KYFarmKid
Member
Which do you prefer, and why? I notice that a lot of registered herds in my area seem to sell fall bred females more than spring bred. What are the advantage's and disadvantage's of both, if any?
Fall vs. Spring Calving
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We have both. If we have anything come up open and we decide to give them a second chance, we only lose 6 months instead of a whole year.
Spring calving pros - good grass during breeding and lactation, so less supplementation. Usually have higher conception rates. Dry through the winter, so less supplementation. Calf birth weights are lighter, and weaning weights are heavier. Cons - lower calf prices per cwt, cows are preg checked in the fall when cow prices are typically low.
Fall calving pros - dry through the summer, so they put on condition extremely fast. Open cows are found and sold in the spring, when cow prices are near their highest. Calf prices are high per cwt. Cons - lower weaning weights, lower conception rates, more supplementation needed through the winter and spring. Higher birth weights.
For registered herds, fall calving is great if you're in the bull business, since fall born bulls will be close to 18 months when buyers start looking in the winter and spring. You also get to develop them all through the spring, summer, and fall on grass instead of hay. By winter, they shouldn't need anything more than a supplement to keep them going.
I will point out that we have a 9-10 month grass growing season and it rarely freezes, and almost never snows.
Spring calving pros - good grass during breeding and lactation, so less supplementation. Usually have higher conception rates. Dry through the winter, so less supplementation. Calf birth weights are lighter, and weaning weights are heavier. Cons - lower calf prices per cwt, cows are preg checked in the fall when cow prices are typically low.
Fall calving pros - dry through the summer, so they put on condition extremely fast. Open cows are found and sold in the spring, when cow prices are near their highest. Calf prices are high per cwt. Cons - lower weaning weights, lower conception rates, more supplementation needed through the winter and spring. Higher birth weights.
For registered herds, fall calving is great if you're in the bull business, since fall born bulls will be close to 18 months when buyers start looking in the winter and spring. You also get to develop them all through the spring, summer, and fall on grass instead of hay. By winter, they shouldn't need anything more than a supplement to keep them going.
I will point out that we have a 9-10 month grass growing season and it rarely freezes, and almost never snows.
backhoeboogie
Well-known member
The market is great in the spring months. Calves born in September/October go for premiums at 6 months old. Cows recover when grass is in its growth spurts prior to summer drought. Graze wheat in the winter.
That said, I calve year round. There are surges in the spring and fall. But I like the 10 1/2 month intervals between calves. It works in my climate.
There's nothing wrong with spring calving either.
That said, I calve year round. There are surges in the spring and fall. But I like the 10 1/2 month intervals between calves. It works in my climate.
There's nothing wrong with spring calving either.
Jake
Well-known member
We have both spring and fall calvers. With the way our system is set up I wish we were all spring, they are much more economical and much less head ache. You can turn dry cows out on residue all winter and not have to worry about them. Fall calves seem to be pain in the butts, always trying to get out and in the way.
skyhightree1
Well-known member
I have spring and summer calving... I am in the middle of my summer calving now. I do not like WINTER CALVING though.
We have both as well. Spring calves do well because of the grass they get to start on, but the fall calves also do well in the winter because I feed them a supplement with the hay.
I basically just like to have a cash flow going by being able to sell about 2 or 3 times a year.
I basically just like to have a cash flow going by being able to sell about 2 or 3 times a year.
J&D Cattle
Well-known member
Both as well here. Mainly did it to not have to buy another bull when we started out. I wish they were all spring calvers now though. Our fall calves cost us more in hay and supplement and they are a pain to haul which is what we do in the fall. Good thing is a buddy takes care of the fall calvers and I the spring.
Son of Butch
Well-known member
Location?dt34715":nlnihr4e said:
KYFarmKid
Member
So if I am understanding correctly, there is no wrong answer, however it seems that spring calving is a little easier and would be the best option for a commercial herd, but a registered herd would be better off calving in the fall so that their bulls will sell better? Is that correct?
cow pollinater
Well-known member
I'm a fall calver only. I time it about forty five days before my grass gets strong(which usually happens in mid November) so that my cows are making a bunch of milk when the calf is old enough to use it and the grass is good enough to support it. If I tried to spring calve here I'd either have to wean them at two months old or have a bunch of dead cows by July.
When I ran just a small registered herd here on the valley floor on irrigated pasture that was dead over winter and green all summer, I did the exact opposite and calved in the early spring.
When I ran just a small registered herd here on the valley floor on irrigated pasture that was dead over winter and green all summer, I did the exact opposite and calved in the early spring.
Your first statement is correct. What works on one farm may or may not work on another. Weather and managment of the grass are the main things that govern what will work. Not all registered herds calve in the fall. We spring calve only and it hasn;t hurt our bull sales any that I can tell. We sell them all but we only keep a few if any each year. Our grass comes on in April more or less, I want the calves big enough to start utilizing it and the cows milking heavy during the spring flush. We start breeding in may (sometimes late april). I don;t like subjecting the calves to the ice storms and having to eat hay all winter. We have a neighbor that spring and fall calves. His spring calves are bigger at weaning but they bring a little less CWT then the fall calves. But i'ts pretty much a wash because of the size difference.KYFarmKid":16t1b9vp said:
Lucky_P
Well-known member
We have both. 'Fall' herd has twice as many cows as the 'Spring' herd. Fewer issues with calf survival with the fall-borns, but it's tougher on the cows going through the winter nursing a calf.
Farm manager is looking at moving the fall group forward(or back, depending on your perspective) to June calving - but that may take a couple of years to every one of 'em moved up.
Spring herd begins calving March 1 - most years not a problem, but they all came during snow/ice this past winter.
Fall herd started calving over a week ago... somehow, I have a hard time considering late July to be 'Fall', but that's how she bred 'em last year.
Farm manager is looking at moving the fall group forward(or back, depending on your perspective) to June calving - but that may take a couple of years to every one of 'em moved up.
Spring herd begins calving March 1 - most years not a problem, but they all came during snow/ice this past winter.
Fall herd started calving over a week ago... somehow, I have a hard time considering late July to be 'Fall', but that's how she bred 'em last year.
Waterway65
Well-known member
I start calving heifers August first and the cows about the 20th. The sun has sterilized my calving are and cows on lush growth seem to calve much easier. I have had to pull. One calf in the last four years. I have very little pasture myself so cows are hauled to lease pastures. I can rake hay and silage for five times the cows I have as I sell a lot of feed. Pneumonia in late fall is a worry. Cows will really milk until I am ready to supplement the calves. I try for no more than eight percent opens. It is important to keep cows on a high nutrition plain until at least thirty days after ther are bred, usually grazing sorghum or last growth on hay feilds. It is extremely important and difficult to keep ration uniform and consistent during this time for good conception. A freind uses the bulls for his spring calvers and I use them in the winter. I want to go to more AI though. Fall calving fits my available labor better. Spring prices are usually better but I believe I still need to improve marketing strategy. Mel
This is really a broad question because the answer will depend on where you are located, the size of your herd, and the facilities and help you have on hand. Southern climates to me would be better suited to do fall calving than the northern climates.
For us it's entirely spring calving. We prefer to start calving sometime around the 20th of Feburary at the earliest and be done by May 1 although sometimes we will get a stragler or 2 that will go into May. We're located in Iowa and run about 20-25 females so fall calving just isn't practical for us not only because of the climate but we don't have the facilities and acres to be weaning and calving around the same time if we did 2 calving seasons. Personally I don't know how people in the northern midwest do fall calving because the winters can be pretty brutal at times and a hot dry summer would be easier on a cow/calf than a cold and snowy winter IMO.
For us it's entirely spring calving. We prefer to start calving sometime around the 20th of Feburary at the earliest and be done by May 1 although sometimes we will get a stragler or 2 that will go into May. We're located in Iowa and run about 20-25 females so fall calving just isn't practical for us not only because of the climate but we don't have the facilities and acres to be weaning and calving around the same time if we did 2 calving seasons. Personally I don't know how people in the northern midwest do fall calving because the winters can be pretty brutal at times and a hot dry summer would be easier on a cow/calf than a cold and snowy winter IMO.
bird dog
Well-known member
Spring Fall and Winter for me, all at different locations. Our winters are not bad. Use one bull that does most of the work and follow him up with a young secondary bull. I like it so I can shift some cows around to keep my calving periods tight. It also helps when marketing calves. I can generally get some ready in a hurry if cash flow needs a boost or if the grass gets thin.
December would probably be the optimal month. The weather is generally OK and the calves are good size and eating good when the Rye grass comes on in March and are ready to wean when it plays out in June. June calves bring very good prices.
December would probably be the optimal month. The weather is generally OK and the calves are good size and eating good when the Rye grass comes on in March and are ready to wean when it plays out in June. June calves bring very good prices.
