Timing of calving

[f4leggin]

Well, I did search on this one - I'm sure it has been discussed many times - but I didn't find good informaion with my search. I am in Colorado (near Denver), my herd (of 18) is black beef cows bred to Angus bulls. Last year was my first year with the cattle, My cows started calving in February and ended sometime in June. I was only supposed to get 6 calves, but 2 heifers that I was told weren't bred were the ones that calved late. I put the bull in early July, and the calves started coming this week.

The other day we had strong winds, temps in the high 20's with colder at night. My question is, why wouldn't I wait to put the bull in so the calves come in May or June instead of March/April? Our summers are pretty mild, so I don't think I have to worry about extended periods of heat - maybe in July - is that why one typically shoots for March (or earlier) - the heat? Or is it so that the calves will be big enough to sell in the fall?

I would much prefer that they don't risk getting so cold right after being born - but I'm thinking there must be a good reason for March calving I don't know about. It's normal to get snow here into late April, although we don't normal get temps below the 20's - it can certainly happen.

So, that's the question - what are the drawbacks of putting the bull in later for late spring/early summer calving.

Thanks - Jill

 

[angie1]

I understand what you are saying ~ if everyone is doing it, it must be the thing to do....

This is what and why we do it differently.

Ours are put in with the bull Aug. 1st. We calf in May. Are the last locally to calf (with the exception of those that run bull with cows year round, and don't have a calving season). Done this way because we finish and sell direct (our farm to your freezer type deal), and can sell anytime of year. So the decision is based on weather alone for us. The reason we choose calving in May is because, IMO Jan and Feb are too cold. March and April are too wet (cold and wet much worse than just cold). I don't feel like doing checks at 2 in the morning when its -30, much less working with cow/calf under those conditions.

We have a very small but growing herd, but I cannot imagine a time when we will have more beef than we have people wanting to buy it, so market doesn't impact us.

It works best for us. Do what works best for you and your circumstances. You will need to hear more from others, as I am sure there are other circumstances that impact their decision. This is just what works best for us and ours. Is not too hot ~ not too cold.

This response looks disorganized, but I am tired and can't think how to fix it :roll: If you have questions ~ ask.

 

[angus9259]

Like the last post said, depends on when you want to sell your calves. I calve a commercial herd in september because I love the weather and people want weanling grass calves in the spring. I calve a registered herd in March because people need bulls that can breed by July. September is WAY better for calving, but the customers need what they need when they need it.

 

[msscamp]

My question is, why wouldn't I wait to put the bull in so the calves come in May or June instead of March/April? Our summers are pretty mild, so I don't think I have to worry about extended periods of heat - maybe in July - is that why one typically shoots for March (or earlier) - the heat? Or is it so that the calves will be big enough to sell in the fall?


Thanks - Jill

The biggest drawback to calving in warmer temperatures is that disease will spread much faster without the colder temps to help control it. Another factor is that the later you calve, the later you wean, and the higher the hay supplementation rate is once the first hard freeze hits and there is no grass. If you choose to calve in June those calves will only be somewhere around 3 months old when the first killing frost hits sometime in September, and you're looking at supplementing Mother and calf with hay for 3-4 more months. Even at $100.00/ton - and that price is being very modest - it is not cost effective.

 

[angie1]

The biggest drawback to calving in warmer temperatures is that disease will spread much faster without the colder temps to help control it.
I have heard this as well, but EVERYONE I know who calves in winter (Jan and Feb) losses a calf ~ often times several calves, due to cold weather. In March and April they are losing them to pneumonia due to wet and cold. I think these issues are much more prevalent than loss to disease in May and June. July and Aug are too hot to calf here.

Another factor is that the later you calve, the later you wean, and the higher the hay supplementation rate is once the first hard freeze hits and there is no grass. If you choose to calve in June those calves will only be somewhere around 3 months old when the first killing frost hits sometime in September, and you're looking at supplementing Mother and calf with hay for 3-4 more months. Even at $100.00/ton - and that price is being very modest - it is not cost effective.
Ours are weaned in late November, and we finish so we have to feed those calves hay through winter anyhow. This summer we had a drought, so hay is scarce and expensive. We paid $120 a ton for it, normally is no more than $90/ton. If not for the drought thou ~ we would have had enough of our own to take them through winter and sell some besides.

One dead calf due to freezing or pneumonia would cost us more than what the hay does on a normal year. It is very cost effective for us to calf in May.

 

[dun]

Calving timeframe is dependent on too many factors for a one size fits all solution. Folks that are planting in the late spring don;t want to have the worry of calving on top of the long hours and headaches of getting crops in the ground. Calving, particularly heifers in Aug and Sept around here have 2 drawbacks, the typically high heat stressing the calf and the larger calves produced from the much higher quality pasture during the late pregnancy. In cold and frozen environements it may be a better option to calve on the ice/snow then the mud that occurs once the spring thaw sets in. Others time it for when the kids are in school so it doesn;t interfere with family vacations. For others it's pasture quality and winter feeding or supplementation. Every producer has to determine what works best for them. A friend of mine calves spring and fall. He sells the fall calves for more in the spring but the bottom line is pretty much the same for both calf crops because of th higher quality feed requirements for the wet cows through the winter. But he figures it's a "don;t put all your eggs in one basket kind of deal"

 

[luckefarm]

a friend of mine calves in the summer and he likes it but the flies are horrendous on those poor young calves. they swarm the navel of the calf and the back of the cow till she cleans.

 

[3waycross]

In colorado a lot of ranchers got lulled into thinking Jan/Feb was gonna work better because of what Angie said about March/April, mud and all. The problem is this year Jan/Feb turned out not only cold but very windy up in the Mtns and I personally know of at least 4 different outfits that have taken a heckofa beatin this on calf mortality from the weather. The other thing we deal with here is that most of the pastures are gone pretty dry and brown by oct, and the need to feed gets pretty hi in the winter. Consequently not a lot of Colo ranchers fall calve or even calve into may/june too much.

Another issue up here is a lot of the bigger outfits and the older outfits have hi country grazing permits and they want those calves big enough to travel well both ways and to do good in those hi pastures.

I think what you need to do is ask your neighbors what works for them in that area most of the time that's about all you can do is shoot for the average and try to make it thru the bad yrs and the train wrecks.

If you have unlimited feed then I'd shoot for late summer calves maybe into Sept. You will get much more money for them than the fall weaners get. 12 to 20 cents per lb more, but if not, the feed costs and the damage done to lactating cows in the cold will make it a wash

 

[bandit80]

To me, it does not matter when you calve, because there is always something that can go wrong. Dec- Feb, too cold. Mar & April, too wet. May-July, hot, flies etc. Aug-Nov, cow needs much supplementation through the winter.

My cows start calving Feb 15 and am done 60 days later, heifers start 2 weeks before the cows. My reasoning is this. Due to the location of my summer pastures, my brother and I calve all of our cows together, and then take to summer pasture when the grass is right. With most of our calves coming in the last half of Feb and March, the calves are 30-60 days old when grass is growing good. Right in line with when the cow's requirements are at their highest. I also like to AI a large majority of my herd, so I can AI in late April/early May, and then take to summer pastures.

My brother also has a fall calving herd that calves in late August-September. With herd expansion possibly taking place for me next year, I will probably expand with fall calving cows. Weather is sometimes hot, and flies can be a problem in August- September, but never too cold or too wet. (Brother has placed a fly tag in each baby calf along with ID tag and it works really well.) But, there seems to be an ever increasing demand for 18 month old bulls, and I can get better use of my clean up bulls. One bull can breed twice as many cows with split calving season.

 

[f4leggin]

The feed (ie: hay beyond gazing) requirement is probably the thing that concerns me the most - where I live, the cold is bad, but because of the pasture and drainage, mud isn't as big an issue, but flys definitely are a concern too. Demand for my calves, selling etc.. aren't a concern at this point - I only got one bull calf last year, am keeping all the heifers for now, so I'm not selling anything. My cows don't get moved, so that's not a concern at this point either.

Last year, I stopped supplemental hay in May and had to start again in November. So, from strictly a hay standpoint, from what I read in the replies, the feb/march calving makes most sense because the calves requirement from their moms peaks around 4/5 months?

Thanks - Jill

 

[3waycross]

Jill

where you're at you should be fine with that time frame. The only problem is spring snow storms, and there is nothing you can do but react to those.
Good luck

 

[milkmaid]

Last year, I stopped supplemental hay in May and had to start again in November. So, from strictly a hay standpoint, from what I read in the replies, the feb/march calving makes most sense because the calves requirement from their moms peaks around 4/5 months?

Cows' milk production peaks around 30-60 days post calving, which is when she needs the best nutrition.

 

[msscamp]

...because the calves requirement from their moms peaks around 4/5 months?

Thanks - Jill

No. By 4 or 5 months of age a calf is grazing, bellying up to the bunk, and/or eating hay out of the feeder (assuming he can reach it) to sustain himself. Although it isn't usually advisable, calves can be weaned at 4 or 5 months of age if the circumstances warrant it. I would say a calf's requirement for milk peaks somewhere between a month to 2 months of age - by that time they are ruminating, can/will eat roughage/grain, but cannot take in enough to support their growth, and substantially lower the need for milk. After that their rumen capacity develops enough that they can take in enough roughage/grain to lower the need for milk, and they become less dependent on milk.