Spring calving vs. Fall calving

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tncattle

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Talked with a local cattleman today who was really pushing Fall calving to me. I was just curious to y'all's opinions on the Spring vs. Fall calving. I know it's probably got a lot to do with preference etc. Anyway, with my small herd I'm about to start I'm leaning toward Spring calving.
 
We do spring calving, or I guess it's more like winter calving. There's a lot of pros and cons to doing either. The reason we have spring calving is because we sell a lot of bulls and females, so our buyers want more mature calves. However, with spring calving you market your calves when almost everyone else does. You also have to fight rougher weather.
 
we like spring calving as opposed to fall for several reasons.
1. take advantage of the good grass to increase BSC, resulting in good quality calves, good results on breed back
2. the nutriton levels for our animals and the amount of hay they eat in a year, and the amout of hay they would eat if the calves were on in the winter...just would not pay for us. Cows here alread consume 10 950 pound baled (include straw for bedding) a year. That is with no calves on them. Add in calves on the ground, and in the gut, that would increase the hay cost and that cost will not be recovered with the market we are in.
3. We intensive manage our calving season. Basically, the last two weeks of March and the first three of April we eat, drink, loose sleep with our calving. We want that live calf. In march we still have snow on the ground, it's still freezing so land work, and fencing do not start until May. Once that starts, life gets busy with other farm tasks. Spring calving works for us.
4. Before we started a specific calving season, we had some stragglers that calved late into September. These calves were never great preformers. They were smaller and a little poddied. The momma's had a hard time to keep the BSC on with a calf on her during our coldest months of the year.
 
so many variables to consider
what are your goals?
how are the markets, weather, feed - and when? what are your facilities - are they out on their own or handled a lot and calving up close under supervision? Do hungry predators figure into planning? Other farm/ranch/family activities (planting/harvesting, kids activities, other livestock etc)

Hard to beat what nature guides - when do the large herbivores in your area give birth? For cattle highest milk production and growth should happen when pastures/feed are peaking as well.

We kind of calve year round - things are so variable here with two "rainy" seasons (not to mention 20 years of drought) that some years fall calves do great and others no way. We always have a few anyway as the bulls stay with the cows.

I would prefer to calve in April so peak growth of animals and grass is happening mid-monsoon to fall. Plus SOME years when we get winter moisture there will be some green coming late March, April as well.
 
When you calve in the spring, what months? when do you sell/ship?

I've always calved in the fall so I was just wonderin?
 
mattyboy":373hmf4k said:
When you calve in the spring, what months? when do you sell/ship?

I've always calved in the fall so I was just wonderin?
We calve in Marchwith the tail end in April. Wean late september early october and ship in november
 
mattyboy":2rzv39ev said:
When you calve in the spring, what months? when do you sell/ship?

I've always calved in the fall so I was just wonderin?
We calve the majority in Feb-March with a few in January and April. Wean the first part of Sept. (that's our labor day fun) The steers and first round cull of heifers go usually late Oct. or Nov.
 
showing71":d17r4wng said:
mattyboy":d17r4wng said:
When you calve in the spring, what months? when do you sell/ship?

I've always calved in the fall so I was just wonderin?
We calve the majority in Feb-March with a few in January and April. Wean the first part of Sept. (that's our labor day fun) The steers and first round cull of heifers go usually late Oct. or Nov.
same here,,, i had 3 born sunday within a few hours of each other, one heifer laid down within a few feet of me a spit one out... i love me a calving season it just make good management sence
 
mattyboy":34csxvky said:
Thanks for the info.

what are the average weights at shipping time?
650-800 with occasioanlly some lighter or heavier
 
if your in tn and have a spring calving season be sure to get them settled before around june 15th due to endophites in fescue grass they say your percentages drop in the heat. i have mostly fall calving a few in the spring the market in tn seems better in june and july
 
bse":271bbwf7 said:
if your in tn and have a spring calving season be sure to get them settled before around june 15th due to endophites in fescue grass they say your percentages drop in the heat. i have mostly fall calving a few in the spring the market in tn seems better in june and july

What exactly do you mean by "get them settled before around June 15th"?
 
tncattle":18c2aqfp said:
bse":18c2aqfp said:
if your in tn and have a spring calving season be sure to get them settled before around june 15th due to endophites in fescue grass they say your percentages drop in the heat. i have mostly fall calving a few in the spring the market in tn seems better in june and july

What exactly do you mean by "get them settled before around June 15th"?
Bred and safe with calf (settled)
 
What about a list of why someone would prefer fall calving, my thoughts:
Calf prices are usually better in the spring.
Maybe you have a lot of crop residue available for winter grazing.
The further south you are the easier to utilizing winter annuals.
Calving in dry weather and little mud in the fall.
You have something else to do in the spring like planting row crops.
Can use summer grass to make feeders into heavy stockers say 800 lbs.
Share a bull/equipment with someone who calves in the spring
Grow your operation buying others late spring calving cows.
Cooler weather for the calves to grow. No flies edit: flies are probably worse at calving in the fall.
 

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