SPRING HILL, Tenn. – Like many other farmers starting spring calving preparation at different times in various regions of the country, Andrew P. Griffith had already started calving out several of his heifers last November – and has another group due to start calving toward the end of February.

“Most planning for calving should actually start prior to breeding,” said Griffith, University of Tennessee professor of agricultural and resource economics. “The first is knowing if the females have a pelvis that is large enough to pass a calf.

“Second, calving ease EPDs (expected progeny differences) of the bull can be important to reduce calving difficulties,” he added. Expected progeny differences are the prediction of how future progeny (descendant or descendants) of each animal are expected to perform relative to the progeny of other animals listed in the database.

Bernt Nelson, American Farm Bureau Federation economist, said, “Traditionally, calving begins for a lot of folks in cold weather. Some have moved to a later calving date, which can work for some regions of the country, but for others, it can create more complications.

“It pays to evaluate these tradeoffs and apply the different market situations to the written marketing plan,” he added. “It’s a good idea to keep records of these as well, and evaluate what worked and what didn’t. This helps make improvements and better decisions over time.”

Griffith said another thing to consider when preparing for spring calving is the length of the breeding season, which determines the length of the calving season.

“The shorter the breeding season, then naturally, the shorter the calving season,” he said. “Adequate nutrition is always a must to reduce calving difficulties. A female without adequate nutrition will make it that much more difficult for her to calve as she will have reduced energy levels, and her ability to provide for the calf.” He added, “When calving, it is ideal to have them on a fresh pasture so calves are birthed on clean ground, which can reduce infections.”

He said another aspect that shouldn’t be overlooked is the cow herd vaccination program.

“Annual boosters for cows, including respiratory and clostridial (bacterial) benefits calf health,” he said. “But it is also important to start the calf crop on a vaccination program fairly quickly. The timing is largely product dependent.

“It never hurts to have a relationship with a veterinarian,” he added. “Most cattle producers are not going to use a veterinarian for normal calving seasons. But when there is a problem, it is good to know they are willing to show up at the farm.”

Grant Dewell, Iowa State University associate professor of veterinary medicine and extension beef veterinarian, said, when asked about spring calving preparation, “First, focus should be on evaluating cow body condition score (BCS), and making any adjustments to keep females at least a BCS of five going into the calving season.

“Drought conditions in Iowa were better in 2024, so cows should have adequate stores of vitamins A and E this year,” he said. “However, if you are feeding a lot of corn stalks or stemmy hay, you may still need some supplemental vitamins and minerals.

“Forage analysis is a good idea to make sure you are meeting cows’ nutritional needs during the last trimester and beginning of lactation,” he added. “Cows will need some supplemental energy during extreme cold spells to maintain condition and support the growing fetus.”

He said, “Now is a good time to make sure your facilities are in good condition for the calving season. Scrape calving lots and clean out calving barns. Make sure the head gate is in good working condition, and fences are in good shape. Make sure there is plenty of bedding material available to keep calving areas clean and dry.

“Double-check calving supplies for important items such as calving chains and handles, OB lube (for the operator’s hands and arms in obstetrical work, vaginal and rectal examinations, catheters, and stomach tubes), plastic sleeves, and colostrum (the first secretion from the mammary glands after giving birth) replacer,” he said.

He added, “If you haven’t done it already, consider placing wireless video cameras that will allow you to more easily check on your cows more often, even if you are not on the farm. It is always a good idea to think through an emergency management scenario before it happens.

“If a blizzard were to hit in the middle of calving season, do you have enough hay close by that is accessible?” he asked. “Is there shelter available for all your cows and calves? If electricity is out, can you keep waterers from freezing up? If roads are closed, how will you handle a complicated dystocia (difficult birth)?”

Before calving season, he added, farmers should talk with their veterinarians about any changes they recommend to their herd health program.

When asked what other ways farmers can ease spring calving preparation, Nelson said, “Get supplies now, and get them organized and ready. Having veterinary supplies on hand and easily accessible for any complications can pay dividends when time is of the essence.

“Further, make a plan to keep records,” he added. “Good record-keeping can also pay dividends and is time well spent. Make a written marketing plan and know what your break-even prices are.”

When asked what has worked in the past and what improvements could be made with spring calving preparation, Derrell Peel, Oklahoma State University professor of agricultural economics, said, “All cattle are worth a lot now (record prices, in general), so increasing management intensity, and spending a bit more to ensure health and keeping death loss to a minimum is warranted.

“For calving, extra effort to produce live calves (paying extra attention during calving) and ensuring calf health (like cleaning calving grounds, etc.) is the idea,” he said. “For cows, feeding them ahead of calving to calve in good body condition. It may not change things for this calf crop, but can ensure better re-breeding this year.”