Calving season

[stockbub]

We have around 100 head of cattle. We thought that we would have had a tighter breeding season, but with our weather and other situations we are still waiting for cows to finishing calving. Oldest calves are 7 months and still 33 cows to calve. Some people have said that 100 cows were too many for two, two-year old Brangus bulls to breed and that is why it took so long to get everything bred. I bought a new hereford bull the other day. Right now, I have not seen anything riding so I assume everything is bred (I am still going to get some tested though). Because it has taken so long to get things bred, should I just turn the bulls out with them or wait for a while and try and get some closer to calving.

I know that some of the cows that had calves are already re-bred. It just would have been very nice to have everything calving in a three month period. Also, I thought about having two calving season. This would give the bulls some time to rest. What do you guys think. Any suggestions?

Bubba

 

[jcarkie]

if you want them in a 90 day period you have to decide when. feb1 -may 1 put the bull in april 25th - july 25th get a gestation table and figure when you want to calve. 2 seasons would be more effective for you now that they are so spread out. also you need fewer bulls because each bull needs 25-30 cows, or you need 4 bulls for 100 cows, the shorter the season the more bulls you need. we started in 06 with cows that calved year round and we picked 2 seasons Feb - april and sept - nov. it takes a few years to get them in the narrowed seasons. we pulled our bulls mar 1st put them back in may 1st pulled tham july 15 put them in nov 25th pulled them feb 15th etc till we had them in the shorter seasons. now we are trying to go all fall so we put them in on thanksgiving friday and pull them july 1st. next we will pull them in june etc till we get them where we want.

 

[Angus Cowman]

if you want them in a 90 day period you have to decide when. feb1 -may 1 put the bull in april 25th - july 25th get a gestation table and figure when you want to calve. 2 seasons would be more effective for you now that they are so spread out. also you need fewer bulls because each bull needs 25-30 cows, or you need 4 bulls for 100 cows, the shorter the season the more bulls you need. we started in 06 with cows that calved year round and we picked 2 seasons Feb - april and sept - nov. it takes a few years to get them in the narrowed seasons. we pulled our bulls mar 1st put them back in may 1st pulled tham july 15 put them in nov 25th pulled them feb 15th etc till we had them in the shorter seasons. now we are trying to go all fall so we put them in on thanksgiving friday and pull them july 1st. next we will pull them in june etc till we get them where we want.

you would obtain your results faster by only leaving the bulls in for 75 to 90 days and let any of the late calvers remain open for the 6 months until bull turn out again either that or run your bulls for 60-75 days and then have a 2nd breeding for spring then after those spring cows calve leave them open until the falll season
by leaving the bulls in from Nov to July 1st you willl never get your season shortened up as there will always be some late calvers

 

[plumber_greg]

I'd look for other problems to see why 100 cows, even with two two year old bulls, took a year to calve out. I calve nearly that many in just six weeks. AG has the best answer, certian number of days leave the bulls in, cull what is open. Either that or go to two seasons, that way the cow should not be more than six months behind.
I keep what is not bred in spring, move to fall for breeding. Nothing moves from fall to spring calving, if not settled for the next fall, she goes. Never keep a heifer out of the fall herd, only out of a first heat out of the spring herd. You can kinda keep numbers up this way and you're herd fertility will increase fairly quickly. gs

 

[Lon]

yeah we run only 20 cows to a bull around here as well. maybe if in a smaller pasture 25 to a bull. also we leave them in for x amount of days and pull them after that what isnt bred is usually a cull. if a cow cant give ya a calf every year she aint gonna make you money. but you have to give her the chance and 50 cows to a bull sure aint giving her much of a chance but still shouldnt take a year. i guess if it was me i would decide when i want to calve. figure what dates i need the bulls in. cull what doesnt breed. and get that number of cows per bull down. also maybe some of the guys here that are used to AI and sync cattle could tell you how to sinc the herd to get them all back together again. but taking a herd thats calving in a year and putting them into a 2 month calving window will be some work.

 

[backhoeboogie]

I like them calving year round for this climate. Had two calve last week one day apart. They both calved May 5th last year.

 

[KNERSIE]

Its often more practical (and would probably suit the pocket book better) to decide when you really don't want to have calves born and pull the bulls out accordingly, and then making the breeding season shorter by 6 weeks every year until you have them all synched to suit your situation best