How late can you still be an Autumn calver

[frederick]

I know most of you Autumn calving are well into it and I don't officially start for over a week but do any of you start late sep early october.

I am seriously considering moving calving back to 20 sep or later. I do have this nasty habbit of wanting them to milk well from when they calve and feeding them and just thinking I could save housing and feed costs by calving later. I could make better use of the September grass available to dry cows rather than milkers.

In this change I would also ditch the 25% of the herd that calve in the spring which would actually result in a milk price increase rather than decrease from seasonality.

Serving would start about 11th Dec 2nd cycle and intervention would then be in early January and out of the xmas hassle but should have majority in calf before turning out to grass.

Just wondering if anybody else calves later in the Autumn and the pros and cons.

 

[vantage]

I have a friend, Oct calving,starts serving Boxing Day, suit fits if you want it to!

 

[Homesy]

I start October 15 with the bulk done by Christmas. This means I don't start serving until Jan. I know December is not really autumn calving but neither is August. November calvers give the most milk but December calvers are the most profitable on my farm. That's the key. What suits you and your farm not what everyone else is doing. I used to start in September but found I was drying cows off when I had lots of grass and then started feeding silage to fresh calvers in September. Didn't make much sense to me. Now I start feeding when I start calving. I might even push back to November start. Yes I have calves around at Christmas but I'm not serving and watching for heats so no more work. I also feed less silage.

 

[Beef farmer]

Id like to push back to 1st sept, but any later and il end up calving some cows in a shed. Thats a massive negative for me.

@Homesy autumn is Aug sep and oct...

 

[lazy farmer]

Id like to push back to 1st sept, but any later and il end up calving some cows in a shed. Thats a massive negative for me.

@Homesy autumn is Aug sep and oct...

According to who ?

 

[Ducati899]

 

[Beef farmer]

According to who ?

May 1st is the start of summer. They sing down in padstow to the summer gods.

 

[lazy farmer]

May 1st is the start of summer. They sing down in padstow to the summer gods.

Ah so only in Cornwall then. Proper.

 

[organicguy]

Id like to push back to 1st sept, but any later and il end up calving some cows in a shed. Thats a massive negative for me.

 

[organicguy]

I would calve later to reduce silage feeding in the autumn, and more production from grass at turn out but I would end up feeding silage in June to stale cows or drying off early. Dry cows on standing hay June,July ,August, calve outside before it gets wet, graze fresh cows on silage aftermaths flushed by the August rains. Vet students still on holiday for 1st two cycles of calving and feeding.

 

[pappuller]

May 1st is the start of summer. They sing down in padstow to the summer gods.

Or in your case bark at the moon [emoji23]

 

[PDB]

I appreciate what you say Frederick. Some people switch to autumn calving and end up with a 9 month winter routine. Others get away with fresh cows on grass and cake for as long as possible.

It is a frustrating situation if you have loads of summer grass and a herd of dry cows. Why not switch to spring calving if you are into milk from grass?

 

[Homesy]

Id like to push back to 1st sept, but any later and il end up calving some cows in a shed. Thats a massive negative for me.

@Homesy autumn is Aug sep and oct...

August is summer ! read below.
.
https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/learn-about/weather/seasons/autumn/when-does-autumn-start

 

[Durry cows]

I have weighed this up many times, start beginning of August is the sweet spot imo everything clicks then doesn’t matter if you calve up TIL Christmas

 

[Barmyfarmer]

I have been thinking exactly the same recently, I was drying cows off when I had grass jumping out of the ground and now I'm feeding fresh cows silage now when really I'd be better having cows dry on the tired grazing

 

[Beef farmer]

I have weighed this up many times, start beginning of August is the sweet spot imo everything clicks then doesn’t matter if you calve up TIL Christmas

Calve over 5 months?

August is summer ! read below.
.
https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/learn-about/weather/seasons/autumn/when-does-autumn-start

Leafs have fallen here, long nights, heavy dews...feels very autumnal

 

[Homesy]

Calve over 5 months?

Leafs have fallen here, long nights, heavy dews...feels very autumnal

Autumnal ? it was 33 degrees C at Heathrow today ! The leaves have fallen off because you are so dry. It's still summer and you said you are over half way through. You simply have to come to terms with the fact that you are a predominately a summer calver.

 

[Beef farmer]

Autumnal ? it was 33 degrees C at Heathrow today ! The leaves have fallen off because you are so dry. It's still summer and you said you are over half way through. You simply have to come to terms with the fact that you are a predominately a summer calver.

Come to terms with..... like a hidden addiction

 

[jimmer]

I am 1st September approx 12 week block brought back from mid November 2 years ago, hoping it will mean a majority will calve outside, and silage can be targeted at fresh cows but they will graze at least once a day if ground conditions allow

 

[Durry cows]

Grass and cake only how many kgs do people feed autumn calvers at grass now 4/6/8kg??