Calving Season

1

• Calving Season

Lori R. Puryear Robyn D. Whittington
2
Calving Season

• What is a calving season?
• Why should I have a calving season?
• How do I convert to a calving season?

3
What is a calving season?

• Developing specific predertermined strategies on
  when to begin and end the breeding season.
• Length of breeding season varies according to
  marketing objective, size of operation and
  personal preference.

4
A Few Numbers

• 70 of cow calf producers in the southeast still
  calve year round
• Of the 30 that have a calving season
• 75 calve in late winter/spring
• 25 calve in fall

5
Why should I have a calving season?

• Nutrient requirements of cows is more easily
  fulfilled
• Cows can be more easily observed for calving
  difficulties
• Calf crop is more uniform for marketing purposes
• Improved time and labor management
• Easier identification of reproductively unsound
  cows

6
Nutrient requirements

• Vary within the herd due to phase of lactation
  and reproductive state
• Grouping may be necessary
• Heifers
• Cows
• Feeding cattle according to their nutritional
  needs reduces costs associated with wasted feed
  and delayed puberty

7
Calving Difficulty

• Allows for more intense observation of cows
  during calving
• Failure to identify calving difficulties can
  result in loss of calf and/or cow.
• Especially important in first calf heifers
• Controlled Breeding results in Controlled
  Calving
• Once the calving season ends the producer can
  focus on other needs of the herd

8
Uniformity

• A calving season allows for more uniform calves
  which improves
• Marketing
• Management

9
Time Labor Management

• Year round calving results in year round calf
  processing and missed profits.

10
Time Labor Management

• Vaccinations
• Castrations
• Dehorning
• Deworming Fly tags
• Weaning
• Record Keeping
• Implants

11
Time Labor Management

• Year round calving causes lower prices due to
• variability in the calf crop
• discounts caused by missed management practices

12
ID of Reproductive Problems

• Open cows
• Calving intervals
• Dystocia
• Mastitis/Udder Problems
• Uterine infections/Prolapses

13
How do I convert to a calving season?

• 3-4 year process
• Set target breeding/calving dates
• Pay careful attention to potential culling
• May consider split calving seasons
• Have a plan!

14
How do I convert to a calving season?

• First Year 
• 1 Build a good, strong bull pen. 
• 2 Remove bull from herd. 
• 3 Pregnancy check all cows.  
• Cull   a All open breeding-age females   
• b All open cows with calves 5 months of age
  or older 
• 4Place bull with cows for 6 months. 
• 5Breed Replacement heifers 3 to 4 weeks ahead of
  the final long-range planned breeding.
• Second Year 
• 1.Follow all previous steps except leave bull
  with cows for 4½ months.
• Third Year 
• 1Follow all previous steps except leave bull
  with cows for 80 to 90 days.  
• Cull   a All open cows regardless of age of
  their calves. 
• 2The breeding season may be reduced even further
  in following years.

15
(No Transcript)
16
(No Transcript)