? Ever totally skipped into a new breeding/calving cycle??

[Kathie in Thorp]

:?: Some of you will think this is craziness, and I already know why you will. BUT, I have 3 cows open now (after getting rid of the Big Mammer Jammer). We AI. Prepping the cows will put us somewhere into Nov. to breed, with late summer calves. I don't want to do that. I want to keep the cows I've got, and hold off to breed in June/July for late Spring 2012 calves. Weather is a big consideration; and right now, our cows are way over-conditioned. The oldest is 6; the youngest is a 2 yr. heifer, and they are FAT. That would also buy us time to get the "right" cattle handling facility set up. The materials are here; the time/labor isn't going to happen that fast.

We have those Angus X weanling heifers on board (March-April 2011) that we could also catch next year in June/July.

I know I'm losing time doing that, but what I really need right now is to get calving season all in one sock, and some steers for butcher next year; and in any event, we'll have to buy those steers. :2cents:

 

[backhoeboogie]

Have you ever considered calving them on 10 1/2 month intervals?

I'd breed 'em now but my climate with tolerate anything.

If I absolutely had to go to a calving season I could back them up in 3 years to the time frame you want them bred at.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Breed year around here cows on a 10 1/2 to 12 month calving interval.

 

[Kathie in Thorp]

Keep talking. I'm listening. Boogie and CB -- we start snow here in Nov. and we have it until Feb., and sometimes later. The cold can last through March, with newborns sticking to the frozen ground. My cows are still toooooooo fat.

 

[Mid South Guy]

Kathie -- In your situation and climate I can certainly understand what you are trying to do. Only having 3 cows is not really going to make a big difference. You will basically lose a calf crop. You could always go buy some 2-3 wt calves next spring to relace it for some cash flow.

As far as breeding them now, if they are "toooooooo fat" then they will probably not settle anyway. A cow, like most mammals, needs to be in a weight gaining situation to concieve. I would let that harsh winter your going to get make them use some of that stored fat for maintance then let them be gaining next spring when you try to breed them. Don't feed them as much, but don't let them go down too far. Ideal to the point where the last 2 or 3 ribs can be easily seen or felt.

 

[Kathie in Thorp]

Kathie -- In your situation and climate I can certainly understand what you are trying to do. Only having 3 cows is not really going to make a big difference. You will basically lose a calf crop. You could always go buy some 2-3 wt calves next spring to relace it for some cash flow.

As far as breeding them now, if they are "toooooooo fat" then they will probably not settle anyway. A cow, like most mammals, needs to be in a weight gaining situation to concieve. I would let that harsh winter your going to get make them use some of that stored fat for maintance then let them be gaining next spring when you try to breed them. Don't feed them as much, but don't let them go down too far. Ideal to the point where the last 2 or 3 ribs can be easily seen or felt.

MSG - That's what I'm thinking about "toooooo fat," also. The cow we just slaughtered had a lot of fat on her -- and lots around her kidneys, which I wasn't happy about. It's Slim Fast time for the girls.

 

[Dave]

Putting them on a diet means getting your hay from somewhere else. The vast vast majority of the hay in the Kittitas Valley is too good for a cow on a diet. Get some blue grass or bent grass straw from the seed growers. It works pretty good and is affordable. We usually add a little alfalfa with it but in your case you should skip the alfalfa for diet cows.

And I wouldn't look at 2-3 weight calves in the spring. In this part of the world any calves that size that are for sale are simply someone's culls. And if you plan to butcher them in the fall they will still be too small. If you already have some quality hay that is better than you should feed to your diet cows, you might think about buying steers mid winter. Feed them that good quality hay. Spring is always the time for the highest price on steers. I have a feeling this spring it is going to be really high.

 

[Kathie in Thorp]

Thx, Dave. I was actually thinking about picking up 3 steers this Fall -- 4-500 pounders (too bad you already hauled yours off!). I already have one out there that's probably about 500 now. We've got good orchard grass and alf in the barn. I might have to look around for some junk cow hay -- who ever says THAT?!!

BTW, how'd you make out on that stock truck wreck ruckus?

 

[Mid South Guy]

...It's Slim Fast time for the girls.

The best use for poor quality junk hay!! -- I would keep the protien, vitamins, minerals up and energy or TDN low. Around here they sell a free chocie range/protien block or range meal mix that is good for that. Good hay is too high in energy (TDN). Let them use their fat for that.

 

[Kathie in Thorp]

...It's Slim Fast time for the girls.

The best use for poor quality junk hay!! -- I would keep the protien, vitamins, minerals up and energy or TDN low. Around here they sell a free chocie range/protien block or range meal mix that is good for that. Good hay is too high in energy (TDN). Let them use their fat for that.

MSG - Can you tell me what's in the range blocks and range meal mix that you buy out there in the tropics? Thx!

 

[Caustic Burno]

...It's Slim Fast time for the girls.

The best use for poor quality junk hay!! -- I would keep the protien, vitamins, minerals up and energy or TDN low. Around here they sell a free chocie range/protien block or range meal mix that is good for that. Good hay is too high in energy (TDN). Let them use their fat for that.

MSG - Can you tell me what's in the range blocks and range meal mix that you buy out there in the tropics? Thx!

Range meal I feed is called 2-1-1 50% corn 25% cotton seed 25% salt as limiter.

 

[Mid South Guy]

I mix my own. About 2 parts cottonseed meal and one part salt replacing 100# of salt with my free choice mineral on a per ton basis. I try to keep consumption to about 1 lb/hd/day. You control it by adjusting the salt/meal ratio. Fall calving cows get the same as CB said and eat about 3# a day. Don't imagine you have much cottonseed meal up there. Soybean meal would be better, but not much around here. The blocks are basically the same except they will have more grain in them, some urea, and different limiters and hardness in an attempt to control consumption. I've never had much luck with the blocks. They either ate way too much or none at all. The local co-op mixes a couple of range meals and sell them bagged.

 

[Kathie in Thorp]

I mix my own. About 2 parts cottonseed meal and one part salt replacing 100# of salt with my free choice mineral on a per ton basis. I try to keep consumption to about 1 lb/hd/day. You control it by adjusting the salt/meal ratio. Fall calving cows get the same as CB said and eat about 3# a day. Don't imagine you have much cottonseed meal up there. Soybean meal would be better, but not much around here. The blocks are basically the same except they will have more grain in them, some urea, and different limiters and hardness in an attempt to control consumption. I've never had much luck with the blocks. They either ate way too much or none at all. The local co-op mixes a couple of range meals and sell them bagged.

I'll have to check here for your formula, or close. This isn't cottonseed or soy bean country. In this scenario, it's kind of a bytch to be locked into the middle of the best hay country in the whole USA, without much local grain production. And I wish I had a grinder!! (and the Genie in the bottle, and the silver slipper and all that). Made a cursory inquiry via Craigs w/in 250 miles, and got no response a couple months ago.

 

[Mid South Guy]

Any type of oilseed meal will work, maybe you have linseed meal up there (from flax seed). For just a few head you can just get the ingredients and mix it by hand in a wheelbarrow with a shovel or a small cement mixer. Just be careful to weigh out the ingrdients and completely mix. Also, for your situation, I don't think you need any corn or grain in there.