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Calving Season Selection Considerations

Filed Under:
Publication Number: P2501
View as PDF: P2501.pdf

Calving season affects beef cattle production and associated costs and returns. It is important to choose an appropriate calving season for the ranch. Following are calving season decisions to consider:

  • cattle nutrient demand
  • nutrient supply from forage and feed
  • seasonal effects on fertility
  • seasonal effects on calf performance
  • seasonal markets and profit potential

One type of calving season does not work best for all Mississippi beef cattle operations in terms of length or time of year. Each producer must make an informed decision on which calving season is ideal for the operation.

Controlled Calving Season

The producer should define and control a calving season. A controlled calving season starts with a controlled breeding season. Table 1 corresponds to expected calving dates for specific breeding dates throughout the year. A controlled breeding season means herd sires must be removed from the breeding herd on a designated date. The key to implementing a controlled breeding and calving season is to be diligent about separating bulls from the cow herd on schedule.

Implementing a controlled breeding and calving season can be accomplished over time with minimal production loss. A controlled breeding and calving season offers several advantages over a year-round, uncontrolled season. A controlled calving season allows matching nutritional needs of the herd to forage resources, facilitates more intense monitoring of breeding and calving, facilitates working more calves of a similar age at once (vaccinating, castrating, growth implanting), and produces calves of uniform age that can be marketed in groups to capture sale premiums.

A controlled breeding season allows herd sires time to rest and regain body condition that might have been lost during the breeding season. Not having herd sires with the cow herd year-round also reduces the risk of injury to bulls. When deciding on an appropriate length to the calving season, first consider impacts on reproductive performance and then the advantages of having calves within a tight age range.

One argument for not moving to a controlled breeding and calving season is that, with calves of different ages scattered throughout the year, income can be spread throughout the year. This is the notion of using a year-round calf crop as a checking/savings account.
The advantages of a controlled breeding and calving season outlined above often lead to higher annual revenue and profit in a cow-calf operation. In addition, with planned and disciplined budgeting, revenues from calf sales using a controlled breeding and calving season can be made available during months in which calves are not marketed.

Spring Versus Fall Calving

Mississippi beef cattle operations calve during various seasons of the year. While most operations in the state calve during the spring months, an increasing number of operations are shifting to fall- and winter-calving seasons. A minority of operations practice summer calving. When comparing spring- and fall-calving seasons, there are advantages and disadvantages to each.

Nutrient demands of beef females are generally highest in the first few months after calving. Cows calving in the fall normally need more winter supplementation than spring-calving females. As cow size and production level increase, nutrient demands become even greater.

The supply of nutrients available at any particular time during the year depends largely upon the forage base. Cool-season pasture production can become limiting during winter months, necessitating a winter-feeding period of stored feeds and forages. These winter-feeding costs often make up a large percentage of the cash costs in a cow-calf operation. An advantage to fall calving is that cool-season forages are typically higher in quality and nutrient content than warm-season forages.

Seasonal effects on fertility exist. Increased numbers of follicles and larger follicle size in beef females are generally seen in spring more than in fall. During late fall and winter, lower fertility rates have been documented in Bos indicus (Brahman influence) cows compared to other times of the year. Lower serum progesterone concentrations and abnormal estrous cycle lengths have also been observed in Brahman heifers during winter months.

In Mississippi, the effects of heat stress on fertility are of more cause for concern than cool-season effects. Heat stress is the result of a combination of both ambient temperature and humidity (heat index). The hot, balmy summer months in the state can depress bovine fertility in both females and males. The negative effects of heat stress on cows include hormone imbalances, reduced ova quality, lower conception rates, early embryo death, and reduced blood flow to the uterus. Conception rate averages are greatly depressed in July, while late spring conception rates are three to five times higher.

Bulls experiencing heat stress lasting only 12 hours can have impaired spermatogenesis (sperm production). The recovery time to normal sperm production takes six to eight weeks after the heat stress period. Libido and serving capacity can decline during hot weather as well. In short, for optimum reproductive performance, Mississippi producers should avoid breeding during the late, hot summer months.

Calf performance is also influenced by season. Gestation length early in the fall-calving season can be shortened by about three days compared to later in the fall-calving season. Calf birth weights are typically higher in spring than in fall while calf birth weights may decrease during the summer. A possible explanation for this is, as beef females are gestating through the hot summer months, blood is shunted away from the fetus and to the body surface and extremities to dissipate heat. Calving during the hot summer months is generally not recommended in Mississippi.

Calf weaning weights in the southeastern U.S. tend to be lower in spring-born calves than fall-born calves. Calves born in summer are significantly lighter at weaning than calves born the rest of the year. Although spring-born heifers are often lighter at weaning than fall-born heifers, post-weaning gains and body condition scores at breeding are higher for spring-born calves than fall-born calves. As the percentage of Brahman influence increases, calf preweaning average daily gain and weaning weight do not differ among fall-born calves but increase among spring-born calves. This may be due to heat-tolerance advantages of Brahman genetics as spring-born calves grow through the summer.

Seasonal markets and profit potential are another factor in choosing appropriate calving seasons. For producers who traditionally market calves immediately after weaning, spring-born calves are marketed in the fall, and fall-born calves are marketed in the spring. Seasonal highs for feeder calf prices usually hit in the spring as feeder calf supplies tighten and demand for calves increases to use spring and summer forages. Producers retaining ownership of calves post-weaning must look at seasonal costs and marketing opportunities further down the production chain. Seedstock producers should consider targeting the calving season so cattle reach a marketable age during peak demand periods for replacements. Seasonal differences in production costs must also be taken into account. The primary forage base greatly impacts supplementation needs and costs.

Some producers decide to use two defined calving seasons. This provides the option to roll non-pregnant, breeding females to the opposite calving season without having to miss an entire production cycle. It also allows a reduction in the size of the bull battery needed to settle the herd. Herd sires can be used in both seasons, but nutritional programs must be designed to maintain good bull body condition going into each breeding season. If more than one calving season is used, there is an opportunity to compare the effects of changes in markets and weather on production and profitability at a single location. This comparison may identify a preferable calving season for the specific conditions of the ranch. With two calving seasons, management and resource demands for each season should be evaluated along with the advantages described previously to determine if using two calving seasons is preferable to using one season.

Table 1. Age, calving interval, and gestation.

January

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

Day 6

Day 7

Day 8

Day 9

Day 10

Day 11

Day 12

Day 13

Day 14

Day 15

Day 16

Day 17

Day 18

Day 19

Day 20

Day 21

Day 22

Day 23

Day 24

Day 25

Day 26

Day 27

Day 28

Day 29

Day 30

Day 31

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

February

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

Day 6

Day 7

Day 8

Day 9

Day 10

Day 11

Day 12

Day 13

Day 14

Day 15

Day 16

Day 17

Day 18

Day 19

Day 20

Day 21

Day 22

Day 23

Day 24

Day 25

Day 26

Day 27

Day 28

Day 29

Day 30

Day 31

32

33

34

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

45

46

47

48

49

50

51

52

53

54

55

56

57

58

59

-

-

-

March 

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

Day 6

Day 7

Day 8

Day 9

Day 10

Day 11

Day 12

Day 13

Day 14

Day 15

Day 16

Day 17

Day 18

Day 19

Day 20

Day 21

Day 22

Day 23

Day 24

Day 25

Day 26

Day 27

Day 28

Day 29

Day 30

Day 31

60

61

62

63

64

65

66

67

68

69

70

71

72

73

74

75

76

77

78

79

80

81

82

83

84

85

86

87

88

89

90

April

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

Day 6

Day 7

Day 8

Day 9

Day 10

Day 11

Day 12

Day 13

Day 14

Day 15

Day 16

Day 17

Day 18

Day 19

Day 20

Day 21

Day 22

Day 23

Day 24

Day 25

Day 26

Day 27

Day 28

Day 29

Day 30

Day 31

91

92

93

94

95

96

97

98

99

100

101

102

103

104

105

106

107

108

109

110

111

112

113

114

115

116

117

118

119

120

-

May

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

Day 6

Day 7

Day 8

Day 9

Day 10

Day 11

Day 12

Day 13

Day 14

Day 15

Day 16

Day 17

Day 18

Day 19

Day 20

Day 21

Day 22

Day 23

Day 24

Day 25

Day 26

Day 27

Day 28

Day 29

Day 30

Day 31

121

122

123

124

125

126

127

128

129

130

131

132

133

134

135

136

137

138

139

140

141

142

143

144

145

146

147

148

149

150

151

June

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

Day 6

Day 7

Day 8

Day 9

Day 10

Day 11

Day 12

Day 13

Day 14

Day 15

Day 16

Day 17

Day 18

Day 19

Day 20

Day 21

Day 22

Day 23

Day 24

Day 25

Day 26

Day 27

Day 28

Day 29

Day 30

Day 31

152

153

154

155

156

157

158

159

160

161

162

163

164

165

166

167

168

169

170

171

172

173

174

175

176

177

178

179

180

181

-

July

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

Day 6

Day 7

Day 8

Day 9

Day 10

Day 11

Day 12

Day 13

Day 14

Day 15

Day 16

Day 17

Day 18

Day 19

Day 20

Day 21

Day 22

Day 23

Day 24

Day 25

Day 26

Day 27

Day 28

Day 29

Day 30

Day 31

182

183

184

185

186

187

188

189

190

191

192

193

194

195

196

197

198

199

200

201

202

203

204

205

206

207

208

209

210

211

212

August

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

Day 6

Day 7

Day 8

Day 9

Day 10

Day 11

Day 12

Day 13

Day 14

Day 15

Day 16

Day 17

Day 18

Day 19

Day 20

Day 21

Day 22

Day 23

Day 24

Day 25

Day 26

Day 27

Day 28

Day 29

Day 30

Day 31

213

214

215

216

217

218

219

220

221

222

223

224

225

226

227

228

229

230

231

232

233

234

235

236

237

238

239

240

241

242

243

September

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

Day 6

Day 7

Day 8

Day 9

Day 10

Day 11

Day 12

Day 13

Day 14

Day 15

Day 16

Day 17

Day 18

Day 19

Day 20

Day 21

Day 22

Day 23

Day 24

Day 25

Day 26

Day 27

Day 28

Day 29

Day 30

Day 31

244

245

246

247

248

249

250

251

252

253

254

255

256

257

258

259

260

261

262

263

264

265

266

267

268

269

270

271

272

273

-

October

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

Day 6

Day 7

Day 8

Day 9

Day 10

Day 11

Day 12

Day 13

Day 14

Day 15

Day 16

Day 17

Day 18

Day 19

Day 20

Day 21

Day 22

Day 23

Day 24

Day 25

Day 26

Day 27

Day 28

Day 29

Day 30

Day 31

274

275

276

277

278

279

280

281

282

283

284

285

286

287

288

289

290

291

292

293

294

295

296

297

298

299

300

201

302

303

304

November

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

Day 6

Day 7

Day 8

Day 9

Day 10

Day 11

Day 12

Day 13

Day 14

Day 15

Day 16

Day 17

Day 18

Day 19

Day 20

Day 21

Day 22

Day 23

Day 24

Day 25

Day 26

Day 27

Day 28

Day 29

Day 30

Day 31

305

306

307

308

309

310

311

312

313

314

315

316

317

318

319

320

321

322

323

324

325

326

327

328

329

330

331

332

333

334

 

December

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

Day 6

Day 7

Day 8

Day 9

Day 10

Day 11

Day 12

Day 13

Day 14

Day 15

Day 16

Day 17

Day 18

Day 19

Day 20

Day 21

Day 22

Day 23

Day 24

Day 25

Day 26

Day 27

Day 28

Day 29

Day 30

Day 31

335

336

337

338

339

340

341

342

343

344

345

346

347

348

349

350

351

352

353

354

355

356

357

358

359

360

361

362

363

364

365

January

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

Day 6

Day 7

Day 8

Day 9

Day 10

Day 11

Day 12

Day 13

Day 14

Day 15

Day 16

Day 17

Day 18

Day 19

Day 20

Day 21

Day 22

Day 23

Day 24

Day 25

Day 26

Day 27

Day 28

Day 29

Day 30

Day 31

366

367

368

369

370

371

372

373

374

375

376

377

378

379

380

381

382

383

384

385

386

387

388

389

390

391

392

393

394

395

396

February

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

Day 6

Day 7

Day 8

Day 9

Day 10

Day 11

Day 12

Day 13

Day 14

Day 15

Day 16

Day 17

Day 18

Day 19

Day 20

Day 21

Day 22

Day 23

Day 24

Day 25

Day 26

Day 27

Day 28

Day 29

Day 30

Day 31

397

398

399

400

401

402

403

404

405

406

407

408

409

410

411

412

413

414

415

416

417

418

419

420

421

422

423

424

-

-

-

March

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

Day 6

Day 7

Day 8

Day 9

Day 10

Day 11

Day 12

Day 13

Day 14

Day 15

Day 16

Day 17

Day 18

Day 19

Day 20

Day 21

Day 22

Day 23

Day 24

Day 25

Day 26

Day 27

Day 28

Day 29

Day 30

Day 31

425

426

427

428

429

430

431

432

433

434

435

436

437

438

439

440

441

442

443

444

445

446

447

448

449

450

451

452

453

454

455

April

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

Day 6

Day 7

Day 8

Day 9

Day 10

Day 11

Day 12

Day 13

Day 14

Day 15

Day 16

Day 17

Day 18

Day 19

Day 20

Day 21

Day 22

Day 23

Day 24

Day 25

Day 26

Day 27

Day 28

Day 29

Day 30

Day 31

456

457

458

459

460

461

462

463

464

465

466

467

468

469

470

471

472

473

474

475

476

477

478

479

480

481

482

483

484

485

-

May

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

Day 6

Day 7

Day 8

Day 9

Day 10

Day 11

Day 12

Day 13

Day 14

Day 15

Day 16

Day 17

Day 18

Day 19

Day 20

Day 21

Day 22

Day 23

Day 24

Day 25

Day 26

Day 27

Day 28

Day 29

Day 30

Day 31

486

487

488

489

490

491

492

493

494

495

496

497

498

499

500

501

502

503

504

505

506

507

508

509

510

511

512

513

514

515

516

June

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

Day 6

Day 7

Day 8

Day 9

Day 10

Day 11

Day 12

Day 13

Day 14

Day 15

Day 16

Day 17

Day 18

Day 19

Day 20

Day 21

Day 22

Day 23

Day 24

Day 25

Day 26

Day 27

Day 28

Day 29

Day 30

Day 31

517

518

519

520

521

522

523

524

525

526

527

528

529

530

531

532

533

534

535

536

537

538

539

540

541

542

543

544

545

546

-

July

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

Day 6

Day 7

Day 8

Day 9

Day 10

Day 11

Day 12

Day 13

Day 14

Day 15

Day 16

Day 17

Day 18

Day 19

Day 20

Day 21

Day 22

Day 23

Day 24

Day 25

Day 26

Day 27

Day 28

Day 29

Day 30

Day 31

547

548

549

550

551

552

553

554

555

556

557

558

559

560

561

562

563

564

565

566

567

568

569

570

571

572

573

574

575

576

577

August

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

Day 6

Day 7

Day 8

Day 9

Day 10

Day 11

Day 12

Day 13

Day 14

Day 15

Day 16

Day 17

Day 18

Day 19

Day 20

Day 21

Day 22

Day 23

Day 24

Day 25

Day 26

Day 27

Day 28

Day 29

Day 30

Day 31

578

579

580

581

582

583

584

585

586

587

588

589

590

591

592

593

594

595

596

597

598

599

600

601

602

603

604

605

606

607

608

September

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

Day 6

Day 7

Day 8

Day 9

Day 10

Day 11

Day 12

Day 13

Day 14

Day 15

Day 16

Day 17

Day 18

Day 19

Day 20

Day 21

Day 22

Day 23

Day 24

Day 25

Day 26

Day 27

Day 28

Day 29

Day 30

Day 31

609

610

611

612

613

614

615

616

617

618

619

620

621

622

623

624

625

626

627

628

629

630

631

632

633

634

635

636

627

638

-

October

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

Day 6

Day 7

Day 8

Day 9

Day 10

Day 11

Day 12

Day 13

Day 14

Day 15

Day 16

Day 17

Day 18

Day 19

Day 20

Day 21

Day 22

Day 23

Day 24

Day 25

Day 26

Day 27

Day 28

Day 29

Day 30

Day 31

639

640

641

642

643

644

645

646

647

648

649

650

651

652

653

654

655

656

657

658

659

660

661

662

663

664

665

666

667

668

669

November

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

Day 6

Day 7

Day 8

Day 9

Day 10

Day 11

Day 12

Day 13

Day 14

Day 15

Day 16

Day 17

Day 18

Day 19

Day 20

Day 21

Day 22

Day 23

Day 24

Day 25

Day 26

Day 27

Day 28

Day 29

Day 30

Day 31

670

671

672

673

674

675

676

677

678

679

680

681

682

683

684

685

686

687

688

689

690

691

692

693

694

695

696

697

698

699

-

December

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

Day 6

Day 7

Day 8

Day 9

Day 10

Day 11

Day 12

Day 13

Day 14

Day 15

Day 16

Day 17

Day 18

Day 19

Day 20

Day 21

Day 22

Day 23

Day 24

Day 25

Day 26

Day 27

Day 28

Day 29

Day 30

Day 31

700

701

702

703

704

705

706

707

708

709

710

711

712

713

714

715

716

717

718

719

720

721

722

723

724

725

726

727

728

729

730

To determine date of birth for a calf, add 283 (gestation length) to the date the cow was bred. For example, if a cow was bred June 1 (day 152), then 152 + 283 = 435. From the table, note that day 435 is March 11.

To find the date on which a calf becomes 205 days of age, locate the “day number” of its birth date in the table. Add 205 and locate the date the calf becomes 205 days old. For yearling measures of 365 days, follow the same procedure. To find weaning dates for a group of calves within a 160- to 250-day window, for example, add 160 to the last calf’s birth date for the earliest weaning date. For the latest weaning date, add 250 to the earliest calf’s birth date.

This table applies to typical (non-leap) years only. For leap years, add one day to all dates after February 29. For example, March 1 would be day 61 rather than day 60.

A three year plan for converting from year-round calving to a 90-day calving season. Year one: Remove bull on June 20. Pregnancy check on August 20. Put bull with cows December 22nd. Start breeding heifers February 20. Remove bull from heifers May 1. Year two: Remove bull on June 20. Pregnancy check on August 20. Put bull with cows December 22nd. Start breeding heifers February 20. Remove bull from heifers May 1. Year 3: Remove bull on June 20. Pregnancy check on August 20. Put bull with cows December 22nd. Start breeding heifers February 20. Remove bull from heifers May 1. From January through March, there will be a 90-day calving season.

Conclusions

Decisions on when to calve should be based on site-specific conditions affecting production, costs, and returns. What works in another region of the country or even another area of the state may not work for the current operation. By keeping good production and financial records and assessing forage resources, herd fertility, calf performance, and marketing options, a suitable calving season can be found for the ranch. For more information on calving seasons, contact your local MSU Extension office.

References

Bagley, C. P., Carpenter, J. C., Jr., Feazel, J. I., Hembry, F. G., Huffman, D. C., & Koonce, K. L. (1987). Influence of calving season and stocking rate on beef cow-calf productivity. Journal of Animal Science, 64, 687−694.

Lacy, R. C., Little, R. D., Forrest, C. S., & Gregory, T. L. (2003). Attitudes of small beef producers toward selected production and marketing practices. Bulletin 1126. Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station. Mississippi State, MS.

Little, R. D., Lacy, R. C., Forrest, C. S., & Gregory, T. L. (2003). Attitudes of large beef producers toward selected production and marketing practices. Bulletin 1128. Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station. Mississippi State, MS.

McCarter, M. N., Buchanan, D. S., & Frahm, R. R. (1990). Comparison of crossbred cows containing various proportions of Brahman in spring or fall calving systems. I. Productivity as two-year-olds. Journal of Animal Science, 68, 1547−1552.

McCarter, M. N., Buchanan, D. S., & Frahm, R. R. (1991). Comparison of crossbred cows containing various proportions of Brahman in spring or fall calving systems: III. Productivity as three-, four-, and five-year olds. Journal of Animal Science, 69, 2754−2761.

McCarter, M. N., Buchanan, D. S., & Frahm, R. R. (1991). Comparison of crossbred cows containing various proportions of Brahman in spring- or fall-calving systems: IV. Effects of genotype x environment interaction on lifetime productivity of young cows. Journal of Animal Science, 69, 3977−3982.

Nelson, T. C., Cartwright, T. C., Angirasa, A. K., & Rouquette, F. M., Jr. (1982). Simulated effect of calving season and winter hay feeding level on cow herd productivity. Journal of Animal Science54, 29−34.

Spears, J. W. (1989). Influence of calving season and stocking rate on birth weight and weaning weight of Simmental-sired calves from Brahman-Hereford F1 dams. Journal of Animal Science70, 2296−2303.


Publication 2501 (POD-06-21)

Revised by Brandi Karisch, PhD, Associate Extension/Research Professor, Animal and Dairy Sciences; from an earlier edition by Jane A. Parish, PhD, Professor and Head, North Mississippi Research and Extension Center. 

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