Central Coast, California | Slowly pushing our calving back. We've been calving in September and I want to move it to October. Many factors. Even in September we often see temperatures in the triple digits. October calves put highest nutritional demand on the cow in January when our grass is just starting. The cows that calves august September usually need quite a bit more supplemental nutrition in November December.
To manage this we turn out bulls in December and pull in March or April. We preg check when shipping in usually late may or early June. The only ones that possibly get a pass are heifers that just weaned their first calf. Oh and the wife's cow will live on the ranch till she dies. Everything else ships if open/crippled/ornery or I just plain don't like her.
To address your question about making business decisions if the bill runs year round. Can you preg check? If they are fata, dry and open they ship. Can you mouth them, smooth or broken, think about shipping. Look at their calves. Skinnier cow with a calf that like kinda potbellied or ratty, probably not milking enough ship her.
Cow is a little skinnier and her calf is huge and healthy, keep her. Putting tags in their ears and keeping records help a lot. |
Calving windows
