Cattle breeding is more than just pairing bulls with cows—it’s a complex, strategic undertaking that plays a crucial role in the productivity, profitability and sustainability of your herd. Regardless of your operational goals, establishing a well-planned cattle breeding program is vital. That is true whether you’re raising bulls for the commercial producer, show heifers for young exhibitors or cattle to put into the supply chain.
Perhaps the visionary filmmaker Walt Disney said it best. “A person should set his goals as early as he can and devote all his energy and talent to getting there.”
Your goals as a cow-calf producer should influence the genetic potential, reproductive efficiency and overall health of your animals. As we prepare for breeding season, each operation has its own set of goals, however, they all have some common goals, too:
- Getting those cows settled on the first breed back
- Keeping them bred through the summer’s heat
- Shortening the calving interval
The VitaFerm® team at BioZyme® created this guide to cover the critical components to help you build a successful cattle breeding program. Regardless of whether you utilize natural service, artificial insemination (AI), or embryo transfer (ET), good nutrition and vaccination protocols are vital to the success of your breeding success.
Establish Clear Cattle Breeding Goals
Before diving into the mechanics of breeding, it’s essential to determine what you want to achieve with your individual breeding program. Your goals will guide every decision you make, from selecting sires to choosing between natural service or advanced reproductive technologies.
Common breeding objectives include:
- Enhanced fertility – you want to get them bred
- Wean heavy calves – performance
- Efficiency – faster weight gain
- Healthy = this comes with good management
- Better temperament or maternal traits – part of your genetic selection tools
These goals should align with your operational objectives, market demands, labor availability and environmental conditions.
Understand the Breeding Methods Available
Let’s explore the three primary methods to cattle breeding, their advantages and disadvantages:
Natural Service
Natural service involves placing a fertile bull with a group of cows or heifers, allowing mating to occur naturally. It is the most traditional and straightforward breeding method.
Advantages
- Simple and low labor required once established
- Ideal for small herds or less-intensive operations
- No specialized equipment needed
Disadvantages
- Risk of injury to cows and bulls
- Limited genetic diversity if only one or a few bulls are used & knowing which bulls sired which calves in a multi-sire pasture. This makes culling difficult.
- Difficulty in monitoring exact breeding dates
- A bull that lacks libido likely won’t cover enough females.
Tips for Success
- Select high-quality, disease-free bulls with traits aligned to your breeding goals
- Practice a defined breeding season (45-90 days) to ensure uniform calf crops
- Conduct breeding soundness exams (BSE) on bulls annually. BSE’s are comprehensive physical exam PLUS semen test that should be conducted at least 60 days prior to turn-out. Allow adequate time for retesting or replacement, if needed.
Artificial Insemination (AI)
Artificial insemination allows the use of semen from high-quality sires, often located remotely, without the need to house a bull.
Advantages
- Access to superior genetics worldwide
- No need to manage or feed bulls
- Better control over breeding schedules and genetic planning
Disadvantages
- Requires trained personnel or professional service and additional facilities and handling
- Success heavily depends on accurate heat detection or proper estrus synchronization protocols to ensure timing aligns with ovulation.
- Slightly higher labor and cost per insemination
Tips for Success
- Use synchronized estrus protocols to streamline AI efforts
- Keep meticulous records of heat cycles and AI dates
- Work with a certified technician or invest in training
Embryo Transfer (ET)
A successful embryo transfer program involves placing fertilized embryos from genetically superior cows, known as donor cows, into recipient cows. This allows the best females to produce more offspring in a given year.
Advantages
- Rapid multiplication of superior genetics
- Enhanced control over genetic outcomes
- Useful for preserving rare or elite bloodlines
Disadvantages
- High initial cost and technical complexity
- Requires professional veterinary or technician support
- Intensive management of both donor and recipient cows
- Typically, lower conception rates than AI or natural service, though outcomes improve with recipient management and technician skill.
Tips for Success
- Ensure both donor and recipient cows are on optimal health and nutrition plans
- Synchronize estrus cycles of recipients with embryo availability
- Maintain strict hygiene and biosecurity during the procedure.
One of the advantages of the cattle business is the flexibility in choosing what works best for your operation. You choose the simplistic approach of natural service or one of the more advanced reproductive services as your cattle breeding program of choice. Whatever you select, nutrition and health should play key roles in your program.
Synchronization & Controlled Breeding Seasons
A defined cattle breeding season, such as 60-90 days, allows for easier management, uniform calf crop size and focused labor and health interventions. Synching up a group of cows is especially helpful if working with an outside AI tech who is coming in to breed your cows or heifers. Work with your breeding technician or veterinarian to choose the appropriate hormone protocols for your herd based on your breeding strategy. The benefits are most evident at calving and weaning with a uniform group of calves.
You will need the following tools to synchronize your females to prepare them for breeding. These tools allow a large group of females to come into heat simultaneously, improving AI efficiency and pregnancy rates.
Estrus Synchronization Tools:
- Progesterone-releasing devices (CIDRs)
- Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) injections
- Prostaglandins to regress the corpus luteum
Establish a Strong Health & Vaccination Program
Disease prevention is paramount in any cattle breeding program. Reproductive diseases can devastate herd productivity through reduced conception rates, abortions or reduced calf vigor. A few of the health measures you need to consider for cattle breeding include biosecurity, parasite control and a vaccination program. We’ll examine each of these a little more closely.
Biosecurity
Biosecurity is more important than ever before. We must be vigilant in biosecurity efforts to keep our herd safe and free of outside diseases and also to keep our family and other animals on our operation disease-free. We can do this by keeping new animals in quarantine for at least 30 days. Furthermore, test new animals for diseases like BVD, Johne’s and brucellosis. Finally, limit visitor and vehicle access to certain areas on your property to minimize pathogen spread.
Parasite Control
Producers should use fecal egg counts to monitor worm burdens within their herds. Parasite control should be conducted on both cows and bulls at strategic times. Deworm both the cows and bulls pre-breeding. Finally, most parasite control programs call for more than one method, so consider controlling external parasites with lice and flies with pour-ons or sprays. For fly control, consider a fed-through pest control in your mineral like ClariFly® larvicide that is found in several VitaFerm products.
Vaccination Program
At VitaFerm, we always encourage producers to work with a veterinarian. Since every herd is different and every environment faces different challenges, work with your local veterinarian to tailor a vaccine plan to your herd’s specific risks.
Even if you have a “closed” herd, or haven’t introduced new cattle into your herd for quite some time, it is still vital to have a vaccination program in place. You can’t control the birds and wildlife that go through your property. Unfortunately, these creatures also spread diseases that can impact the reproductive soundness of your herd.
In general, a vaccination protocol might look like the following:
Before Breeding:
- Bovine Viral Diarrhea (BVD)
- Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis (IBR)
- Leptospirosis
- Campylobacteriosis (Vibriosis)
- Trichomoniasis (especially in bulls)
Pregnant Cows:
- Booster shots as recommended
- Clostridial vaccines
Calves:
- Begin vaccinating at 4-6 weeks of age
- Follow up with booster doses
Implement a Comprehensive Nutrition Program
Reproduction and nutrition work synergistically within every herd. Nutritional deficits can delay puberty in heifers, reduce conception rates, increase embryonic loss and weaken calves at birth. At VitaFerm, we specialize in nutritional supplements for beef cattle that maximize energy and forage utilization for successful production.
You will want to ensure your cows are in ideal body condition score when preparing for cattle breeding season. According to Chris Cassady, Ph.D., BioZyme Director of Beef Technical Sales, you will want them to be at least 5.
According to Cassady, maintenance requirements for energy and protein increase 25-30% post-calving. If you have some cows with a BCS of 5 or less, you should consider managing them separately. By increasing their energy intake, thinner cows may see a boost in reproductive performance.
“Thin cows happen to all of us, but don’t panic. Research has shown that cattle gaining weight heading into the breeding season have just as good a chance of breeding successfully as their adequately fleshed herd mates. Getting the most out of your forages and supplementing with a quality vitamin and mineral program can give these females the nutritional boost they need to breed successfully,” Cassady said.
If you are wondering what to feed cows, check out our handy planner that takes you through the reproductive phases of the herd.
Nutritional Strategies for Breeding Success
For Heifers
- Provide a balanced diet rich in energy and protein to reach puberty by 12-14 months.
- Remember, these young bovine are still developing themselves and soon, will be growing a calf inside them. Heifers should reach puberty by 12–14 months to allow for breeding by 14–15 months and calving at 24 months.
- Aim for a target weight of 60-65% of mature body weight at first breeding
For Lactating & Pregnant Cows
- Support lactation with adequate forage and supplementary grains or minerals
- In late gestation, increase energy and protein to support fetal growth
To Support Bulls
- Keep bulls in good condition without overfeeding
- Keeping bulls fertile during summer heat requires shade, adequate hydration and VitaFerm mineral with the HEAT® technology.
- Provide trace minerals like selenium, zinc and vitamin E to boost fertility
Water Access
- Provide clean, fresh water at all times—dehydration impacts fertility and milk production
Pasture Management
- Rotate pastures to prevent overgrazing and support forage regrowth
- Test soil and adjust fertilization to optimize grass nutrient value
Supplementation
- Provide a VitaFerm vitamin and mineral supplement, powered by AO-Biotics® Amaferm®
- Amaferm is a research-proven prebiotic that enhances the digestibility of feedstuffs and forages, ensuring your herd gets the most of what they are consuming.
Amaferm Makes the Difference
To get Amaferm into your cattle diets, we recommend feeding Concept•Aid® products powered by Amaferm. Concept•Aid products promote effective, easy breeding when fed 60 days pre-calving through 60 days post-breeding.
For those producers looking for a more advanced mineral, perhaps for bulls or ET, we also offer VitaFerm® ReproMaxx®. Repro Maxx products provide high vitamin and mineral fortification and research-proven components to take reproductive success to the MAXX.
“Amaferm can help unlock the nutritional value of all types of forages. Amaferm goes beyond stimulating the growth of beneficial rumen bacteria and can also promote rumen fungal growth and enzymatic activity. This increases fiber digestibility and volatile fatty acid (VFA) production by 17% and 16%, respectively. As such, more energy becomes available to your cows, leading to more performance,” Cassady said.
VitaFerm Offers Choices
Both Concept•Aid and ReproMaxx offer producers multiple formulas of vitamin and mineral supplements to tailor to the needs of the cattle breeding program. Besides the original formulas that include Amaferm, organic copper, iodine, zine and high levels of Vitamin E, VitaFerm also offers formulas to solve the following challenges:
- HEAT technology for females experiencing gestation during the summer or heat stress in general
- CTC in regions where anaplasmosis in cattle is a concern
- ClariFly and garlic when flies are a concern
- Magnesium for grass tetany
- Added protein and phosphorus for areas with low-quality forages
Learn more about our full suite of VitaFerm products today. If you wonder which product would be best suited for your cattle breeding program, try our Concept•Aid Product Navigator.
Recordkeeping & Herd Monitoring
Mr. Disney talked about setting goals. However, if you don’t monitor and track your cattle breeding goals, are they really goals? The point of a goal is to have something written down that you can look at periodically – perhaps monthly or quarterly and track the progress of your operation. Tracking reproductive performance is key to continuous improvement.
There are lots of ways to record and track your performance data. Some use an Excel spreadsheet or a trusty, yellow legal pad. Others have a calving book they picked up at a local trade show. Others might even use a software program dedicated to their herd. Whatever you use, be consistent, record the dates you log the data and ensure that you have an accurate scale. Don’t “guesstimate.”
Important Data to Track
- Heat detection and insemination dates
- Bull exposure and calving intervals
- Pregnancy diagnosis results
- Calf birth weights and survival rates
- Genetic traits and lineage
Use herd management software or logbooks to analyze trends over time. This helps identify fertility issues early, select high-performing animals, and cull underperformers.
Reproductive Key Performance Indicators to Monitor:
- Calving percentage
- Conception rate (per AI or per bull)
- Days open (days from calving to conception)
- Calving interval (target: 365 – a calf every year)
- Replacement rate and heifer retention
Work with a Team of Experts
Finally, success in cattle breeding is rarely a solo act. Build a reliable team that includes:
- Veterinarians
- Reproductive specialists, like AI technicians or embryologists
- Nutritionists
- Genetic consultants
These people want to help you succeed! They can help you tailor plans to your specific climate, breed, operation size and goals.
BioZyme Products are Research Proven
Amaferm is the key additive in all VitaFerm products. It has more than 150 published and/or presented research studies proving its increase in digestibility and, ultimately, its impact on the animal.
Providing a high-quality trace mineral and vitamin supplementation like VitaFerm Concept•Aid is research-proven to improve reproductive efficiency. For example, our reproductive success report shows that VitaFerm Concept•Aid has proven itself as an industry leader in fertility support. Its ability to improve pregnancy rates, calving percentages and weaning weights is unmatched by other brand products.
“Research proves that cattle fed Amaferm synthesize 143 more grams of microbial protein each day. That’s enough protein equivalent to a pound of supplemented soybean meal available for the cow or heifer. This additional protein generated from Amaferm in a year-round supplemental program can help producers reduce their need for additional protein by up to 40% annually, a huge continuous savings on feed costs,” Cassady said.
Get Your VitaFerm Today
Providing the proper vitamins and minerals for cows is paramount to your herd’s cattle breeding success. At BioZyme, we give you options within the VitaFerm line.
Ready to boost your breeding season success? Find your nearest BioZyme dealer or shop online to get VitaFerm products delivered to your ranch. Our extensive dealer network is here to help you meet mineral needs.
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