Spring vs fall calving and why???

[uscott]

Just have a question for the cattle veterans. I am in central Miss and i am fairly new to the business. I have set up for spring calving(Feb to March) so that the cows get the best grass (rye and clover to summer grasses) while they are nursing. My question is why some of you are fall calving and why some are spring. I am just wondering about the pros and cons of each?

 

[Aaron]

Biggest reason above all else is to split up income. Used to be on the those guys that put all his eggs into one sale and crossed his fingers. Now I can take good groups of calves at two different times of the year and hedge my risk of a poor sale. If it's real poor, I can buy back and not be in desperate need of cash as I sold 6 months earlier. I know a lot of spring-only calving guys that get desperate for cash flow in late winter/early spring.

 

[Jessica06]

What Aaron said. Also, our fall calving cows are dry through the summer with only mineral to supplement them. Most calve at a 6 or 7 BCS, and breed back in a 60 day window. Calf prices are almost always good when we wean in March. We have been holding our spring group, especially heifers, to a pretty tough standard, and move the opens that are worth trying again to the fall. Anything from the fall group that comes up open gets sold in a pretty good spring cow market. We were ridiculously wet during our spring breeding season last year and had very few heifers breed back. We held onto them and AI'd them and put them with a bull for 30 days in September. We'll calve them out a little early and hold them over to breed back in November with the rest. Having 2 seasons gives you so many more options when things don't happen the way they're supposed to!

 

[Supa Dexta]

Guys are more likely to be lenient on the cows if they have a herd of each. If they don't get bred on time for one group they get shuffled to the other. Not doing themselves any favours.

 

[plumber_greg]

I disagree with that. Have several fall cows that were simply spring bred heifers that raised a good calf, but were too thin to breed back. They went into the fall herd and haven't missed in years. Have some that are 11 this year and bred back.
gs

 

[WalnutCrest]

I have considerable off-farm responsibilities and am consisting moving everything to fall from spring. Blizzards (or torrential rain) in Sept / Oct are more rare than Feb / Mar / Apr.

It's pretty pricey to feed lactating cows through the winter. An argument could be made (at least in my case) that less time spent dealing with calving issues the middle of a snow storm more than makes up for the extra money spent during the winter.

On the other hand, there are lots of reasons nature calves in the spring ... and managing with nature (should be) easier and less expensive (in the long run) ... I think.

...still haven't decided...

I think this is an interesting subject and look forward to following it.

 

[Ky hills]

I see pros and cons to both. I prefer spring calving, for me that's February - March. The winter weather potential early on is a factor, and March can be cool and wet. The spring calves just seem to grow much better. For fall calving, it seems that calving is a little less management intense, as weather isn't an issue. My fall calves usually don't look quite as good or grow as good. After weaning, through yearling they tend to come out and look better, just takes them longer.

 

[Rafter S]

Late fall/early winter (mostly November and December, with a few in January) for me for several reasons.

1. You said "so that the cows get the best grass (rye and clover to summer grasses) while they are nursing". That's true for me too, and the calves are old enough to handle all the milk, which is not always true with small calves. I never have problems with bags blowing up due to calves not being able to handle the milk. The calves are also old enough to be grazing some of that fresh grass. If you watch real close you can almost see them growing this time of year.
2. My calves are ready to sell in July or August, when it really gets hot (and often dry), reducing the load on the cows and the pastures.
3. It's of course not true every year, but often the calf prices peak in mid summer, and start dropping in September, so I'm selling at the right time to catch the market at it's peak.
4. If I have a cow that breeds back late, she'll fit in with someone else's spring calving herd, so I take her to the auction barn and tell them to sell her palpated. She'll often bring $1000.00 more than if she was open. (And I don't want to get another argument started about whether or not this is ethical. I still maintain that anyone that buys a cow at the auction barn and is later surprised that she isn't perfect shouldn't be allowed out of the house without a keeper. Besides, this kind may never be late again.)

There may be other reasons, but these are what come to mind off the top of my head, and I know that this likely wouldn't work for folks up north that have to deal with bad winter weather. That's rarely an issue for me, since we can go years with the temperature never getting below the upper 20's. And I know I have to take better care of my cows during the winter than I would if they didn't have calves on them, but I accept that. One reason is that I have a dependable source for cheap hay.

 

[Jessica06]

I'll add that our grass is usually better later in the year when it's hotter and drier. The better nutrition really helps our fall calvers breed back quick. The grass is usually so wet and green here in the spring, the spring calvers have a hard time staying in good condition when there is water in the ditches. This year they are rolling, but only because it got pretty dry right before we started putting bulls out. Last year I think our breeding % was in the 70% range in the cows. And VERY WET. And we even fertilized several pastures, and of course had liquid and mineral out. This year we've seen several getting bred that are 35-45 days post calving. The Gulf Coast is pretty unforgiving, and you can only be so hard on your cows before you cull yourself out of business.

 

[bird dog]

I feel the same as Rafter. I want most of my calves in the Late Nov/ Dec period. I get them weaned and sold before the fall rush of calves drops the price. I have lots of Rye grass and the calves are eating good when the grass is high.

Saying that I also have a small group that calves in March and a mid size group Fall group that calves in Sept. This gives me additional cash flow and gives the bulls something to do year round. As mentioned it also gives you some options with Heifers. I do my best to sell uniform groups of calves and having three calving periods allows me some leeway with the late calves. Your grass and where you market the calves should be the determining factor.

 

[Ebenezer]

Spring calve to reduce need for more winter grazing or hay. Used to calve Jan 1 and shifted to Feb 1. Stockpiled grazing actually extended 45 extra days rather than the 30 due to less demand from cows not nursing. Spring flush hits when calves are 1 to 2 months old.

Watch your market highs and lows: here, first half of August is normal annual peak for calves in south and SE USA.

Some talk in other posts of shifting cows from spring to fall for delayed breed back. Fall is generally an easier time to get slow breeders to breed for some reason; maybe it is a fescue deal, decreasing day light hours, temps - don't know. We cull and avoid a split season. Less labor and easier life.

Late August and September can be dry here, grass is fading out and cool season forages have not gotten going. We expect about zero gain during the last two weeks of August, depending on rain and season. No need to hold calves longer for nothing and price will fall.

 

[Simbrah]

Just have a question for the cattle veterans. I am in central Miss and i am fairly new to the business. I have set up for spring calving(Feb to March) so that the cows get the best grass (rye and clover to summer grasses) while they are nursing. My question is why some of you are fall calving and why some are spring. I am just wondering about the pros and cons of each?

Normally calving seasons are set up by seasonality. For example, Spring calves tend to be heavier than fall calves. Or conception rates are better in cooler weather so some calve in the fall, so they are breeding in the winter.
We use Fall calving because we can grow better grazing in a winter annual Rye, feed less hay and have super conception rates in cooler temps

 

[littletom]

Spring for me for several reasons. In the fall I am wide open with tobacco, we start stripping with in a week of when we finish cutting. I can not check them well enough to suit me in the fall. For me I can wean better calves off grass than I can hay. Use less hay for dry cows than pairs. I don't there is a right or wrong just what fits each person better.

 

[backhoeboogie]

Guys are more likely to be lenient on the cows if they have a herd of each. If they don't get bred on time for one group they get shuffled to the other. Not doing themselves any favours.

Most of mine calved at 11 month intervals. You call that lenient? You ought to see the birthing records on #32. She's 13 years old now.

 

[Simbrah]

Also calve in the fall and wean May 1st because normally people are more optimistic (buyers) in the Spring than they are in the fall at weaning looking at a long winter season. But for us its all about conception rates being better in cooler temps

 

[nathan arizona]

I've heard some old timers say that most of nature has their young in the spring and that you should imitate that. But I have a question. What if you've screwed up? Mine this year will be born at a bad time (June-August). Mostly due to ignorance and timing of when I could rent a bull. I'm buying a bull this year. Would you wait a month or two and go fall calving or leave them open 6 months longer and try for the next spring? Don't have to have the cash flow now, but is the 6 months worth the benefits of spring calving?

 

[Supa Dexta]

Most of mine calved at 11 month intervals. You call that lenient? You ought to see the birthing records on #32. She's 13 years old now.

It was a general statement, of course not everyone does it. But the option is there and an easy trap to fall into. Also if you continually calved at 11mo, you won't keep spring and fall herds for long, so that point is counter intuitive.

 

[jerry27150]

I would put a bull with them while they are calving & let them breed back for april may & june

 

[WalnutCrest]

I've heard some old timers say that most of nature has their young in the spring and that you should imitate that. But I have a question. What if you've screwed up? Mine this year will be born at a bad time (June-August). Mostly due to ignorance and timing of when I could rent a bull. I'm buying a bull this year. Would you wait a month or two and go fall calving or leave them open 6 months longer and try for the next spring? Don't have to have the cash flow now, but is the 6 months worth the benefits of spring calving?

I would put a bull with them while they are calving & let them breed back for april may & june

The wisdom is strong in this one.

+1

 

[backhoeboogie]

Most of mine calved at 11 month intervals. You call that lenient? You ought to see the birthing records on #32. She's 13 years old now.

It was a general statement, of course not everyone does it. But the option is there and an easy trap to fall into. Also if you continually calved at 11mo, you won't keep spring and fall herds for long, so that point is counter intuitive.

Its pretty much year round. Works for me in this climate. Don't really like summer calves but it happens.