Calving Earlier In the Calving Season Using calving distributions as a component of production management Katherine Whitman DVM MS What data points Pregnancy percentage Calving percentage Weaning percentage ID: 766316
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Calving Earlier In the Calving Season Using calving distributions as a component of production management Katherine Whitman, DVM, MS
What data points?Pregnancy percentageCalving percentage Weaning percentagePounds weaned per cow exposed What info do you need to collect?Breeding female inventoryPregnancy diagnosisCalvingsNumber and pounds weaned Minimum Database
Critical evaluation-piece of data driven decision makingVeterinarian involvement Health managementIncrease impactProducers understanding impacts: economics and beyond Data Driven Decision Making: Why calving distributions?
21 day periods during the calving seasonStart date: 3 rd term calf Minimum: #born for each periodBetter: Cow IDCow ageCalf birth date Adapted from BIF Guidelines, 2002 Calving Distributions
Recognizing the Impact of Calving Earlier in the Calving Season Evidence based on DATA
Weaning Weight (lb) Differences Calving Period 1Calving Period 2 Calving Period 3 Lesmeister et. al, 1973 0 -46 -71 Funston et. al, 2012 (steer calves) 0 -28.7 -74.7 Cushman et. al, 2013 0-45.64-97.02NDSU Dickinson Research Center, 20020-40-88 * First calf heifer progeny
Cushman et al . (2013) JAS (91): 4486 Calving early as a heifer increases progeny weaning weights * * * * * * P=<0.0001 Parity
Calving early as a heifer increases reproductive longevity * *** * * P=<0.01, n = 16,594 Calving day in the first calving season Cushman et al . (2013) JAS (91): 4486
Calving period improves daughter reproductive performance… Adapted from Funston et al. (2012) JAS (90): 5118 A B C A B C A B C A B C A A CABBABBP≤ 0.03
…and son performance on the farm, the feedlot and at the packing plant Adapted from Funston et al. (2012) JAS (90): 5118 A B C A B C A B C A B C A B A, B A BCP≤ 0.03
…and son performance on the farm, the feedlot and at the packing plant Adapted from Funston et al . (2012) JAS (90): 5118 Calving Period 1 Calving Period 2 Calving Period 3 Carcass Value 0 -$25.00 -$74.00
Increased pounds at weaning with more desirable carcass characteristics Potentially more income per year and may recover development costs fasterProduce more beef during her reproductive lifeImprove the sustainability of the operationIncrease production longevityMore likely to recover her development costs and reduces the replacement rate Calving early in the calving season improves the viability of the operation
Labor utilizationFeed utilizationScheduling-farming Scheduling-veterinarianHerd health Marketing strategiesEFFICIENCY!!Other Benefits?
Calendar Calving Season
Initial Calving Distribution
Initial Pounds Weaned
Missed Opportunity
Missed Opportunity 11,705.40 lb difference
Not the goal of the operation!Retaining late calving femalesBull battery management NutritionAnovulatory -why?DiseaseEtc., etc.** Repeatable data becomes important!** Skewed Distribution
Data interpretation to assess herd statusOpportunity to assess overall management Define future goalsWhat is the end game? What area to address first?One thing at a time…ToolsImplementation of resourcesTactics
SynchronizationMarketing of late-born femalesDisease investigation and management Breeding season managementNutrition evaluation Potential Interventions
FacilitiesWeather concerns?Labor Both producer and veterinarian Feed resourcesMarketingTraditionPandora’s boxLimitations?
Time from first to final data collection: 83 daysJuly-September Data submission methodsNon-computerized: 25/40 (62.5%)Excel: 15/40 (37.5%)Time spent data entry and reporting: 24.6 sec/headTime spent data entry and reporting: 1 hr 29 min/herdRange per herd: 35 min-3 hr 30 min One year of data-enough info to intervene? Data Collection Challenges
2 Year Olds 1560 3 Year Olds 1242 Matures 5894Calving season began March 21Pregnancy percentage91%, heifers AI’d Calving percentage 85% How many opens at preg check? At calving? 10230 exposed , 9309 preg , 8696 calved Case background
Estimated Total Pounds Weaned: 5,145,902.20
Total Pounds Weaned: 4,953,415.00
Total Pounds Weaned: 5,317,972.60
Questions?