thinking of creating a calfing season

[dieselbeef]

right now i run the bull all yr long so i can have different size calfs on the ground all yr

this enables me to sell my steers as beef all yr long instead of all of them about at the same time. at 20 mos old usually

i only have 6 calves a yr so its not a big deal but if i was wanting to do this to get all my calfs uniform and of the same age how (is it possible even) would i sync all my animals without missing a crop of calfs.

i would be able to keep my bull off the cows but he would be pastured alone..unless i had a big enuff steer to put in with him to keep him company. at 12 mos or so ill put them with him..

i sell them all so if i did it a little at a time or all in 2 mos time it wouldnt matter either way cept for all the wondering if they got bred and when the calfing date might be for a paticular animal

so im wondering if this can be done without missing basically..a yrs of calves


thanks

gary

 

[jkwilson]

Just leave the bred cows with the bull until they calve. He'll be happier.

 

[angie1]

db ~ because of how you market your calves, I would re-think a calving season. Do you want to market 6 calves at once? Good idea for feedlot calves I think to be uniform, but for calves sold finished in halves and wholes, it might work better to keep them staggered ~ yes? Maybe I misunderstand why you want them uniform......?

 

[dieselbeef]

hard to keep up with when theyre bred since i work all day. weve gotten off schedule and now im wondering when and why some of them havent calfed and i can see theyre gonna..but i have no idea when so i just kinda gues..frustrating and not very efficient ..

but it does market better and keeping em all sorted from each other is easier and werks well this way

probly stick with what im doin cuz i need the different sizes but its a record keeping pita

gary

 

[SRBeef]

DB,

If you can keep two separate groups, and have 6 cows or heifers, and want calves through the entire year, why not just move a cow over to the pasture with the bull every two months. Then in two months move another cow into the bull pasture, then in another two months add another.

When they calve take them out of the bull pasture....

If they have eartag numbers, just go in eartag number order so you will always know which one goes next.

Keep a little notebook of which cow goes in when and then you will also know about when each one should calve ( about 290-300 days after being put in wih bull on average).

This way you will have calves evenly spaced through the year about every two months. If one does NOT calve about when expected then cull.

Just an idea for you. Goodluck.

Jim

 

[backhoeboogie]

If I pull my bull, my cows would get bred by one of the neighbor's bulls. It is already a challenge with heifers that are separated pending the right age for breeding. I am having to haul them here to the house.

The advantage I see for a season is innoculations. No much else in my situation.

 

[SRBeef]

If I pull my bull, my cows would get bred by one of the neighbor's bulls. It is already a challenge with heifers that are separated pending the right age for breeding. I am having to haul them here to the house.

The advantage I see for a season is innoculations. No much else in my situation.

I have had a good Hereford bull right across a barb wire fence from both cycling heifers and another older Hereford bull. I run a very hot wire on 5" standoffs at nose height on both sides of the fence and there is no breeding until I tell them its breeding time. There is an advantage to having cattle trained to electric fences and some very hot (9 kv 6 joule min) fences.

Jim

 

[dieselbeef]

DB,

If you can keep two separate groups, and have 6 cows or heifers, and want calves through the entire year, why not just move a cow over to the pasture with the bull every two months. Then in two months move another cow into the bull pasture, then in another two months add another.

When they calve take them out of the bull pasture....

If they have eartag numbers, just go in eartag number order so you will always know which one goes next.

Keep a little notebook of which cow goes in when and then you will also know about when each one should calve ( about 290-300 days after being put in wih bull on average).

This way you will have calves evenly spaced through the year about every two months. If one does NOT calve about when expected then cull.

Just an idea for you. Goodluck.

Jim

this sint a bad idea..but i may just try to keep track a little better cuz my last bull got us off track..he didnt do anything fo about 6 mos..i shipped him and all his calfs are comin now..ill be back on track soon