hormone responses that result in lack of ovulation.  Frequency of suckling has shown to have a threshold influence on postpartum fertility. Suckling sessions of two or less per day promote return to cyclicity while sessions of greater than two per day tend to cause postpartum anestrus. It has been suggested that the maternal bond between the dam and calf plays an important role in this phenomenon as well. This may be due to the cow seeing, smelling, or hearing her calf or all of the above!

Plane of nutrition is an important part of cattle management throughout the production cycle. Pre-calving nutrition is probably more important than post-calving nutrition in impacting postpartum interval length. Cows with inadequate energy reserves typically have several follicular waves before a successful ovulation. Without ovulation, no CL forms and estrous cycles are not initiated. Due to the dramatic increases in nutrient requirements during late gestation and early lactation, intervention to improve cow condition during times of the year when nutrient requirements are lowest (post-weaning, for example) will result in the most efficient use of nutrients by the cow at a lower cost.

Many different factors interact to impact the postpartum anestrous period in beef cows. This post-calving period of temporary infertility can’t be avoided, but through an understanding of the systems at play, it can be managed to ensure reproductive success during the breeding season.