1. Annual Livestock Production Cycle (ALPC) Module 6

2. Season 1/ WinterSpringSummerFall Month 2/ 121234567891011 Mature Animal Reproductive Cycle Estrous/Gestation /Birth 3/ GGBBBEEGGGGG Mature Animal Feeding Cycle Feed 3/ P/HHHHHPFFFFF Mineral/Salt 4/ M/S Supplement 5/ RN B ? Concentrate 6/ ?????? Growing Animal Feeding Cycle Calf 8/ (1-240 Days) MM/H M/PM/F F/P W/S P/H W/S Steer/Heifer 9/ (>240 Days) HHHHHH/PPPPPPH R. Heifer 10/ (>240 Days) HHHHHH/PPPPPPH

3. Winter - characterized by low temperatures and snow, which requires animals to be fed roughage, unless the ranch has access to winter range. The most common roughage fed is grass and alfalfa hay. Winter Activities in the Production Cycle

4. December Feed –Dry cows, replacement heifers, and weaned calves are generally on a full ration of hay (2-3 % of Body Weight) –Goal is to maintain Body Condition of Cows and replacement heifers during the last trimester of pregnancy. –Cows receive free choice mineral supplement. Herd Health –Deworming and scour innoculation usually occurs in early winter. –Heifer calves retained as replacement heifers must be innoculated, tagged, and tattooed for Brucellosis Marketing –Marketing of all classes of livestock usually completed by mid- December. Breeding –Bulls are separated from females and are fed maintenance ration of hay.

5. January Feed –Dry cows, replacement heifers, and weaned calves are generally on a full ration of hay (2-3 % of Body Weight) –Goal is to maintain Body Condition Score “5” of Cows and replacement heifers during the last trimester of pregnancy. –Cows receive free choice mineral supplement. Herd Health –Continuously evaluate herd body condition. –May want to separate animals in lower body condition from main herd. –Evaluate herd for “lice” and other parasites Marketing –Market any remaining animals to avoid feeding hay. –Market weaned calves if held-over to the new year Breeding –Bulls are separated from females and are fed maintenance ration of hay. Operational –Develop annual “operating” budget

6. February Feed –Dry cows, replacement heifers, and weaned calves are generally on a full ration of hay (2-3 % of Body Weight) –Goal is to maintain Body Condition Score “5” in Cows and replacement heifers during the last trimester of pregnancy. –Cows receive free choice mineral supplement. Herd Health –Continuously evaluate herd body condition. –Move cow-calf pairs to a separate field to reduce calf diseases. –Ensure that newborn calves have obtained “colostrum” Marketing –Usually no marketing occurs during this period. Breeding –Bulls are separated from females and are fed maintenance ration of hay. –Replacement heifers are calving. –Mature cows begin calving, usually 1-5 new born calves per day. Operational –Check replacement heifers during night for birthing problems. –Check turned-out replacement pairs to ensure “cow-calf” bond is in place.

7. In late winter & spring, often with snow and freezing temperatures, mature cows and replacement heifers are calving. High quality feed is required to enable milk production and estrous cycling by cows. Winter-Spring Activities in the Production Cycle

8. March Feed –Feed higher quality hay (i.e., alfalfa-grass hay if possible, highest quality grass hay if alfalfa not available) at 3 % of Body Weight. Goal is to maintain Body Condition Score “5” in lactating cows and replacement heifers.. –Cows receive free choice mineral supplement. Herd Health –Continuously evaluate herd body condition. –Continuously evaluate cows and calves for disease problems and lack of milk problems. –Ensure that newborn calves have obtained “colostrum” –Eartag all newborn calves at birth. Marketing –Usually no marketing occurs during this period unless weaned calves from the previous year have been held over. Breeding –Bulls are separated from females and are fed maintenance ration of hay. –Replacement heifers are nearing end of the calving cycle. –Mature cows are calving. Operational –Check replacement heifers during night for birthing problems. –Check turned-out replacement pairs to ensure “cow-calf” bond is in place

9. April Feed –Feed higher quality hay (i.e., alfalfa-grass hay if possible, highest quality grass hay if alfalfa not available) at 3 % of Body Weight. Highest quality hay should be fed to prevent reduced intake from cattle “picking” new forage growth. –Cows receive free choice mineral supplement. Herd Health –Continuously evaluate herd body condition. –Continuously evaluate cows and calves for disease problems and lack of milk problems. –Innoculate cows and calves to prevent infectious diseases. Marketing –Cows and replacement heifers that lost calves are marketed. Breeding –Bulls are separated from females and are fed maintenance ration of hay. Operational –Replacement heifers finish calving. Mature cows finishing calving. –Brand and innoculate calves.

10. May Feed –Mature and replacement cow-calf pairs are turned out to graze on new growth of hill pasture or hayfields. –Cows receive free choice mineral supplement. Herd Health –Continuously evaluate herd body condition. –Continuously evaluate cows and calves for disease problems and lack of milk problems. Marketing –Cows and replacement heifers that lost calves are marketed. Breeding –Bulls are turned in with cow-calf pairs to initiate breeding cycle. –Bulls will be with cows for 45 day breed-up.. Operational –Calving is finished. –Brand and innoculate calves late calves –Spring work such as “harrowing”, ditch cleaning, and irrigation of hay fields begins..

11. From early summer to mid fall, cow-calf pairs are on forage produced on summer pasture or rangeland. Breed-up occurs on hayfield and pasture before movement to summer rangeland

12. June Feed –All cattle are turned out to graze. –Cow-calf pairs are trailed or trucked to summer range. Herd Health –Continuously evaluate herd body condition. –Continuously evaluate cows and calves for disease problems and lack of milk problems. Marketing –Cows and replacement heifers that lost calves are marketed. –Old and crippled bulls are marketed Breeding –Bulls are removed from the cow herd at the end of the 45 day breed-up period. Operational –Fence maintenance and repair. –Hayfield and pasture irrigation on-going. –Hat-making of alfalfa and early grass-hay begins.

13. July Feed –All cattle are turned out to graze. –Cow-calf pairs on summer range are rotated throughout the summer range pasture along elevational gradients and key forage areas. Herd Health –Continuously evaluate herd body condition. –Cow and calves are checked for predation caused mortality and injuries. Marketing –Cows and replacement heifers that lost calves are marketed. –Old and crippled bulls are marketed Breeding –Breed-up is finished. Operational –Hayfield and pasture irrigation on-going. –Hat-making of alfalfa and early grass-hay on-going.

14. August Feed –All cattle are turned out to graze. –Cow-calf pairs on summer range are rotated throughout the summer range pasture along elevational gradients and key forage areas. –Cattle are kept out of critical non-use areas as designated in the annual grazing instructions. –Cattle are provided with salt and mineral supplement Herd Health –Continuously evaluate herd body condition. –Cow and calves are checked for predation caused mortality and injuries. –Cattle are checked for production related diseases such as “pink-eye and pneumonia. Marketing –Cows and replacement heifers that lost calves are marketed. –Old and crippled bulls are marketed Breeding –Breed-up is finished. Operational –Hayfield and pasture irrigation on-going. –Hat-making of alfalfa and early grass-hay on-going.

15. September Feed –All cattle are turned out to graze. –Cow-calf pairs on summer range are rotated throughout the summer range pasture along elevational gradients and key forage areas. –Cattle provided salt and mineral supplement blocks. Herd Health –Continuously evaluate herd body condition. –Cow and calves are checked for predation caused mortality and injuries. –Calves are checked for “gain”. Marketing –Depending on marketing strategy, calves may be weaned from cows and placed on lush irrigated pasture in the valley. Breeding –Breed-up is finished. Operational –Hayfield and pasture irrigation on-going. –1 st crop Hay-making of alfalfa and early grass-hay finished..

16. From late fall to early winter, dry cows (i.e., calves have been weaned) are grazing forage produced by hill or valley pasture or crop re-growth on hayfields following haying.

17. October Feed –Cow-calf pairs on summer range are at highest elevation on summer range. –Fall round-up of cattle on summer range initiated. –Calf weaning may be initiated depending on strategy; weaned calves graze high quality hayfield aftermath pastures.. Herd Health –Continuously evaluate herd body condition. –Cow and calves are checked for predation caused mortality and injuries. –Weaned calves are continuously monitored for stress related diseases. Marketing –Weaned calves and yearling calves are marketed. Breeding –Breed-up is finished. Cows are in their 2 nd trimester of pregnancy Operational –Hayfield and pasture irrigation is finished. –2 nd crop hay-making of alfalfa and early grass-hay on-going or finished. –Cows are trucked or trailed to hill pasture and/or hayfield pasture. –Summer range pastures are monitored by the Forest Service to determine grazing impacts on critical and key forage areas.

18. November Feed –Fall round-up of cattle on summer range finished. –Weaned calves graze high quality hayfield aftermath pastures and/or high quality hay. –Dry cows graze low quality forage from hill pastures or irrigated pasture. Herd Health –Continuously evaluate herd body condition. –Cows are pregnancy tested and innoculated for infectious diseases. –Weaned calves are continuously monitored for stress related diseases and age and source verified. Marketing –Weaned calves and yearling calves are marketed. –Non-pregnant, old “broken-mouthed, and crippled cows are marketed. Breeding –Breed-up is finished. Cows enter their 3 rd trimester of pregnancy Operational –All classes of cattle are grazing on winter range or in hayfield pastures. –Summer range pastures are monitored by the Forest Service to determine grazing impacts on critical and key forage areas.

19. Weaned heifer calves (8 months old) eating 1 st crop alfalfa hay

20. First –calf heifers on hill pasture being supplemented with grass hay 2 months prior to calving.

21. Local private veterinarian vaccinating and tattooing 10 month old weaned heifer calves prior to 12 month cut-off age for Brucellosis.

22. General Cattle Cycle January: Two year-old replacement heifers start calving during early to mid-January. Earlier heifer calving allows more care and time provided to the 2-year old heifers. Mid-February: Mature cows begin calving. Calving usually ends by May 1st. April & May: Calves are “worked” (identification, castration, inoculations) before cow-calf pairs go to summer range. May: Breeding males (bulls) are turned in with the mature cows. Heifer bulls are turned in with the replacement heifers two weeks prior to mature cows. June to October: Cow-calf pairs are trailed or trucked to summer range. October & November: Cow-calf pairs gathered off summer range. Cattle graze hayfield pastures. Calves are weaned off of the cow-calf pairs to be sold or held over as yearlings. Weaned calves held over as yearlings are fed a growth ration through the winter and spring. Replacement heifers are placed on valley and/or hill pastures. Mature cows are “preg-tested”by a veterinarian. November: Mature cows retained in the herd are treated for parasites and given fall inoculations. Heifer calves retained as replacement heifers and all heifers are vaccinated, tagged and tattoed ofr Brucellosis. November & December. Mature cows feed on hill or hayfield pasture until declining Body Condition or snow cover of pasture initiates feeding of hay. Retained weaner calves and replacement heifers are fed moderate quality hay from weaning.

23. Best Practices Meeting feed quantity and quality needs of livestock throughout the annual production cycle. Meeting herd health needs of all classes of livestock at the right time. Intelligent marketing of livestock. Don’t overspend the budget.