The value of information:

The more documented records you have on each of your cows, the better equipped you are to make key management decisions on culling, selection and breeding systems. Decisions made today, will effect your herd performance and profitability for many years. As a cattle producer competing in today’s complex cattle industry, you need to utilize all the tools available to reduce guesswork and add predictability to your herd performance.

What is Cow-Link:

Cow-Link is a confidential cowherd performance tracking system designed to provide you with vital information about your management decisions and herd performance. Cow-Link was developed by the Land O' Lakes Farmland Beef Management team in cooperation with The North Dakota State University Extension Service and the North Dakota Beef Cattle Improvement Association (NDBCIA) Chaps program.

Who uses Cow-Link?

Cow-Link is designed for cattle producers who want to increase herd performance and profitability. Cow-Link Program participating farmers and ranchers can take advantage of Cow-Link herd productivity analysis, matched with Land O’ Lakes Farmland Feed nutrition and management expertise to fully utilize farm resources to maximize herd profitability. Cow-Link can be used to link feedlot and carcass information from provided by allied programs back to the individual cow in your herd to fully utilize this information.

Cow-Link Herd Analysis:

To be competitive in beef production requires that producers understand all details of their operation. The Land O' Lakes Farmland Cooperative system provides management reports generated with the Cow-Link program. These reports assist producers with total herd evaluations and benchmark herd performance against industry and regional averages. A common problem with record keeping systems is the accumulation of data with little or no utilization of this information. The purpose of this program is to allow producers to evaluate each NCBA-IRM-SPA trait and balance these traits within the operation to maximize herd profitability.

 

Cow-Link Reports:

Reproductive Analysis

% Cows Calving

Calf Survival

Open Cows

% Calves weaned

Calving Distribution

Calves born in 21 Day intervals

Calving date by cow age

Weaning wt in 21 Day intervals

Weaning wt by cow age

Cow-Culling Report

Cows died

Sold due to age

Sold due to poor fertility

Sold due to inferior calves

Calf Reports

Birth date Birth Weight

Calving Ease Weaning weight

205 d weight 205 d weight ratio

Daily Gain Wt per day of age

Breed averages Sire Averages

Feedlot/Carcass Reports

Daily Gain Feed Efficiency

Dressing % Carcass Weight

Quality Grade Yield Grade

Back Fat Rib Eye Area

Sire Averages Breed Averages

Production Benchmarks

Reproduction Performance

Pregnancy Percentage Pregnancy Loss Calving Percentage Calf Death Loss Weaning Percentage Female Replacement Rate

93.7 %   0.3 % 93.4 %   3.1 % 90.5 % 16.1 %

Calving Distribution

Calves born during the first 21 days Calves born during the first 42 days Calves born during the first 63 days Calves born after 63 days

59.3 % 87.1 % 96.0 %   4.0 %

Production Performance:

Average Age at Weaning Actual Weaning Weight, Steers Actual Weaning Weight, Heifers Actual Weaning Weight, Bulls Actual Weaning Weight All Calves Weight Weaned per Exposed Female

199 Days 581 pounds 550 pounds 625 pounds 570 pounds 513 pounds

 

How do I get started?

Contact your participating local Land O' Lakes Farmland Feed Cooperative Feed Representative

or call Ted Perry at 800-334-2394, Ext. 5427.