Ginette GottswillerThe Source
Calving season.
Some producers are finishing up calving season while others are just beginning, or maybe you calve in the fall. Here are a few tips to think about before that first calf hits the ground. A little prep work can help reduce calving-season stress.
- 1. Nutrition is a year-round concern. Two- and 3-year-old bred heifers need to be in good condition prior to calving. They are still growing themselves. They may not eat as much 50-60 days prior to calving because of decreased capacity. If the weather is cold, it can really take their condition down fast.
- 2. Check calving facilities and equipment. Make sure the gate closures work and the hinges are greased. Clean the calf pullers and chains so they are in working order. In the calving shed I like to replace light bulbs, grease the head catch and make sure the lariat is in good condition. It seems the flashlights and spotlights usually walk off so I get those rounded up and purchase new batteries.
- 3. Make sure to have supplies on hand such as calf tags, electrolytes, colostrum, calf bottles, and esophageal feeders. Don’t forget the calving book.
- 4. Have warming boxes for calves born in wet, cold or windy environments. Hypothermia is a concern for wet newborns in certain weather conditions.
- 5. Last, but not least, have a herd heath plan in place year-round. Once those calves start hitting the ground, it is the time to consider your marketing options. You have invested in top-quality Angus bulls. How can you communicate the genetic worth of your calves to potential buyers?
AngusSource® is a marketing program designed to convey the calves’ genetic potential, health, management, and source and group age to more than 700 buyers via email weekly.
The low-cost enrollment and individual ear tag identification fee for calves enrolled in AngusSource is exclusive to producers who use registered and properly transferred Angus bulls. Visit www.angussource.com to download your enrollment form today. Send in your completed form, along with a copy of your calving records showing the date of birth of your first calves born for the calving season that you wish to enroll. Once AngusSource receives your information, an AngusSource administrator will give you a call to complete your training and enrollment.
A value-added program like AngusSource can increase the value you may receive at marketing time. A Kansas State University six-year study (2010-2016) shows that AngusSource calves sold on a popular video auction during the summer months received a $2.56 per hundredweight (cwt.) premium over calves not enrolled in a value-added program. On a load lot of 650-pound feeder calves, that equates to an increase of $750!
Editor's Note: Ginette Gottswiller is the director of commercial programs for the American Angus Association.
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