1. Calving Earlier In the Calving Season
Using calving distributions as a component of production management
Katherine Whitman, DVM, MS

2. Minimum Database What data points? What info do you need to collect?
Pregnancy percentage
Calving percentage
Weaning percentage
Pounds weaned per cow exposed
What info do you need to collect?
Breeding female inventory
Pregnancy diagnosis
Calvings
Number and pounds weaned

3. Data Driven Decision Making: Why calving distributions?
Critical evaluation-piece of data driven decision making
Veterinarian involvement
Health management
Increase impact
Producers understanding impacts: economics and beyond
Useful, simple information that is only a very small piece of the management pie. Could offer a gateway for veterinarians to become more involved in management practices. Improve reproductive efficiency utilizing data driven decisions. Create a “team” approach for the producer; increase the relevance of a veterinarian on the operation-not just calls, more consistent interaction (+cash flow for practice)

4. Calving Distributions
21 day periods during the calving season
Start date: 3rd term calf
Minimum:
#born for each period
Better:
Cow ID
Cow age
Calf birth date
Adapted from BIF Guidelines, 2002
Important to emphasis that construction of these distributions requires very little input; maximal impact

5. Recognizing the Impact of Calving Earlier in the Calving Season
Evidence based on DATA
Not only immediate, but long term impacts on progeny and longevity. Financial implications for ensuring that she stays in the herd, and that her steer progeny produce.

6. Weaning Weight (lb) Differences
Calving Period 1
Calving Period 2
Calving Period 3
Lesmeister et. al, 1973
-46
-71
Funston et. al, 2012
(steer calves)
-28.7
-74.7
Cushman et. al, 2013
-45.64
-97.02
NDSU Dickinson Research Center, 2002
-40
-88
*First calf heifer progeny

7. Calving early as a heifer increases progeny weaning weights*
P=<0.0001
In addition to a longer lifespan, those cows calving in the first 21 d as a heifer weaned heavier calves through the sixth calving season. This difference equates to approx. 1-2 extra calves over her lifespan. Thus the effect of calving early is two fold: longer productive lifespan and more beef per calving season. This effect was first documented in the 1970’s by Lesmiester and is still true today. Weaning weights are a function of both management and genetics
Parity
Cushman et al. (2013) JAS (91): 4486

8. Calving early as a heifer increases reproductive longevity
*P=<0.01, n = 16,594 * * * * *
Calving day in the first calving season
Three were no differences in birth weight between the three groups. Birth date of heifers in the first 21 days was 2 and 3 days older than heifers calving in the second and third 21 days (P<0.05)
Cushman et al. (2013) JAS (91): 4486

9. Calving period improves daughter reproductive performance…B
P≤ 0.03 C A B C C B A A A A C B B A B B A B C
SEMs are pooled
Adapted from Funston et al. (2012) JAS (90): 5118

10. …and son performance on the farm, the feedlot and at the packing plantB A C B C
P≤ 0.03 A B C A B C C
SEMs are pooled in Funston 2012 B A
A B A, B
Adapted from Funston et al. (2012) JAS (90): 5118

11. …and son performance on the farm, the feedlot and at the packing plantB
P<0.01 C
Calving Period 1
Calving Period 2
Calving Period 3
Carcass Value
-$25.00
-$74.00
SEMs are pooled in Funston 2012
Adapted from Funston et al. (2012) JAS (90): 5118

12. Calving early in the calving season improves the viability of the operation
Increased pounds at weaning with more desirable carcass characteristics
Potentially more income per year and may recover development costs faster
Produce more beef during her reproductive life
Improve the sustainability of the operation
Increase production longevity
More likely to recover her development costs and reduces the replacement rate

13. EFFICIENCY!! Other Benefits? Labor utilization Feed utilization
Scheduling-farming
Scheduling-veterinarian
Herd health
Marketing strategies
EFFICIENCY!!

14. Calendar Calving Season
Graph to show veterinarians their calving season in Nebraska. Encouragement to help their producers tighten their calving season to 1. Take advantage of non-harvested forages; 2. Potentially improve health of calves; 3. Improve veterinary and producer lifestyle: short, intense calving season, challenging for a bit, but over with quickly

15. Initial Calving Distribution

16. Initial Pounds Weaned

17. Missed Opportunity

18. Missed Opportunity
11, lb difference

19. **Repeatable data becomes important!**
Skewed Distribution
Not the goal of the operation!
Retaining late calving females
Bull battery management
Nutrition
Anovulatory-why?
Disease
Etc., etc.
**Repeatable data becomes important!**
Operation goals: logistical problems
Price of replacements-keep everything
Bulls-left in too long, bull injuries, etc.
Cows not cycling: could be reason for dip in 3 year olds, nutritionally related, exacerbates post-calving interval

20. Tactics Data interpretation to assess herd status
Opportunity to assess overall management
Define future goals
What is the end game?
What area to address first?
One thing at a time…
Tools
Implementation of resources
First step is convincing the owner that there could be changes made, if a problem exists. Can the logistics be managed (calving pasture, labor, facilities)?
What is the producer’s target? Weaning calves, yearlings, retained ownership, replacements. There is a benefit to calving earlier for every production stage. Can we improve our goals, even if we think we are “good?”
Important not to try and rebuild Rome in 3 days…in nutrition is an issue, tackle that the first year, and demonstrate the results with additional data collection. Follow the next year with a synchronization program to tighten the calving window. Etc. etc.
Resources: if the producer is willing to comply, GPVEC, UNL, USMARC, etc. are resources to guide you. Nutritionists available, refereed articles for evidence-based decision making

21. Potential Interventions
Synchronization
Marketing of late-born females
Disease investigation and management
Breeding season management
Nutrition evaluation

22. Limitations? Facilities Weather concerns? Labor Feed resources
Both producer and veterinarian
Feed resources
Marketing
Tradition
Pandora’s box

23. Data Collection Challenges
Time from first to final data collection: 83 days
July-September
Data submission methods
Non-computerized: 25/40 (62.5%)
Excel: 15/40 (37.5%)
Time spent data entry and reporting: 24.6 sec/head
Time spent data entry and reporting: 1 hr 29 min/herd
Range per herd: 35 min-3 hr 30 min
One year of data-enough info to intervene?
Mention feedback from data collection process:
Complicated forms not used
Challenging to collect from producers
Timing?

24. Case background 2 Year Olds 1560 3 Year Olds 1242 Matures 5894
Calving season began March 21
Pregnancy percentage
91%, heifers AI’d
Calving percentage
85%
How many opens at preg check? At calving?
10230 exposed, 9309 preg, 8696 calved

25. Estimated Total Pounds Weaned: 5,145,902.20

26. Total Pounds Weaned: 4,953,415.00

27. Total Pounds Weaned: 5,317,972.60

28. Questions?