TIMELY TOPICS
The market for beef has been in the national headlines recently and this column frequently visits issues around beef cattle production since it is such a big component of land use in Rockbridge.
The current high market prices for beef are creating opportunities for Rockbridge stockmen to invest in and modify their production system. A Dec. 3 seminar at 6 p.m. at the Raphine Volunteer Fire Company hall will allow local farmers and landowners the opportunity to hear from veterinary experts and examine research results that will help local farms consider modifications to their cattle management system.
A perennial debate among cow herd owners is the selection and control of the season in which their cows calve. Seasonal market patterns, trade-offs between winter’s cold and summer’s heat, and non-farm obligations of the cattle producer are all factors in the selection of calving season.
Over the past two decades, there appears to have been a discernible increase in issues related to summer heat stress, poor cattle performance in the summer months, and failure to get spring calving cows to successfully breed and calve again on schedule the following spring. At the same time, our understanding and capacity to utilize naturally occurring standing forages during the winter months has improved. But winter feed requirements and consumption are generally higher in cattle due to colder temperatures.
Spring calving offers the advantage of high-quality early spring pastures and reliable grass growth through June when nutritional demands of the lactating cow are highest. Fall calving can avoid the worst summer heat and allows a cattle producer opportunities to market calves at seasonally peak prices in the spring.
A profitable beef cow produces a calf every year. So, changing the production system and altering a cow’s 12-month calving schedule can be expensive. The current strong market may be presenting some opportunities to cover costs associated with altering a farm’s production schedule. Dr. John Currin, Extension veterinarian, will have data from four large beef herds comparing reproductive and growth data from fallcalving and spring-calving cow herds.
The seminar on Dec. 3 is free and open to all. A light sandwich supper will be available so please pre-register to allow us to plan for food and program materials. You can register by calling the Rockbridge Extension office at (540) 463-4734 or send email to [email protected].
