What are the pros and cons of spring (April) calving in the southeast? I am going to phase my cows into April calving over the next few years. My forage base is predominantly (unfertilized) bahiagrass and it kicks in along with hop and Durana clover every year around April 1. The reason behind this change is to reduce hay cost. It just does not seem right for a calve to be sucking while it's mother is standing around a hay bale eating hay and the only thing green in sight is my John Deere 5045.
Cons:
1. Too be nice hot in the SE US in April --normally.
2. Bulls shut down when it gets too hot and so does his fertility (unless he's a Gert)
3. Folks are eating hamburgers every weekend in the Spring and Summer months -- no BBQ's normally in November.
4. A drought in the last of May in the SE is common --- right when your cows are in peak milk -- this is bad.
5. Every flying insect, bacteria and other pathogen known to man is out in force in the Spring in the SE-- Brown Stomach nematode will love you
6.
I have no Pros
Maybe a few solutions though:
1. Calve in October when its cooling down -- fewer flies, fewer parasites
2. Plant cereal rye for grazing the 3rd week of October, which will decrease hay usage by 40%+
3. If you need further supplementation Whole Cotton Seed is plentiful and the cheapest all year (pre-breeding) Bulls should not be fed WCS
4. Limit graze your cows on Rye 3-4 hours a day (I know I am being redundant) free choice them hay
5. Put N down pre-plant on rye grazing and by Thanksgiving you should be grazing daily
6. No-till Apache Arrowleaf clover in that bahia grass in October (its cheap man, just do it) use 12 lbs per acre of seed and save it for March 15th when Rye gets stemy
7. Start offering High Mg Mineral 3 weeks prior to grazing rye (just bought a ton the other day ($670))
8. Buy all your hay --- you can get it out of Lake City FL for $15 per roll --- cheaper than chicken feed
9. Buy low quality hay if ya want to and juice it up with haymaster systems for $6 per bale (will increase CP by 5-8%) call them in Savannah GA
10. Breeding in December /January conception rates increase in the cooler weather -- you do own a coat dont ya.
11. Dont forget black powder deer season opens early --dont miss that
12. As rye grazing becomes stemy in March -- limit graze your cows and calves on that clover --calves are old enough to get a lot out of it and increase ww's
13. Hells bells cows will even gain weight on Arrowleaf as peak milk production has passed months ago....
14. April 25th or as soon as soil temps are at least 65 degrees plant (grain drill or whatever) millet ( Tiff leaf 3) at 20 lbs per acre is plenty
15. May 15th wean your calves keep them on high Mg mineral and start them on some millet 2 hours a day -- do it early at daybreak before is gets hot then gettem off
16. Sell those calves and go to the beach and let you cows limit gaze that millet all summer
17. Buy first cutting hay when everyone is still positive about the year and they did their best at weed control and putting out fertilizer -- dont wait.
18. Have a BBQ and invite me -- ya owe me at least that much..... lol
think I am done
JS