Non-pregnant cows and post-pubertal heifers have estrous cycles approximately every 21 days. Therefore, a cow that is never bred would have 17 to 18 cycles per year. However, in most beef operations, a cow will start to cycle about 40 to 60 days after she has a calf (if she is well-fed and healthy). Because she is put in a breeding pasture with a bull or artificially inseminated, most cows become pregnant about 70 to 100 days after calving each year, which means that most well-managed beef cows may have only two to five estrous cycles per year.

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