Life Sciences Commons^™

Docility And Heifer Pregnancy Estimates In Angus Heifers (2014), Kari L. White, Jennifer M. Bormann, Daniel W. Moser, Robert L. Weaber

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Reproductive success is economically relevant in beef cattle operations because the number of calves born influences the value of calves sold at weaning. Improvements in reproductive performance can be up to four times more important than improvements in end-product traits in an operation selling calves at weaning. Selecting for fertility is difficult because it is influenced by a variety of factors. Temperament is one of the factors affecting fertility that requires further investigation. Researchers report that physiological responses associated with temperament can influence the probability of cows becoming pregnant. Stress hormones such as cortisol in the bloodstream can negatively affect …