Calving season

Before winter ends, calving season begins, so make sure your acreage is ready. These guidelines can help keep things running smoothly. Some of the steps need to be taken the year prior, so plan ahead.

Plan a short season

First of all, plan for a defined calving timetable. "The shorter the calving season, the less labor you will have," explains Robert Wells, a livestock consultant with The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation. "Pull your cows into a 60- to 90-day calving season to reduce the amount of time you or your hired help are on call. This also creates a more uniform calf crop to go to sale in the fall."

Next, calve the heifers out four weeks earlier than the cow herd. "It allows for the heifers to have additional time to start cycling," says Wells. "This should get the heifers in sync with the mature cow herd so all females have a high possibility of rebreeding when the bulls are turned out," he says.

Additionally, make sure all females are in the correct body condition score (BCS). Though often overlooked, "cows should be in a BCS of 5.5 to 6.5 at calving," says Wells. This ensures that not only will the cows have enough energy to carry out the birth, but also they will be in the proper BCS for rebreeding.

Be prepared

It may seem rather obvious, but checking to make sure that all calving equipment (including OB chains and calf jack) is in its right place is a wise idea. In many cases, items get moved throughout the year and may be difficult to locate in a hurry.

Prepare a working area that is clean, well lit, and functional. Also, try to maintain a clean, dry pasture for calving. "If you cannot easily see or get to the cows in a pasture, the likelihood of running into trouble increases," says Wells. "Have the cows close to working facilities in case you have to assist a cow."

A pasture with plenty of standing forage helps keep the cows clean and increases the health of both the cow and calf.

Feed the cattle in the evening to reduce nighttime calving. "Studies have shown a response to evening feeding and its effects on nighttime calving," says Wells. "In essence, feeding late in the day or early evening will reduce the amount of calves being born at night." This allows you to reduce overnight labor costs and get some rest.

Know the signs

It is important to understand the proper presentation of the calf. "The soles of the hooves should be pointing down," explains Wells. "If they are in any other position, trouble could be ahead." Know your limits, and if your cow needs additional help, contact your veterinarian.

After calving, move the cows and calves to a different pasture to simplify any monitoring. This is a good time to pair the cows to the calves.