Why do ranchers keep a portion of calves born for breeding?

Ranchers keep a portion of calves born for breeding primarily to maintain herd size. By selecting certain calves to breed, ranchers can replace aging animals and sustain the overall population of livestock on the ranch. This practice is crucial for ensuring the long-term sustainability of the herd, as it allows ranchers to manage animal health, productivity, and genetics within the herd. Maintaining an appropriate herd size is essential for effective land management, resource utilization, and economic viability of the ranching operation.

While maximizing profit from sales, ensuring genetic diversity, and fulfilling regulatory requirements are also important considerations in ranching, the immediate necessity to maintain the size of the herd drives the decision to retain a portion of calves for breeding. This ensures that the ranch can continue to operate effectively, producing both beef and replacement animals for future production.