Livestock Management RANCHING
Some Ideas on Converting From Year-Round Calving to a Controlled Breeding Season By Dr. Les Anderson, Extension Beef Specialist, University of Kentucky
M
AINTAINING A CONTROLLED BREEDING AND CALVING SEASON can be one of the most important management
tools for cow-calf producers. A uniform, heavier and more valuable calf crop is
one key reason for keeping the breeding season short. Plus, more effi cient cow supplementation and cow herd health programs are products of a short breeding sea- son. However, converting from a year-long breeding season to a shortened 2- to 3-month breeding season should not be done haphazardly. A system for converting from year-round to a 75-
day controlled calving season over a period of 2 years would present less loss and fewer problems than to try to convert in 1 year. Here are suggested steps for getting on a controlled
breeding system: 1) Determine the ideal time of year and the length of your new calving season. For example, my cows will calve from Feb. 15 to April 30 (74 days).
2) Determine the reproductive status of each cow in your herd. First, go to your record book to deter- mine the last date each cow calved. If you don’t
108 The Cattleman October 2016
keep records, try to match the cows and calves up and estimate their age. For example, let’s assume we have 30 cows. Calving dates from Fall ‘08 to Spring ‘09 are as follows: Last Aug. ‘08 = 0 cows calved, Sept. = 2 calved, Oct. = 2 calved, Nov. = 1 calved, Dec. = 0 calved, Jan. = 0 calved, Feb. = 3 calved, Mar. = 9 calved, Apr. = 5 calved, May = 5 calved, June = 2 calved, July = 1 just calved. Keep in mind that the 5 cows that calved in the fall are likely pregnant.
3) Based upon the reproductive status of your herd, determine if you would like 1 controlled calving season or 2. In our example, 5 cows calving in the fall are likely not worth the hassle so they will be held over and should NOT be exposed to a bull until next spring. If, however, half of your herd calved July-December, it is a better economic decision to make these your fall-calving cows and the ones that calve from January-June your spring-calving cows.
4) Build a good strong bull pen or well-fenced bull pasture. An electric fence in addition to the regular fence may be needed.
thecattlemanmagazine.com
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