South Central South Dakota | Thanks for alot of Great insight here guys it has defiantly given me alot to think about. on both fall and spring calving time.
I've been darn lucky in the operation up to now with calving and not having problems we have pulled one calf in about 15 years or better. reason on pulling the one he ended up being a big SOB and was backwards turned out to be a great calf came in at 625 at weaning time. cow has never had a problem before or after him calving otherwise. My cow weights are 1250-1350 weight cows with a few in the 1400 range. usually winter them on corn stalks or grass/alfalfa areas till Feb with a bit of grass hay or alfafa feeding out there if needed cause of to much snow or there getting low on pickings.
I'm late on weaning this year usually like to have it done by the First to mid Nov and are comeing off the cow in that 525-550 range. Then i have backgrounded usually at least 60 days to get them on the new calender before selling. other reason for backgrounding is we raise a good portion of oats in our crop rotation so i use that as a grain source to feed them along with corn silage and ground grass hay. calves usually get another 100lbs easy in 60 days with a light feeding program. Also have to take in account i am castrating bull calves after weaning too so usually go out 60 days at least before we sell so they are healed up. And i don't mind the feeding for that time frame. Then i know I'm selling a good ready to produce calf to the feeders since mine have the start and know what a feedbunk is and waters in yards.
If i change the calving time then it may end up they get sold off the cows which means i will need to work the bull calves at a sooner time so they have time to heal up.
This has given me enough that i think i may experiment on part of the heard and push part of them to a diffrent calving date. which one i'm just not sure yet. The heifers are the ones i usually concern myself with. The cows other then the one have never had a problem Neither have the heifers but sometimes there a bit more fickle on being good mothers off the bat too or at all. |
Calving time? Thinking of Changeing Mine. Thoughts?
