Tara Jo Bina
Countryside Feed Sales & Nutrition Professional
July is about 60 – 90 days before fall calving season, which makes it a great time to start preparing for fall calving season! Here are a few tips to make sure you are ready:
- Body Condition Score (BCS)
Cows should score between 5 – 6 BCS in late pregnancy. Achieving ideal BCS gives cows adequate energy for the calving process, increased calf vigor, better colostrum quality, and a leg up on rebreeding for the next year’s calf crop! If cows and heifers are not carrying enough condition in the last trimester, feeding to improve BCS will benefit both the cow and calf. The earlier thin cows are supplemented, the easier (and cheaper) it is to add condition! Countryside Feed has several options for late summer supplementation.
- Start Feeding Availa 4® Trace Minerals
Organic trace minerals, such as Availa 4
®, are more available to the cow. These minerals can help support immunity, reproduction, growth, colostrum quality, and milk production in cows. Operations feeding Availa 4
® have also seen increased weaning weights, and reduced BRD pulls in calves! From loose minerals to mineral tubs, Countryside Feed has many options for feeding Availa 4
®.
- Forage Quality and Quantity
Fall calving cows require a higher level of nutrition during the fall and winter than spring calving cows. This means supplementing with quality forages is very important! Reserving your best quality forages for your fall calving cows is a great way to ensure proper nutrition to support calving and lactation! Now is the time to take inventory of your forages and get them tested. Doing these two tasks can help identify if more hay will be needed and what nutritional gaps need to be filled with supplements.
Contact your Countryside Feed representative to discuss preparing your operation for fall calving season!
