Getting Ready for Calving

The calving season is coming, and we need to make sure that the calves, cows, and heifers get the energy and protein they need the last 60 days before calving.

Our first step is to make sure they’re eating as much total feed as possible. Total feed is a combination of hay, corn, sileage, mineral, and anything else the animal will eat.  A good baseline is 3% of body weight per day. For example, per day, a 1400-pound cow will eat about 42 pounds, whereas a 1200-pound cow will eat a total of 36 pounds feed.

Mineral is very important. At SFG we carry two primary options: Kent 365 ADE with Bio-Mos, and Hubbard Blueprint Cow Calf 5 with Bio-Mos. Both products utilize Bio-Mos to reduce scours at calving time and increase milk quality. The Hubbard product goes two steps further, utilizing many chelated trace minerals and organic selenium. The selenium passes through the placenta to the calf, causing the calf to be born with high selenium status. The selenium also passes through the milk to the calf as it is nursing.

In addition to your warmer and calf puller, there’s other necessities you should have on hand for calving time. Be sure you have scour paste tubs and colostrum packs. SFG’s preferred products are Opticalf paste and OptiPrime colostrum replacer. Both products will go miles towards giving your calves the added boost they need for a strong, healthy start.

For any questions on Be sure to give me a call at 641-218-4232 and let me know your calving time needs. We’re glad to help!