you"ll have to pencil it out for yourself to see if the enterprise will do better than break even. As far as when to calve, realize that the cows have a 9-1/3 month gestation period , about like a human. Secondly, feed is the biggest expense in a cow calf operation. thirdly the most important periods of time , nutritionally for cattle, is the last trimester of pregnancy and the post partum period. They need adequate high quality forage for those 2 three month periods. you cannot starve a profit out of a cow. You want strong calves at birth and the cow to re-breed back so as to have a another calf the following year. In our part of the country (Western Montana), we have good grass by late April and early May. You can rough your cows feed wise in the first trimester of pregnancy. I have mine on fall pasture during the period. I start feeding around thanksgiving, or earlier ids we have had a droughty summer. I feed then with my poorest hay. About mid-January, the cows are in there last trimester and I shift to alfalfa or alfalfa grass and feed pretty heavy since this is generally our coldest period. We start calving in late late March and April (reduced risk of bad weather at calving time) , so I have to feed my best feed from mid-January until about mid-April(~3 months), By May the cows are on green grass and I stop feeding. So I have to feed the best quality hay for only three months. I wean at 7 months (November) and our steers average 750 pounds and the heifers about 725 pounds with nothing but grass.
My neighbors start calving as early as December and through February. Not only do they have to feed top quality feed for the last trimester but they have to feed for another 3-4 months until green grass. Much more expensive. Yes their calves can go to market earlier, but their weights aren"t any different and their feed costs are higher and they risk severe weather at calving time.
In a cow calf operation you have to match your herd to the environment in which they will live. In the wild, most ruminants calve when feed is most plentiful and the most nutritious. That"s what I try to do and this works for me. I will point out that our calves never see grain until they leave our ranch. We do not creep feed. Their diet is 100% forage.
You will have to think this through for yourself and come up with the most economic way to manage your herd. I"" say it again; YOU CANNOT STARVE A PROFIT OUT OF A COW! You want healthy mother cows, strong calves at birth, cows that rebreed in the post partum interval, and raise good healthy calves. feeding right is the key and cheapest way to makes sure the cows and calves strong immune systems keep them healthy.
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