Photo by Sarah Johnson
7. What will changing calving date do to cowherd
value?
In Nebraska there tends to be differences in value
for bred cows of the same age and quality based on
the time of year in which they calve. If a person has
a group of cows that are in a more highly desired
calving season, moving these cows to a different
time of year may reduce their market value.
8. What opportunities would a change in calving
season provide to collaborate with other producers?
A majority of “spring” calving cows in Nebraska
calve in the February through April time period.
Calving at a time outside of this window may
allow for the opportunity to source later calving
females from other herds that could be used in a
terminal sire system and simplify the operation.
Sharing of bulls with a trusted producer who
calves in a different time of year than you do
could also be a way to reduce breeding expense.
9. How will a change in calving impact logistics for
the overall operation?
For diversified crop and livestock operations,
changing calving date to a time of year when
farming enterprises require focused time may
present challenges to getting work done. Also,
for many cow-calf operations, summer pasture
is rented and is at times a significant distance
from where calving occurs. Moving very young
calves to pasture a significant distance from
where cows calved can present management
challenges as compared to moving older calves.
10. Who do you know that has made the move you
are considering?
Visiting with someone who “has been there
and done that” can bring perspective and help
identify issues or challenges that haven’t been
considered. It may also provide insights into
how those challenges can be overcome.
Changing calving date is a significant choice that
can have ripple effects for the entire operation.
It is important to utilize a systems approach
to decision making in evaluating the potential
impacts of a change to calving date. There is
no “perfect” time of year to calve in Nebraska.
Thoroughly understanding the potential positives
and negatives of making a change is important
when making the decision. Numerous long-term
research studies by the University of Nebraska
have compared different calving dates and
production systems. For more information on
how different calving times and systems compare,
please visit beef.unl.edu. The articles and Beef
Cattle Reports provide research that can be
helpful in evaluating calving season options. LT
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