REDFIELD, Iowa (DTN) -- When looking forward and making changes in a herd, the decisions made on breeding can help a herd advance. This is no different at Copeland & Sons Herefords.

Once calving and branding is complete, the Copelands are ready to make decisions regarding matings for the coming year.

Copeland & Sons Herefords in Nara Visa, New Mexico, is participating in DTN's View From the Range series, where DTN will follow a year at the ranch to give readers an inside look at how the ranch operates and cares for its animals.

This segment in the series will look at how these ranchers make decisions for matings and other reproduction choices for the coming year.

BREEDING DECISIONS ARE IMPORTANT

These decisions start as calves are born when the Copelands see what combinations are working and what changes need to be made.

The commercial herd has been a closed herd since it began in the 1940s, meaning they have always used bulls raised on the ranch. "Being able to take our bull customers out into the commercial herd and showing them what our genetics have done in that herd has really helped us sell bulls," said Matt Copeland. "What works for us will work for them."

Matt said their bull customers will use the Hereford genetics on not only Hereford cows, but also Angus, Charolais or Brahman cows to get good hybrid vigor and good crossbred cattle.

The Copelands have never chased extremes that the rest of the industry has seen from time to time. They want to have a good all-around performing calf that will have the ability to improve their herd. "We can weed out what doesn't work for us. We hold the registered and commercial cows to the same standards when it comes to raising calves even if we are using different bulls on them," Matt added.

STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY IMPORTANT IN ALL CATTLE

When looking for new bulls to use in the registered or Maine-Anjou herd through artificial insemination (AI), Matt's wife, Alyssa, said they look at structure first. "Here in New Mexico on these large pastures, cattle have to have good feet and legs to be able to get to water and travel to find feed," she said. "Bulls also have to be able to cover a good area."

Most of the registered herd are covered by herd bulls as they feel they have some of the most elite genetics in the breed. "A good bull is worth a lot, and it can be an investment in the next three to four years," Matt said. "At times we have a hard time deciding which bull to put with what cows and the commercial cow groups often get bulls turned out that most people would put on registered cows. We want to continue to see improvements in those cattle too."

Heifers are synchronized to show estrous and then AIed to calving-ease bulls. Then a bull is put with these heifers for about 40 days or two estrous cycles to help ensure they are bred. The heifers will start calving earlier than the cows; they are brought up to the calving barn and watched more closely. "The weather can be more severe in February, so we want to have the heifers where we can watch them," Matt explained. "Plus, these are first-time moms, and we want them to have a good first experience."

DILIGENCE NEEDED IN COW SORTING

It takes some time to sort the registered Hereford cows into groups to go with bulls. "Once we are done branding, we start sorting cows to be put with bulls. We look at phenotype and genotype, and what their calves look like," Alyssa said. "Then we talk about what our goals are for the cow and what changes she needs."

Yearling bulls and older bulls are given smaller groups of cows, usually 10 to 20 head per bull. A bull at his prime breeding age can service 35 to 40 cows. The Copelands continue to check pastures when bulls are turned out to ensure there are no injuries or problems, as that can mean open cows.

Besides heifers, groups of registered Herefords and the other breed cows will be synchronized and AIed. The other breed calves are mostly sold to juniors to exhibit at shows across the country. These matings are looked at differently, as it is a smaller group of cows. Semen is purchased on the more popular bulls, but these genetics still must have the core qualities seen across all their cows. "We want to stress structural soundness in these cattle, too," Matt said.

The Copelands do embryo work on a few elite Hereford and Maine-Anjou cows. Both conventional embryo transfer and in vitro fertilization have been used successfully. Depending on the other breed cow, one might be flushed strictly for male calves. That is not the case on Herefords, according to Alyssa, "We want to make both top end bulls and heifers on the Herefords."

"There are exceptions to the rule, but we usually won't flush a cow until she's at least 5, so we can confirm her performance and longevity first," Alyssa said. They generally utilize their own recipient cows to carry the embryos. "Black baldies make incredible ... (recipients). Most are typical Angus Hereford cross, and some are Hereford Maine cross," she said. "We cull on those replacements just like we would any registered cattle."

Bulls are pulled off cows after 60 days. At weaning time, cows are pregnancy checked, and then it's a waiting game until calving starts again in the spring to see if the right matings were made. Then the process starts all over again.

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Editor's Note: To see previous stories in this series, go to:

-- "New Mexico Ranch Shares View From Range," https://www.dtnpf.com/…

-- "Copeland & Sons Herefords Raise Cattle to Provide for Family, Customers, Environment," https://www.dtnpf.com/…

-- "New Mexico Ranch Relies on Cows with Good Mothering Ability," https://www.dtnpf.com/…

-- "New Mexico Ranchers Have Recorded Performance Data to Measure Herd's Progress," https://www.dtnpf.com/…

-- "New Mexico Ranch Branding Tradition Unites Generations," https://www.dtnpf.com/…

Jennifer Carrico can be reached at jennifer.carrico@dtn.com

Follow her on social platform X @JennCattleGal

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