Beef production remains the backbone of the agricultural economy in Morgan County.  Given the volatile nature of the cattle market, beef operations need to be fortified with as many tools as possible to thwart unexpected changes.  Unknowingly keeping an open cow in a herd can drain up to $1,600 in feed costs plus the loss of a calf crop.  One of the biggest tools producers can use to improve their bottom lines is to pregnancy check the herd – skipping this step has been proven to be quite expensive in the long run.

Building on the success of offering countywide Bull Soundness exams, Morgan County ANR began promoting pregnancy checks using blood tests – a very quick, inexpensive method that does not required a veterinary visit.  Nine producers submitted 50 tests.  Almost 20% of those tests showed open cattle.  Potential loss is quite staggering for a group of this size.  Producers were quick to catch the significance of this demonstration and began sharing with other farmers about the program.