Thinking about winter milking? What to consider when calving in autumn

1 April 2017

When it comes to calving each farmer has different seasonal plans. Calving decisions depend on a number of factors such as cash-flow, beef and dairy markets, regional climate, herd size and labour.

A large proportion of farmers calve cows in the spring to maximise pasture grazing during summer. However, with increasingly volatile climatic conditions, some have transitioned to split-calving or a solely autumn based operation. Both have their advantages and disadvantages, and there are a number of factors to consider.

On-farm costs

Autumn calving can be suitable when there are multi-enterprises occurring on the farm. The biggest factor affecting profitable calf rearing is feed costs. Traditionally, spring calving reduces supplementary feed expenses, as cows feed themselves by grazing on summer pasture instead. Autumn calving cows generally require more supplementary feed to match the increased metabolisable energy requirements for maintenance and lactation in winter, when more energy is used for thermoregulation. Supplementary feed is also needed to make up for the poorer quality and quantity of pasture in the winter. Despite this, the increasing occurrence of drought in New Zealand means relying exclusively on summer grazing is becoming more risky.

Capital costs like shed space and machinery also affect the decision.; More shelter is required in the spring as it is generally cooler, but in comparison there is a higher risk of heat stress in autumn. More equipment is also required for the autumn calving herd for the movement of supplementary feed like silage. The size of the autumn herd must be substantial enough to ensure the additional profit from live stock market sales justify the increased feed cost.

Pasture management

Grazing management is a big part of a farm’s ability to calve in different seasons, as pasture timing is vital for the segregation of different groups of grazing animals. Summer grazing is economical with low maintenance costs and a smaller area of pasture will maintain more cows than winter grazing.

After grazing on summer pasture, cows should ideally be in good body condition, ready for a smooth calving in autumn. It is important for this build-up of condition before calving as it is more difficult to improve body condition over winter. Cows go back into heat faster in this condition, plus it is also cooler for mating which can improve fertility by reducing heat stress. Holding heifers into spring until they are slightly older at their first mating and calving can make it easier but again, these benefits must outweigh the additional feed costs required for the elongated holding period.

Split-calving

Split-calving is also worth considering, predominantly to balance finances; a proportion of cows calve in autumn which yields the premium milk price, but at greater feed costs. The spring herd has a lower feed cost without the premium. The economic balance that maintains optimal profit will vary regionally and for different situations. The management of two herds can be labour intensive when allowing for two sets of breeding, calving and weaning new-borns. In some situations, this may be an advantage as it eases the labour of the whole herd calving at once. Autumn calving will mean milking all year round with no clear break, but it may also spread the work load over a longer period. Having a year round milk supply may level costs and make cash-flow less volatile.

Nutrition

The timing of calving is greatly affected by calving interval which is managed through optimum cow nutrition and good health to promote the maximum fertility, fundamental in either season. Not only should your cows receive good nutrition but with any calf rearing operation, the wellbeing of young animals is crucial to ensuring their maximum potential throughout the rest of life, and consequently profit return. Consistent, quality feed options are essential at this stage. Considering a quality calf milk replacer and meal is key to this.

All NZAgbiz calf milk replacer products are formulated with high quality ingredients to match animal nutrition requirements at calving. Now is an ideal time to try our dairy-based calf milk replacer AncalfTM. AncalfTM contains Actigen® for better gut health, DeccoxTM to help prevent Coccidiosis and Casein, a natural dairy protein that curds in the stomach for increased nutritional uptake and stronger growth.

For product or technical information, contact NZAgbiz on 0800 809 809 011 or visit nzagbiz.com

Article supplied by NZAgbiz