When to Calf?

[wjsizemore77]

I was wondering what are some advantages/disadvantages to fall vs. spring calving? My Father and I are relativly new to the cattle business. We have 12 head that are ready to breed. Thank you.

 

[Nowland Farms]

I personally like the fall calving. But we have mild winters here and I have mostly cool season grass so my cows eat green grass just about all winter long. About the time I am ready to wean/sale the calves, the world is beginning to green up and all the cattlemen are feeling good seeing the new green growth in their pastures. The spring prices for calves goes up.

 

[TexLonghornRanch]

I personally like the fall calving. But we have mild winters here and I have mostly cool season grass so my cows eat green grass just about all winter long. About the time I am ready to wean/sale the calves, the world is beginning to green up and all the cattlemen are feeling good seeing the new green growth in their pastures. The spring prices for calves goes up.

I fall calf also for the same reasons.

 

[msscamp]

I personally like the fall calving. But we have mild winters here and I have mostly cool season grass so my cows eat green grass just about all winter long. About the time I am ready to wean/sale the calves, the world is beginning to green up and all the cattlemen are feeling good seeing the new green growth in their pastures. The spring prices for calves goes up.

What about flies when you brand/castrate? Is that not a problem due to your mild climate, and no hard freeze to kill them off? Spring prices are better up here, too, but it just doesn't pay to fall calve due to the weather/flies/illnesses.

 

[Diehard40]

i would say if you let this post run for a while the responses will be close to 50-50.
True if you fall calve you can generally take advantage of the good spring prices, but you do (or at least most will) have a higher feed cost carrying the cows and the babies through the winter months.
My thoughts are to calve at a time so that when the calves are around 2 months of age the grass is coming in pretty good.

 

[backhoeboogie]

Breeds from cold climate origins do much better with fall calving in my climate. Plus it leaves the calves at weaning age when the cattle prices are historically their highest. You calve with those cows in the spring the summer heat here takes it out of them. The calves will wean very light in comparison.

 

[backhoeboogie]

What about flies when you brand/castrate? Is that not a problem due to your mild climate, and no hard freeze to kill them off?

It can be a problem all 12 months of the year. I have seen terrible fly problems in December but that is uncommon. I band at birth, fly tag both ears, inject twice a year, spray every six weeks on really bad years, and rotate pastures. Combatting flies are a way of life.

Eared brood cattle at best for many reasons. Fly problems are just another reason to have them in this climate.

 

[Earl Thigpen]

What about flies when you brand/castrate? Is that not a problem due to your mild climate, and no hard freeze to kill them off? Spring prices are better up here, too, but it just doesn't pay to fall calve due to the weather/flies/illnesses.[/quote]

I assume you are talking about horn flies? Yes, they are a problem almost year 'round. I spray twice a year for horn flies and they are still a pest. But they are not a problem for cutting or branding. We used to have blow flies (screw worm flies) that were a real problem for castrating and branding but the State eradicated them around our part years ago. Other than vacinating with antibiotics at castration time we don't do anything special.

 

[Frankie]

I was wondering what are some advantages/disadvantages to fall vs. spring calving? My Father and I are relativly new to the cattle business. We have 12 head that are ready to breed. Thank you.

You'll find proponents of fall and spring calving. We are moving everything to Jan/Feb because of bull testing schedules.

Year after year, prices for calves at sale barns will be lowest in October. That's when most spring born calves head for the sale barn. IMO, if you're in an area where you can manage it, calving in the fall might be more profitable. That would put you breeding in December/January if you're calving in Sept & Oct. Cooler December weather might help with your breeding percentage, too.

 

[msscamp]

What about flies when you brand/castrate? Is that not a problem due to your mild climate, and no hard freeze to kill them off? Spring prices are better up here, too, but it just doesn't pay to fall calve due to the weather/flies/illnesses.

I assume you are talking about horn flies? Yes, they are a problem almost year 'round. I spray twice a year for horn flies and they are still a pest. But they are not a problem for cutting or branding. We used to have blow flies (screw worm flies) that were a real problem for castrating and branding but the State eradicated them around our part years ago. Other than vacinating with antibiotics at castration time we don't do anything special.[/quote]

No, actually I was talking about ALL flies - horn flies, face flies, blow flies, etc. Pardon me if I sound a bit skeptical, but how is it possible to completely eradicate a particular species of fly, and keep them from coming in from bordering states? Thanks!