92 NEBRASKA CATTLEMAN February 2025 prior to their first calving, this could impact their cow herd for years to come. Shortening the breeding season and having first-calf heifers calve sooner in the calving window will result in more pounds of calves produced and weaned over a lifetime for an individual animal. What’s even better news for the produccattle. A cattle producer must have confidence in their decisions and faith that their management strategies will produce a successful calving season, resulting in years of productive and efficient cows being added to their herd. Adjusting current strategies with management practices that are supported by research will help producers be more confident in their decisions, and more efficient and profitable in the future. Calving season is a time of revelation – revealing results of the previous management decisions as well as opportunities for improving the future of the operation. ~NC~ er is that early-calving heifers will be more productive as cows and will stay in the herd longer. By staying in the herd longer and producing more pounds of calves while doing so, the efficiency of a cow-calf program can be increased for the foreseeable future if this management change is adapted. Ranching is hard work, and calving season is the defining time for just how much work and heart it takes to raise US MARC CONTINUED FROM PAGE 90 To view the most current online edition of the Nebraska Cattleman magazine visit: https://www. nebraskacattlemen.org/ nebraska-cattlemanmagazine To find past issues of the magazine go to https://necattle. memberclicks.net/ magazine-archive
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