A soil test is the solution to understanding what nutrients may be needed and at what rate they need to be applied for your forage type. Adequate nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium at the right pH yield big dividends. Good forage production and grazing management are necessities in the Southeast.
Spring calving
It’s breeding time. If considering A.I., work with a knowledgeable breeding technician or semen supplier to make sure products are on hand and the calendar is set. Finding high-accuracy bulls (0.85 or greater) for calving ease and growth is a great way to put your mind at ease for next year’s calving season.
Utilizing A.I. and strategic culling for multiple years has been proven to increase reproductive efficiency and profitability in the most practical of commercial herds.
Cattle bred on March 20 will be due Dec. 28. Turning bulls out April 1 to June 20 has natural-sired calves being delivered between January 10 and March 20. Ideally, retained heifers would be bred 30 days prior to the cow herd.
If you have been putting off A.I. with your heifers, the fixed-timed seven-day Co-Synch + CIDR protocol can expedite the process. This short-term protocol can be used on cows as well, but the time frame for insemination varies by a few hours. The key to any breeding season is body condition and nutritional plane. Supplemental feeding will be even more crucial for all those coming through a winter preceded by drought.
Fall calving
Removing bulls on March 23 will wrap up the next calving season around Dec. 31. Removing bulls on schedule and staying on a defined calving season is considered by some to be the most important management tool for overall success in cattle production.
Justin Rhinehart, associate professor at the University of Tennessee, explains that the benefits of a defined calving season are much like row-crop farming. It is much more efficient to plant, fertilize, spray and harvest on a defined schedule.
Likewise, managing the cow herd’s nutritional needs, reproduction and calving season become more efficient. The resulting calf crop produced should be older and heavier as well as more marketable and profitable. 
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Jason Duggin
- Beef Extension Specialist
- University of Georgia
- Email Jason Duggin
