Survey of U.S. cow-calf producer methods and opinions of cattle health and production record-keeping

The objective of this study was to describe U.S. cow-calf pro­ducer characteristics associated with the use cattle health and production records (CHPR). We anonymously surveyed 14,294 producer members National Cattle­men’s Beef Association (NCBA). Multivariable logistic regres­sion by manual forward variable selection used test demographic factors for association CHPR-keeping out­comes. In total, 3,741 (26.2%) responses were received, 3,641 (97.3%) respondents actively involved in pro­duction. Of 3,624 who said whether or not they maintained CHPR, 3,169 (87%) some form CHPR. 3,133 described their meth­ods, 1,966 (62.8%) handwritten, 1,167 (37.2%) electronic Annual cow inventory (96%), breeding dates (89.3%) calving (88.1%) most commonly recorded Among all respondents, understanding commercially available CHPR software (57.2%) identified challenge. Factors using any seed­stock (OR = 5.1; compared non-seedstock production), respondent age (≤ 54 years: OR 2.5; 55-64 1.7; 65-74 1.3; ≥ 75 years), female male), respondent’s primary income source is op­eration 1.5; being pri­mary source), having a post-graduate professional degree high-school diploma less). This concluded that demo­graphic such as age, gender, education level operational goals impact on operations.