Page 9 - MWC 08-19-2021s

Fall Calving, Is It Profitable? The Midwest Cattleman · August 19, 2021 · P9

By Garth Ruff, Beef Cattle Field Specialist, OSU Extension
Fall is my favorite time of heifer calves captured by fall- ed that fall
the year, hay making is done, born calves were able to cover calving culls
the feeder cattle are being the higher feed expenses and sold in April
marketed, and college foot- lighter weaning weights by and May
ball is in full swing. Last win- the fall-born calves. were valued
ter in a cow-calf webinar, I In the fall of the year, when on average
briefly mentioned the virtues most of the weaned spring- $8-9 cwt
of a fall calving system here born calves are marketed, higher than
in the Eastern Corn Belt. In supply is plentiful for order spring calv- While fall calving may offer some unique challenges with regard
this article we’ll look at how buyers to fill their feedlot or- ing culls sold to herd nutrition, there’s no arguing the cattle price seasonality
fall calving can be a viable ders. This increased supply in September benefit it affords!
and profitable system. contributes to our annual or October.
Seasonality of Cattle low in feeder cattle prices. Mud –As rainfall patterns quate body condition, Nickles
Prices – As with most things During the spring when shift here in Ohio and the et al, 2020.
in agriculture, supply and there is demand for calves rest of the eastern Cornbelt, Not only does mud have
demand has a great impact to graze wheat in the plains, indications are that our an impact on cow body condi-
on prices. Griffiths et al, and grass here locally, prices springs are going to be tion, management and feed-
2017 from the University of on a per cwt basis are signifi- warmer and wetter over ing also become a challenge
Tennessee analyzed several cantly higher due to a tighter time. I think we can attest to when excessive muddy con-
studies comparing spring and supply of calves. That tight that if recent memory serves ditions persist. Fall calving
fall calving systems. After supply of fall born calves con- us well. in September to mid-Octo-
comparing the systems on tributes to seasonality of the As mud becomes more of ber, when soil conditions are,
a 205-day weaning age and markets and our annual high an issue, especially in the on average drier, can be one
two separate feed resource for stocker calves and feeder last trimester of gestation for method to reduce the impacts
scenarios they concluded that cattle. a beef cow, research conduct- of mud on cow performance.
even though spring-calving Don’t forget that the cull ed at the Ohio State Univer- Management Consid-
cows had heavier calves at markets are seasonal as well. sity suggests that a cow in erations – Historically, one
weaning and lower feed costs Griffiths et al, also looking muddy conditions requires of the biggest drawbacks to
than the fall-calving cows, at Tennessee cull cow prices an additional 1.8 Mcal Net fall calving has been the in-
the higher prices of steer and from 1990-2013 demonstrat- Energy/day to maintain ade- continued on page 23

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