Calving
For cow-calf producers raising their own
replacement heifers, later spring calving may
provide the opportunity for heifers to be
developed on lower-quality forages such as crop
residue or native range through the winter with
minimal supplement. These heifers can then be
nutritionally “flushed” on higher quality pasture
in the spring prior to breeding. This method of
development can reduce replacement heifer
development feed costs as compared to systems
which utilize significant amounts of harvested feed.
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6. How would the change in calving date impact the
need for labor and equipment?
According to the USDA Agricultural Statistics
Service the average age of farmers and ranchers
is 57.5 years of age. An increase of 1.2 years
from the 2012 Census of Agriculture. Labor and
equipment needs can vary significantly based
on the season of the year when calving occurs.