Will some one explain to me the wisdom of calving in winter? Since calves are always born with summer coats it seems cruel to expose them to freezing conditions. The cow is surely not producing as much milk as she would be on spring pasture, she isn't drinking as much water as she should and I'm sure she isn't in the mood for all that labor under freezing conditions. And if anything were to go wrong I wouldn't want to be slopping around in the mud and ice trying to keep the cow, the calf and myself alive! Just wondering.
calving in winter
- Thread starter City Guy
- Start date
Help Support CattleToday:
TexasBred
Well-known member
Where did you come up with all this shyt??
Climate, genetics, management and facilities. Have them right and winter calving is not a significant problem. Other than I hate messing around in the cold, that's one reason we spring calve. Although, since our bull last year quit working we do have several cows winter calving from AI.
City Guy":vfmv7uem said:
I'm not texasbred, but (IMO) it's just that you finally ask something and your reasoning for it was off base. I prefer not to calve in the winter simply because of the mud and the hassle I have with it. But we have a few friends on the board from central and eastern Canada who can't help but calve in harsh winter conditions. It might take a little extra tlc but cows and calves usually do fine, cow have plenty of milk if not the same amount.
Calves are pretty resilient and generally do well in winter; heat stress is actually more detrimental. That said, we pushed back our spring calving to end of Feb/first of March because I was tired of frostbitten ears (one even lost part of his tail, named him Stumpy). No, slopping around in mud, snow & ice isn't fun but it's great exercise and if the weather's really bad we bring the cows down to the barn. You just figure out what works best for your operation and learn to be flexible.
inyati13
Well-known member
The pelage of a calf is an expression of their genetics. Some have thick long pelage; others have thin short pelage. In fact, the contrary argument would be that calves should be born in winter to protect them from heat and flies.
I am rotating my spring calvers to fall. I plan to calve out a herd of 18 cows in September/October. That allows time for them to prepare for winter. My fall/winter calves suffer less than a late spring calf. In my experience, I think heat at my latitude is harder on Cattle than winter.
You need to visit some beef producers. Your primary concerns are the treatment of cattle. I will be first here to admit many producers do a poor job of animal husbandry. As with all things in an imperfect Universe, you take responsibility for yourself. Come see some of the best treated cattle in Robertson County, Kentucky. My words NO. Call our extension Agent. Shannon Ferrell.
I am rotating my spring calvers to fall. I plan to calve out a herd of 18 cows in September/October. That allows time for them to prepare for winter. My fall/winter calves suffer less than a late spring calf. In my experience, I think heat at my latitude is harder on Cattle than winter.
You need to visit some beef producers. Your primary concerns are the treatment of cattle. I will be first here to admit many producers do a poor job of animal husbandry. As with all things in an imperfect Universe, you take responsibility for yourself. Come see some of the best treated cattle in Robertson County, Kentucky. My words NO. Call our extension Agent. Shannon Ferrell.
frieghttrain
Well-known member
They also tend to stay way more healthy in the winter.
jerry27150
Well-known member
they will be born with winter hair coat, but will still shiver for days, cow will not have as much milk & calf will grow slower. in real cold weather some will freeze to death or lose ears & some their feet. takes a lot more hay for cow in winter with calf sucking. they will sell higher in spring , but will be lighter. some say they will have less scours, have not found this to be true. some will get pneumonia when you get a cold winter rain. I never figure why some people do this either.
Caustic Burno
Well-known member
Calving year around is not an issue
Prefer fall calves myself as they gain faster. There is no one shoe that fits all there are hugh regional differences.
I am seriously beginning to wonder if our chain is getting yanked.
Prefer fall calves myself as they gain faster. There is no one shoe that fits all there are hugh regional differences.
I am seriously beginning to wonder if our chain is getting yanked.
Son of Butch
Well-known member
pelage = hair coatinyati13":3q8jbeag said:
Oh man inyati - a little bit of fun and we get deleted. :cry2:
inyati13
Well-known member
Son of Butch":2hcm2wol said:
I saw that. :???:
Got to avoid the religion. It was your fault. ;-)
Son of Butch
Well-known member
Not na ....inyati13":12hsdlul said:
I was just posting a public service message to help warn mothers about improving parenting skills.
Ky hills
Well-known member
Cattle are versatile and can calve year round. Depending on the region, winter calving may require more intense management. My cows usually start calving in mid February. I like them to calve that time of year, so the cows can rebreed before it gets real hot. When I had purebreds I would often calve them starting in January, so the bulls calves would be older for spring breeding. Here the weather varies from year to year, some winters are fairly mild and occasionally some quite cold. The January and February calves usually do well, as do March, fall calves in September and October do pretty good as well, but most don't wean off as big as winter, spring calves. The hardest time of year on calves here is June-August.
inyati13
Well-known member
Son of Butch":1q4p1ns4 said:Not na ....inyati13":1q4p1ns4 said:
I was just posting a public service message to help warn mothers about improving parenting skills.
Too funny!
Dubcharo
Well-known member
The purebred breeders around here calves in cold winter. The bulls are ready for the breeding season the next year. In winter we have nothing else to do. The cows are A.I. before pasture time so we have more control, we collect embryos or implant them it's easier went the cows are already indoors. It's more work but each year are nearly the same, there is no mud on concrete. The calves are at 4-5 months when out to pasture the cows are at their best milking period.
Ebenezer
Well-known member
Flies don't do winter. Internal parasites don't do much in winter. Cattle have a threshold on higher temps and humidity.City Guy":1dqx8mm6 said:
frieghttrain
Well-known member
ExactlyEbenezer":itsfl8aw said:
