Breeding season questions

[dun]

The difference here is you get a heavier calf for spring sale versus fall. Our winters are normally mild compared to most on the board.

That pretty well sums up why one size won;t fit all. If we were further south we'ld probably do fall calving, but feeding low quality hay and no supplement pretty much precludes it for us. The guy that does both seasons feeds grain during the winter cause the calves just don;t get the job done on low quality fescue and mothers milk alone.

Dun, We also get spring grasses a bit earlier as well.

And different grasses too. The first stuff to get going here is fescue, then OG, then timoty. But the timothy doesn;t do well in the heat and for that matter the OG doesn;t do all that well either. It's pretty much a one time shot while the fescue will continue to grow until the heat gets too bad. Also in the fall the fescue is the one that puts on the most fall growth. But native WSG if you cna get it established puts on an amazing amount of growth during the worst heat.

 

[ArmyDoc]

The original question was a breeding season for grass fed beef. I assume (you know what happens with assume) that he wants to sell grass fed beef. In Georgia, that probably means calving in the early winter (Jan or Feb), weaning in the fall and then finishing out the calves on ryegrass and clover. Cattle won't fatten as well on summer grasses in the south. It is a niche market and you are at Mother Natures mercy.

I think it will end up meaning that, eventually. Right now I'm trying to learn how to raise them for my own use - grass fed because I'm a convert to the nutritional benefits, and grass shouldn't be as costly as supplementing with grain. But ultimately I'm trying to learn enough in the early phases that I can be successful with a small for-profit operation. Cattle will never be a primary source of income; I won't have enough space for that. But I would like to learn enough that it will at least be revenue neutral, and hopefully bring in some money down the road.

Right now, based on what what everyones responded it sounds like I should plan on ~ February birth. They should be weaned and able to go to market in October (historically when the prices are highest) or finish out out on grass the following May/June. Does this sound about right?

Jogeephus can you mentioned putting them on millet. What variety to dyou grow? I'm not all that familliar with it except that its small grained and a hunter friend said doves love it. I'm assuming this is an anual that I would have to replant every year?

Developing the right type of pastures etc. will be my next area of research... Going to have to spend some time reading in that forum now.

 

[Jogeephus]

I use Tiftleaf-3. It is developed for forage production and it is simply amazing how much forage it produces. (with rain and fertilizer) It is an annual but is not very expensive to establish.

A book you might find helpful is Southern Forages. You can get it thru the International Plant Nutrition Institute in Norcross Ga. 1-770-825-8082. Though a little pricey at $30, this book will get you well on the learning curve to meet your goals.

If I was going to do what you are looking at doing, I would use millet in the summer, oats/rye mix during the winter months followed by the ryegrass/clover (Dixie Clover) to finish in the spring. This would be a very nutrient rich forage system and I don't think you could find many combinations that would rival it.(young calves grazing in knee deep clover will get butterball fat and is just a dang pretty sight)JMO

This system would not be labor intensive either since all of these seeds could be spread with fertilizer and the only thing you'd really need is a harrow and a mower.

Here are a few grass fed calves on the ryegrass/dixie mix.

 

[ArmyDoc]

A book you might find helpful is Southern Forages. You can get it thru the International Plant Nutrition Institute in Norcross Ga. 1-770-825-8082. Though a little pricey at $30, this book will get you well on the learning curve to meet your goals.

Thanks for the recommendation. I'll have to wait till I get back, because they won't sell it with a credit card on line. But I'll have my wife order it form me and have it waiting for me.

Those are some happy looking calves! By the way, what frame size do your cattle average?

Thanks again.