Keeping score: A reproductive tract score can be a game changer

If replacement heifers are the future of a strong beef herd, good conception rates are confirmation the best available heifers were selected for the breeding season. What if there was one easy-to-get number that could tell a producer 30 days out which heifers are most likely to conceive? The Reproductive Tract Score, or RTS, is that number. The measurement is in its simplest form a scale, ranging from 1 to 5, that can help producers cull those heifers most unlikely to conceive. The RTS also helps determine how close replacements are to being ready to breed. In addition to the obvious advantage this offers—a higher conception rate—the strategy also helps establish a group of heifers more likely to rebreed on time. Read more…