The breeding part of a beef business involves deciding from what animals the next generation will be bred, and then properly managing those animals. This involves culling decisions of females based on their prior performance as dams, and selection of sires.

The impact of these decisions is long acting. Most genetic improvement comes from the bull, and his daughters and grand-daughters can remain in the herd for ten to fifteen years.

Breeding cattle requires an understanding of the market requirements, and the environment the herd runs under. It means an understanding of the cattle traits most important to these current and future requirements.

It requires knowledge of the most effective methods of selecting for these traits, and the management needed for the genetics to be expressed.

Environment affects herd fertility and individual animal performance, and influences the most suitable type of cattle to run. Breeding plans consider production targets to aim for, and measurements of how the herd is performing each year against these targets. The number of difficult births, pregnancy and weaning rates, turn-off live or carcase weights and the compliance to market fat and other carcase specifications are examples.

Production data needs to be collected to gain an understanding of where the herd sits. Market feedback and records of production numbers, fertility and weight gains of progeny are needed. Astute cattle breeders seek information on possible district performance through involvement in farmer discussion groups, benchmarking systems and asking questions of other producers and the people they work with.

The difference in current herd performance and the realistic targets is what drives the breeding plan.

A breeding plan requires an understanding of what traits expressed in the cattle affect the herds potential income and costs.

Many traits in cattle affect income but some don’t have much effect. Those affecting income include reproductive performance, growth rate, maturity and finishing ability, muscularity, structural soundness, temperament, meat and eating quality. Some traits only influence fashionable or aesthetic characteristics and should be discounted.

Some traits affect herd costs. Cow size relative to feed energy limitations, and net feed efficiency are costs to the breeding business. A herd of moderate framed cows known to be feed efficient will reduce feed cost per calf bred.

Breeding plans consider what may happen to current markets and the current environment. Will either change considerably over the next ten years or so?

Environments are slow to change but there is now sound information even at a district level on future climate. New beef markets will continue to emerge, and these will have their own specifications. Selecting cattle that are flexible to perform to a range of markets may be appropriate.

The breeding system used is part of the plan.

Both straight-breeding and crossbreeding systems should be considered. Straight-breeding is easy to manage and improvements come through the bull. Crossbreeding uses breed differences as well as individual bull performance to change traits.

Crossbreeding gives the producer the advantage of designing crossbred cows that prove highly fertile within that environment, and progeny that best meet what the market requires. Crossbreeding also lifts the performance of the progeny relative to the straight-bred, through hybrid vigour.

Regardless of breed the bull needs the usual high standard of fertility, structural soundness and temperament, and he needs to lift or maintain the desired level of identified traits.

Cattle breeding takes time so breeding plans should be developed for five to ten years. Producers should be confident in their decisions, and patient as their herd moves towards the identified objectives.

Animal breeding is by its nature a random event. In each new generation there will be a range of genetic combinations and animals that don’t seem to follow the selection plan.

However, with large numbers of animals, a well-developed breed plan should see the average of the next calf drop better than its predecessor.   

As you develop your cattle breeding plan, remember to be patient, and keep it simple.