Page 11 - MWC 2-2-2023s

IS YOUR HERD The Midwest Cattleman · February 2, 2023 · P11
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21 days of the calving sea- using estrus synchroniza- sources to accomplish the job. of the distribution you may
son, those cows fall behind tion to move those females Choose a breeding or bull let have. Any females that are
missing the opportunity to back to the desired breeding out day. If using a bull, en- open allows that female to be
re-breed and subsequently, season. If an estrus synchro- sure the amount of time the sold as well as starts putting
will fail to maintain a 365 nization program will be im- bull is out with the cows as reproductive pressure on the
day calving interval. Females plemented, consult your local well as bull/cow ratio is part herd.
that fall out of the desired Extension Specialist or Vet- of your management strate- Sixth, enjoy a shorter,
calving window allow oppor- erinarian to help set you up gy and goals. more defined calving season.
tunity to consider manageri- with an appropriate protocol Fifth, confirm pregnancies South Dakota State
al strategies to re-establish and supplies. in the herd. Once the cows are University Extension
the desired calving distribu- Fourth, follow through bred, have your veterinarian
tion. It’s important to remain with the plan. Ensure you come and pregnancy check
business minded when mak- have enough labor and re- all the females to get an idea
ing decisions regarding the
cow herd to ensure success.
So how can calving distri-
bution affect the bottom line?
Calf crops more uniform in
size and age have market ad-
vantages and exceed returns
over calves that lack unifor-
mity in both age and weight.
Therefore, more calves born
earlier in the calving sea-
son wean more pounds of
calf compared to calves born
later in the calving season.
At weaning, one day age dif-
ference can translate into 2.4
lbs of weaning weight lost. If
more than 25% of the herd is
calving in the second or third
calving window this leaves a
large number of pounds un-
paid. Furthermore, research
shows that females who
calve in the first 21 days of
the calving season remain in
the herd longer.
Reaching Management
Goals
Reproduction is the num-
ber one indicator of success
on any operation. So how can
some of these management
goals be reached?
First, remain business
minded. While we all have
that favorite cow in the herd
who may receive two or three
breeding chances, it may be
time to consider the financial
implications she brings.
Second, set your goals.
How do you want to see your
herd perform? What bench-
marks do you want to follow
or set? How can you reach
these goals and who can help
you get there?
Third, make a plan. De-
cide which cows do not meet
your production goals and
disperse of them. Determine
if the remaining females are
in the calving benchmarks
you desire. If those cows need
to move up a cycle, consider