Fall Calving

For most producers calving season is still months away. But Tonight reporter Sarah Gustin takes ...  More »

For most producers calving season is still months away. But Tonight reporter Sarah Gustin takes us for a walk in a pasture where calving is just getting started. Nats... 70 degrees, not a snowflake in sightmakes fall calving seem like a dream. (Sandford Flanders / Fall Calving) Right now I seem to be enjoying it with the weather we have had so far, expect with the heat. Heat is the only thing, or the main concern on it. This is Sanford Flander's first year fall calving. And so far so good. (Sandford Flanders / Fall Calving) The calves are born on dry ground and that helps alot with sickness and to me it seems like the cows are in a lot better shape too when it comes calving time. (Sarah Gustin / KX News) And with fall calving all you have to do is check once in the morning and once in the evening. The majority of Flander's cows still calve in the spring. So fall calving allows him to split the busy season in twoand keep the herd bulls busy. (Sandford Flanders / Fall Calving) You go out and buy bulls, usually buy pretty good bulls and in the summertime you use them maybe 45 to 60 days. Here you can reuse your bulls too and maybe get a little more out of them. The cows are on grass during the thirty day calving period The calves will come home at the end of September and will be marketed in April. (Sanfdord Flanders / Fall Calving) Like in the spring time when I decide to either sell the calves or take them back to grass, I will have more of an idea if I want to keep doing the fall calving or not. But like I said with days like this about 65 degrees, you want to keep doing it. If you are interested in trying fall calving for yourself. Flanders has one piece of advice. (Sanford Flanders / Fall Calving) I would say he is going to like it just like everyone else has told me. East of Tuttle, Reporting for KX News, I am Sarah Gustin. Being heat is a main concern Flanders says he makes sure to check at least 3 times a day when hot temperatures hit.  « Less