The University of Kentucky Beef Integrated Reproductive Management (Beef IRM) team developed a multi-disciplinary program to help cattlemen adopt production practices that favor high reproductive rates in their cow herds. The educational model of this program combines traditional classroom with an extensive hands-on, experiential methodology. UK Extension employs this model as an effort to increase behavior modification. The UK IRM Farm Program is designed to be a long-term project (5-7 years) in order to accurately demonstrate the impact of controlling reproduction.

Some cattle producers strive for complete control of their genetic program and production efficiency. The easiest method for complete control is to incorporate a program designed for all females to conceive to AI (total AI program). The main limiting factor to total AI is labor associated with daily heat detection, cattle handling, and insemination. Electronic systems for estrus detection have been available for many years in the dairy industry. Until recently, these systems were often not applicable to beef cattle production because of the extensive nature of the beef industry; cattle are managed over large areas and electronic surveillance is difficult.

Two farms have been selected to evaluate the practicality of electronic estrus detection for use in commercial beef cow-calf operations dedicated to total AI. One farm manages 180 females in Campbell County (Tom Moore) and the other manages 60 females in Mercer County (Staten Nesbit). We are awaiting pregnancy diagnosis and data analysis but using electronic surveillance of beef cattle for estrus detection appears promising. Conception rates to AI were higher than industry average. We anticipate that successful use of electronic detection could increase revenue but 35% due to increased pounds of calf weaned per cow exposed, decreased calf death loss, increased weaning weights, and increased market value due to selling more “like” calves.