Calving seasons should be 63 days (3, 21-day cycles), with at least 60% of the calves born in the first 21 days, according to the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture. This helps calving cows stay on track, increases the size of calves at weaning (by up to 100 pounds from 1st to 3rd cycle) and improves the chances of replacement heifers cycling as yearlings.
The Saskatchewan 21-Day Calving Challenge was announced a while ago, but I guess I just wanted to talk to someone in person, and see the calving book that went along with it. Well, Agribition didn’t disappoint. I’m looking at a copy of Saskatchewan’s 21 Day Calving Challenge Pocket Record Book. It has room for up to 300 calves, and bonus pages of important information, covering everything from mineral requirements to common myths and misconceptions. But, perhaps the most valuable piece of information, is that which spans pages 4-6.
Related: An Easier Way to Calculate the Cost of Replacement Heifers
Compressing the calving season has numerous economic advantages, and this year, for Saskatchewan producers, there’s an added incentive. Producers who get a hold of the calving book will find an entry form at the back, which, if completed, gives them the chance to win a $1,000 mineral voucher.
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To hear more, take a listen to the interview below with Travis Peardon, livestock specialist with the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture.