Tightening up your calving pattern
For most spring-calving herds,听where听cows听predominantly calve听during February, March and April, chances are that cows will now be settled in calf.听Many of you should now be thinking about removing the bull from the cows. With silage and hay making alongside harvest becoming a priority, it is easy听for planned dates to slip and for听stock听bulls to remain with the cows longer than you had intended.听听
If you have not removed bulls yet then now is the time to do so, to put an end to breeding for this season and a definite end听to the calving period听next year. A more compact calving will lessen the workload next spring.听Late听calving cows are always a pain to manage as they are听out of sync听with the rest of the herd.听A cow being bulled on听the 15 of August will not calve until the end of May听2027.听
There is often a fear associated with听taking the stock bull away from cows, thinking there will be a high empty rate.听However,听if听after 12 weeks of breeding there is a high number of cows empty / not settled in calf this will become clear from听a high level听of activity. Most likely if there are empty cows it may only be one or two which are likely to have either poor fertility or have an underlying condition preventing them from going back in calf which means that if they had run with the bull for another month, they were unlikely to settle in calf.听听
A compact calving period offers听several听advantages for suckler herds and is one of the听easiest听ways听of听improving your herds听efficiency and profitability.听A tighter calving pattern results in a more uniform group of calves, making management easier throughout the year. Calves听that听are of听a similar听size听and听age听at weaning,听are easier managed in terms of听feeding,听vaccination听and marketing.听Quite simply, batches of uniform animals are easier handled听and dealt with!听听
Older calves at weaning should achieve heavier weaning weights than calves听that are听born听later听in the season.听If you are selling weaned calves,听this then increases the total weight of听animals produced and gives more听output/cow which听ultimately听improves听the herd鈥檚 overall听performance and听profitability.听
With labour being stretched on farms, having a compact calving period saves听on听labour by ensuring most cows calve within听a short听time听frame. This makes general supervision, calf management, health treatments and feeding more听efficient reducing听the time and labour needed to manage the herd throughout the year.听
Nutritional requirements and rationing for cows听are听easier managed with a compact calving period as cows are听more听likely to be at a similar stage in gestation and lactation compared with听an extended calving period. This makes feeding simpler and more cost effective.听听
The herd鈥檚 fertility performance is easier to听monitor. Cows that听fail to听get back in calf within the defined breeding season can be听quickly听identified听and听potentially earmarked听for culling, helping to improve听the听herds听fertility.听
If you are finishing your own calves, earlier-born calves听generally finish听sooner and more efficiently than later-born calves听within groups.听This reduces housing, bedding and feed costs and can improve听animal听performance. Animals being ready to market at similar times are an advantage especially with young bulls who are harder to manage 鈥� and听can鈥檛听be easily mixed with other groups when left behind.听听
Cows听calving听within a defined period also means there is more time between calving and the start of the next breeding season. This allows cows听time听to recover听their听body condition and return to听cycling and bulling,听for the bull going in听increasing the likelihood of听maintaining听the听ideal听365-day calving interval.听Changes to Scottish Sucker Beef Support Scheme听(SSBSS, also known as the calf scheme)听mean that a calving interval of 410 days or less is now required to听receive SSBSS payment听(unless you are claiming less than听ten听calves), so it is hugely important to听consider calving intervals听
In summary, a compact calving period:听
- Produces a more uniform calf crop.听
- Increases weaning weights.听Calves born earlier are heavier at weaning than those later born calves and there is a smaller weaning check in those bigger calves.听
- Reduces labour requirements听-less time supervising an extended calving period and听management is easier.听
- Reduces disease risk 鈥� less risk of disease spread from older calves to those younger more vulnerable calves.听
- Simplifies听feeding 鈥撎齟asier and more听accurate听to ration stock at similar stages of growth,听pregnancy听and lactation.听听
- Improves herd fertility听鈥� more cows are likely to come into season when the bull is turned out.听
- Can reduce finishing costs听with听finishing cattle are sold earlier.听
- Allows more听even batches of bigger calves to sell.听
- Helps听maintain听eligibility for the SSBSS scheme.听
Lynwen Emslie, Consultant, Lynwen.Emslie@sac.co.uk
Posted by SAC Consulting on 17/08/2026
