1 November 2008

2 minute read

Spring Calving Herds

• Secure winter feed supply!
• Body condition score cows and separate thin cows
• Market calves to your best advantage
• Background calves for sale in December, if possible Feed replacement heifers to gain 1.5 - 1.75 lbs per day or use the Target Weight method to calculate rate of gain
• Cull open, old and very thin cows; check feet and legs, udders and eyes
• Test hay for nutrient quality
• Get list of bull sales coming up early this winter

Fall Calving Herds

• Secure winter feed supply!
• Finish calving
• Check cows 2 to 4 times per day, heifers more often - assist early if needed
• Keep calving area clean and move healthy pairs out to large pastures 3 days after calving
• Ear tag and dehorn all calves at birth; castrate male calves in commercial herds
• Keep good calving records so that calves may be marketed as age/source verified
• Give selenium and vitamin A & D injections to newborn calves
• Feed cows extra energy after calving; stockpiled fescue will take care of needs. Cows calving at BCS < 5 should receive special nutritional attention.
• Test hay for nutrient quality
• Look for opportunities to secure low-cost feed supplies of bulk feeds or commodity feeds
• Keep high quality, high magnesium, high selenium minerals available
• Begin breeding replacement heifers late this month; try AI on heifers
• Get breeding soundness exams done on all bulls
• Purchase new herdsires at upcoming bull sales

November 2008