Research indicates that the body condition of a cow influences days to first estrus after calving and calving interval. A beef cow must conceive within 82 days of the birth of her calf to maintain a 12-month calving interval. Figure 4 illustrates that 91% of the beef cows with BCS >5 at calving showed signs of estrus by 60 days post-calving, whereas only 61% of beef cows with BCS 4, and only 46% of beef cows with BCS