Daylight calving

[dun]

We've alwasy given the girls a small amount of grain around 5 pm and in years past have only had one calf that I can recall that was born before 5am or after 6pm. Normally they'vebeen born between 6am and 11 am. This year of the 5 so far, 4 of them were born between 3:15pm and 4:45. The one that was outside of that window was in labor when I fed at 5, but she has never missed a meal in her life and proceeded to come up and get her mouth full of grain before getting back down to business. She calved at 8 pm.
The thought in my mind is what has chanced this year from years past. Or is the late feeding thing just a matter of coincidence as much as anything else.

dun

 

[BC]

Back in the early 1980's I remember reading there was some research done on feeding right at dark or just after dark and the effect it had on when cows delivered. Seems like about 85% of a group of heifers calved in the daylight hours when they were fed just at dark. It was promoted as a possible labor saver.

 

[denoginnizer]

As you know, there is an overwhelming amount of data that suggests late afternoon feeding makes cows give birth in daytime hours .Interestingly, most of the info I have read says that the daytime birthing effect will take place with as little as week of afternoon feeding.

 

[Crowderfarms]

I agree 100% with this theory, we've seen all our cows calve in daylight hours in the last year with being fed a little grain when I get home from work, at about 5:30. makes a lot of sense,never had even thought about it.... Thanks for the heads up!!

 

[dun]

The part that has be baffled is why the change from the morning calving that we've had in the past to this late afternoon calving. Granted it's still daylight, but the theory is that it takes x number of hours after eating to get the calving process started. I just found it interesting that with all else being the same that there would be a dignificant change.
Which all goes to show that with all the studys in the world and past experiences, cows will still do what the want, when the want, where they want.

dun

 

[DINGRAM]

There is a article about this in the new Progressive Farmer. I read on this board about this subject and tried. It work good for me becouse I get off work and feed around 6:00 pm. Never had a calf at night time, and always feed alpha to the mothers before they calf. Have yet had to pull one.

 

[Crowderfarms]

I can even say our window has been from 9:AM to around 2:00 PM, I never thought it could be attributed to late evening feeding!What a theory for management we have here. Aint no telling what you can learn from these boards.Let's keep it up!!

 

[denoginnizer]

Did you change the type of grain?

 

[Crowderfarms]

We feed an 11% feed,Was more cost effective than pellets this year, and a better blend, no rice hulls, we've had great results with it. We also sell it!

 

[dun]

Did you change the type of grain?

Nothing has changed. Same pasture, same feed, same cows, same bulls (pretty much). Although they are grazing more now then usual because of the early grass. But that's all day long and more of a treat then eating hay.

dun

 

[Workinonit Farm]

I am a firm believer of the late-day-feeding/daylight-calving. So far this year my girls have been continuing their "habit". Calving times so far this year have been between 6:30 am and 1:30 pm. I usually "feed" them in the 5:30 to 6:00 pm time frame. The ones that are really close, I will still check them at night anyhow, a few years ago had one try to sneak out a calf at 10:00 pm.

Katherine

 

[wvherefords]

Question: if I pen up my cows/heifers that are about to calve in my usual place (by my barn where I can keep a close eye on them), where I need to feed them square bales in the morning and evening (as opposed to round bales all day for the other cattle out in the pasture), will feeding them the square bales in the morning foul this concept up? I usually feed square bales in the morning and then square bales with grain in the evening. Theoretically, will it be the grain that causes this daytime calving or should I stick to putting out both hay and grain only in the evening (and nothing in the morning)? I'd be inclined to make sure they had hay all day, with grain fed at dark...

interesting concept that I've not yet tried. I've got a few due to start calving after March 21 and I'm definitely going to try this out on them...

thanks,

-E

 

[Workinonit Farm]

wvherefords, I don't know about dun and the others, but mine that are close to calving are moved to the small pasture by house with a shed/small barn where the working/loading chute is. I give mine some hay in the am and again in the eve when I also give grain. In my case I don't think the hay plays a role.

Katherine

 

[Victoria]

The one that was outside of that window was in labor when I fed at 5, but she has never missed a meal in her life and proceeded to come up and get her mouth full of grain before getting back down to business. She calved at 8 pm.

dun

We've got lots of cows like that. :lol:

I feed at about 9:30 AM (unless held up for some reason). The cows typically calve between 8:00-9:00 AM. With a few in the early afternoon. We don't have many calves born at night. When I was a kid I know Mom tried the afternoon feeding for a calving season to try to get all daytime calves, it made no difference. Of course our spoiled cows have always gotten fed so much that they eat 24 hours a day anyway.

 

[docgraybull]

The thought in my mind is what has chanced this year from years past. dun

Global warming.

 

[Big D]

Good answer docgray! You made my day.

We have always calved out on corn stalks that have been pretty much cleaned up, so we limit feed a bit of silage. Feeding time is usally around 9 or 9:30 am. Most cows would calve between 11 am to 3 pm with a few at 6 am and 6 pm. Very few night calvers. This year they are grazing stockpiled sudan, so they are grazing all day. Calving between 6 am and 6 pm. As far as I'm concern this is a myth and the myth is busted.

 

[Crowderfarms]

I don't think it's a myth, at our feed store, there is no shortage of oxygen burning conversation,I brought it up yesterday, to some of my senior Mentors, that don't have computers,don't want computers, and never will have em' and was telling them about this post on the boards.About 3 of them at one time looked at me and said " we've always known that" They all said they'd fed in late afternoon or evening, and calves were almost all born in daylight.

 

[Big D]

I first heard this idea 25 yrs ago. At that time my dad had a cow herd and most calves were coming during the night. Some where he heard that feeding in the evening would bring most calves in daylight. We sure enjoyed feeding in the evening, it gave us a good close look at the cows and calves. However most calves still came at night.

I would say most veteran cow people have heard of this and have at least tried it. But from my experience I have not seen any difference with feeding time. Maybe the type of pasture/ration could affect this. I too have seen a lot of reaserch that makes claim to changing calving times.

I have a friend that is a vet and runs a large herd. His claim is you have to feed the cows at !0:00 at night or else you will get gives too early in the am. So he actually pays an employee to come back at 10:00 to feed the heifers. We feed ours @ 9:00 am and nearly every one calves in daylight.

Myth or not I just don't believe.
I'm sure many will disagree.

 

[Ferdinand D Bull]

If youre cows can calve by themselves who cares?

 

[Victoria]

Global Warming must be it! :lol: :lol: :lol: