What is breeding season for beef cattle?
The breeding season I use for my cows is February through April. The cow’s gestation period is about 9.5 months, so my calving season will be from November-January. By using a controlled breeding season and knowing when the calving season will be each year, ranchers can optimize herd management.
What are the management of beef cattle?
Beef Production and Cattle Management Key practices include maintaining adequate cattle nutrition, investing in vaccinations, and decreasing stress on the herd. To further improve herd profitability, it’s essential to make efficient use of on-farm resources, such as land, feed, and facilities.
What is a beef calendar?
The beef production calendar is a management tool for producers to help them in scheduling practices pertaining to the cow herd over a twelve-month period. The calendar is based on a late March calving beef herd.
How often should you check cattle?
4.3 Cattle being fed for survival should be inspected at least twice a week.
How long is beef cattle breeding season?
Since the gestation length in cows is about 285 days (approximately 9 1/2 months, a few days longer in larger and Bos indicus breeds and a few days shorter in smaller and dairy breeds), then the “ideal” breeding season for spring-born calves is 9 1/2 months prior to that or beginning in April but for sure by May.
How long should Cattle breeding season last?
After calving, cows resume estrus cycles within 40 to 60 days postpartum. In order to maintain a yearly calving interval, we want cows to be bred within 80 days post calving. Therefore, during a 64-day breeding season, cattle have three opportunities to become bred (once every 21 days).
How many cattle farmers are there in South Africa?
Commercial farmers are estimated at 50 000, emerging farmers at 240 000 and communal farmers at 3 million. There are approximately 100 commercial feedlots in South Africa and 431 abattoirs.
Is beef production seasonal?
Fed cattle prices are high in early spring; hog prices are low in the fall. In some years seasonality is more pronounced than others. But it is something markets expect; something in the back of the mind of each trader. There are a number of reasons that explain why livestock markets are distinctly seasonal.
How often do cattle need to be wormed?
or two times a year
As they age, however, cattle should typically be dewormed one or two times a year. The older the cow is, the greater the chances are of it building immunity to worm infections. If your mature cows are in good bodily condition, you typically only need to deworm them once per year.
How often do cattle need drenching?
once a year
Cattle should be drenched once a year as a minimum but it depends on your calving system. For hobby farmers with year round calving it is good to ensure your stock is drenched in summer (i.e February) so they are prepared for the wetter months to come.