First year results of summer calving

[Big Swede]

We preg checked the cows today. Bull turnout was July 25th for a 60 day breeding period. I know we had a cooler than average summer but the later breeding period and dealing with the heat of summer didn't seem to affect the conception rate any. That was a concern and another year it might be different but I hope not. There were 6% open which was maybe just a bit lower than average. I think it usually runs about 7% if I remember right. A bright spot of the day was that not one of the 85 coming 3 year olds were open. Don't recall that ever happening before.

Calving went like a dream. Never had to deal with one single storm last spring. The percentage of calves weaned was as high as it's ever been. I'm going to sell 2 loads of steers next week so I will see how many pounds per head I gave up but I have a feeling that total pounds will be higher. Probably the first time I've sold calves that had all their ears.

Most people who are curious with the move later calving ask if I have any trouble keeping the neighbors bulls out and I haven't yet. I have the ability to rotate away from the neighbors cows that I border and with their turnout dates about the first week of June it has worked well so far.

Herd health was very good this past summer. I did use Scour Guard but I doubt that I will this year. Summer pneumonia which I sometimes struggle with wasn't an issue.

I weaned the oldest 1/3 of the calves Sept. 11th and weaned the youngest 2/3 on Oct. 10th. I was running short of grass and couldn't harvest any corn to put cows on stalks so I decided to save what grass I had for the cows. It's a good thing too because we didn't start harvest till November. Fat cows before winter hits is a very important management tool in my opinion so early weaning will probably continue.

Didn't mean to get long winded but lots of people have asked how things went so I thought I'd share. Good luck and good calving to all. Hope the weather straightens out soon for all of you who will be starting soon.

[lacreek_cowboy]

I kinda had my doubts about it, I thought maybe you would have some problems with scours and cows milking to heavy at first on all that grass. The calves seemed to really grow and catch up over the summer from what I could see. And I must say I don't think I've ever seen cows in better rig come spring time than yours were, especialy after that kind of winter. Sure nothing wrong with the breed up either. If I was set up different land wise I would probably go that route too. Good luck on the sale.

[Soapweed]

This morning is a blizzardy old bugger out, and I'm sure glad we're not calving yet. Your summer calving decision is looking better all the time. Hope your calves weigh heavy and sell well.

[gcreekrch]

Glad most things went according to Hoyle. Good luck with your sale.

I would give the discontinuation of scour vaccine a second thought. A friend of mine calves about 700 cows on grass. He quit vaccinating for the same line of thought you have and went about 4 years with no problems.
Then there was a cool wet stretch of weather one year and the scours hit with a vengence.

[Big Swede]

I hear what you're saying gcreekrch about the scour vaccine. The heifers are due about April 20th and they got their first dose yesterday but I'm still up in the air with the cows. Did your neighbor have them in one calving pasture or was he rotating his herd? In my situation they get moved about once a week for the first 2 months. I am nervous about not using it so maybe that's my gut telling me to. One more time through the chute doesn't appeal to me either.

[gcreekrch]

They are in groups of 2 or 3 hundred on 1/4 section pastures and moved according to grass situation.

[Justin]

i'm happy to hear that you are happy Big Swede i didn't turn bulls out until July 15, a month later than ever before. after last spring i just got my fill of fighting all these spring storms. those dead calves are tuff to sell not saying we can't get a storm when i'll be calving, but i should miss a couple of them . i've been wondering since i turned the bulls out if i screwed up won't know for about a year......we'll see.

good luck with your calves.

[Grassfarmer]

I wouldn't be afraid to go off the scour treatment under your conditions Big Swede. I have never vaccinated for scours as I see it as treating a symptom not the cause. Your approach of moving the pregnant cows onto clean pasture every week should take care of the cause. We start calving April 20th onto carryover grass and move the still pregnant cows into a new field every week to ten days. Scours have essentially disappeared. With being further north we aren't out of the woods on the storm front - we had a cold snowy stretch around May 20th last spring which wasn't so nice. Also your early weaning philosophy is one I agree with - we always weaned by mid October but this year let them rear until 2nd November as we had plenty grass and didn't want to wean some calves too small. This didn't leave our cows as much time to fatten before winter and I think it showed in their condition. Weaning is always a balancing act between having to feed calves early, weaning some calves that are too young to really thrive (your tailenders), having the chance to wean in better weather(earlier) and not having them on the cows too long to impact cow condition going into winter. One thing I'm sure - you won't go back to winter calving

[Northern Rancher]

Justin be careful or you'll get as fat and lazy as me-we don't turn out till a bit later-April can get real muddy and cold around my place-a mile long south facing jackpine ridge would be nice.

[gcreekrch]

Grassfarmer, is there much difference in 205 day weight between early and later weaning?

[John SD]

I've started calving the last week of April for about 6 years now. One thing about the late spring storms is they usually don't last too long. The snow melts and the sun comes out. Of course there are exceptions to everything.

IMO, calving on pasture gives the cattle needed exercise which I believe helps with calving ease. They are in better overall conditon and muscle tone from running out instead of being cooped up in close quarters with feed brought to them. It also doesn't concentrate scours and other bugs in one place.

At any rate, I'm sure glad I missed the conventional early calving through the spring storms of '09. I can't get out around the clock and fight the weather constantly like I used to either. So I'll probably keep doing things this way, and let the cows do the job with very little if any assistance from me.

[Faster horses]

Big Swede, please check your PM's.

Scours has a lot to do with immune system, I keep telling you guys...