For beef cows going into winter, adequate fat cover is not only desirable -- it is critical for future performance. As temperatures fall, grazing opportunities become restricted, and animal needs increase, the supplementation program must fill the nutritional gaps to ensure cows achieve or maintain adequate body condition.
Research studies abound showing the impact of nutritional status during pregnancy on subsequent reproductive performance. I've cited several of them in previous issues of CattleSense. Condition score at calving, which is our practical measurement of how well animals are fed during the gestation period, is closely tied to both when and if cows breed back. Some typical responses seen in an LSU study are shown in the table.