If you are looking for her to be the most productive she must have a calf every year. In order for that to occur she must be bred within 82 days after she calved. This can be difficult she must recover from calving and begin cycling again all while nursing that calf.
Cow’s nutrient demands
There are many factors that have to be considered in order for her to begin her reproductive cycle again. Her nutrient demands will be different than when she is only taking care of herself. Her body must maintain itself while also producing milk in order to take care of her calf.
Depending on her milk production she could require 40% to 50% more energy and protein than she would normally need. This would depend on whether she is a high milk producer or not.
This is not taking into consideration if this is her first time or if she is a season professional at this. According to a study done by the University of Nebraska at Lincoln first-calf heifers need at least 62% TDN and 10% to 11% CP in order to meet her demands.
The good thing with this is that first-calf heifers and mature cows need the same pounds of protein and energy to thrive. The difference that occurs is in the amount that they actually consume. First-calf heifers have been shown to experience a 17% decrease in feed intake during the later stages of gestation.
Her biological priority for nutrients
When planning for feeding a cow you should remember that she has a list of nutrient needs that must be met in a certain order. Think of them as like stages in a game that you are playing. In order to move up to the next level the previous one must be completed.
Her first priority is of course maintenance of her body. This will need to be met in order for just her basic bodily functions to work. Next one on the list would be any body growth that is still needed. This one really depends on what stage of growth she is in. Obviously this stage would be more of a demand on first- and second-calf heifers than it would be with a mature 10 year old cow. The third stage that is met would be the milk production for the calf, and the fourth stage will be for reproduction.
All four stages must be met in order for her to be cycling and able to get rebred in a timely manner. One point of concern with this is that it is not a good idea to try to bump up her nutrition while she is lactating. Her body will focus the extra nutrition on increasing her milk production rather than on reproduction. This is a reason why it is recommended that you keep them in good body condition score throughout the year.
Impacts of poor nutrition at calving
If you do not take care of her nutritional needs here are some costs that could occur
- Fewer calves: this is an obvious problem because with less calves the cost of production will have to be divided out among a fewer number. Meaning that in order to break even you would have to sell for a higher price.
- Reduced calf immunity: with a weaker immune system that means an increased cost in vet bills and the possibility of losing that calf all together
- Longer return to estrus: as I mentioned above if her nutrition is lacking that equals a longer time for her to return to estrus and being able to rebred
- Lower pregnancy rates: this one really matches with the less calves one. Several studies have shown the correlation between nutrition demands being met and conception rates. The better she is going nutritionally the higher your pregnancy rates will be
How to meet nutrition demands
With just a little bit of planning you can your herd’s nutritional needs without having to break the bank. This would just require that you plan calving season for the right time of year.
You should time it where peak forage production occurs during early lactation. During this time the forages are at their highest nutritional value. If the pasture is in good condition they should be able to supply all the nutrients that she will need.
Even though the forages may be at their peak performance they may still be lacking in some of the necessary nutrients she will need. It may be a good idea to provide a solid mineral supplement in order to fill in any “gaps” that be happening here. If you are curious about how to do this I discuss the importance of a mineral program here.
Review
In order to have calves to sell every year there are some things that you will need to consider
- Are her overall nutrient demands being met?
- Are all her biological nutrient priorities being met?
- Have you best matched up your calving season with the peak forage production time?