  BeefTalk:
Very Dry Years Can Trigger Early Weaning of Calf Crop
By Kris Ringwall, Extension Beef Specialist,
NDSU Extension Service
Perusing the world of data is not all that easy--and often creates
opportunities for one to head off in a zillion tangents. That’s how it was
when I wanted to see how annual precipitation in North Dakota influenced weaning
dates.
I started with a simple question: what was the annual precipitation for North
Dakota the last few years? Locating the data was not too difficult because the
North Dakota State Climatologist Web Site and several other weather related
sites were easy to find, but finding a summary of the data that would answer the
question caused some tension. I found enough data to fill what seemed like a
case of letter size paper---printed on both sides. The old saying "I can’t
see the tree because of the forest" or for beef producers, "I can’t
find the cow because she was just absorbed into the herd," certainly held
true.
Today we were trying to find calf 2142 so we could take a picture. I was
certain we had read every tag in the pen, but no 2142. Eventually, there he
stood with a very shiny 2142 ear tag. It seemed as if he was grinning at us
then. I can’t say for sure that he actually knew we were looking for him, but
cattle seem to have a natural sense for such things. Perhaps it’s their
survival instinct; if you even give the slightest hint you are actually looking
for a specific cow or calf, instantaneously, the selected critter is absorbed
into the herd.
That’s how I felt about the data from the Internet. It’s on the screen
one moment and then, poof, gone the next. Eventually, after a couple of deep
breaths, I found a site and the annual precipitation from 1948 to 1999. In the
21 years from 1978 to 1999, nine years have been above normal in precipitation
and 12 have been below normal. Normal is defined as the average state
precipitation from 1950 to 1990.
Years when precipitation was above normal, the average calf weigh day for
those producers involved in the North Dakota Cow Herd Appraisal and Performance
Software (CHAPS) record program was Oct. 18. During the dryer-than-normal years,
the average weigh day was Oct. 20 – two days later than the wetter years. In
general, simply dry weather conditions were not a trigger to early weigh and
wean calves.
A more defined data set, however, showed that when only the five driest and
five wettest years are looked at, weather did trigger early weaning. The five
years with the greatest precipitation were 1982 with 21.4 inches, 1986 with 22.0
inches, 1993 with 22.9 inches, 1994 with 21.1 inches and 1998 with 22.1 inches
of precipitation. The average calf work day for these years when precipitation
averaged 21.9 inches was Oct. 21.
The five years with the least average precipitation were 1979 with 14.8
inches, 1988 with 11.7 inches, and 1989 with 14.3 inches, 1990 with 14.4 inches
and 1992 with 14.9 inches of precipitation. During these extremely dry years
(precipitation averaged 14 inches), CHAPS producers worked calves on Oct. 16,
approximately five or more days earlier than during the more wet years, but only
two days earlier than the 20-year average weight day of Oct. 18.
In conclusion, currently Dickinson has received more than 12 inches of
precipitation this year. As fall approaches, the indication would be to pull
calves early. Fall rains could arrive, which could stall weaning. In other parts
of the state and region where drier conditions exist, cows and calves need to be
worked early, with a good plan developed to bring the calves home or perhaps to
the neighbor with a good set of feeding facilities.
Perhaps the single most impediment to early weaning is simply the lack of
facilities, creating the dilemma of light-weight calves selling for greater
per-pound prices, but netting less per head which contributes to the general
reluctance to pull calves early. It is truly a tough decision, but again, check
with your neighbor.
May you find all your ear tags.
Your comments are always welcome at www.BeefTalk.com.
For more information, contact the North Dakota Beef Cattle Improvement
Association, 1133 State Avenue, Dickinson, ND 58601 or go to www.CHAPS2000.COM
on the Internet. In correspondence about this column, refer to BT0104.
###
Source: Kris Ringwall, (701) 483-2427, kringwal@ndsuext.nodak.edu
Editor: Tom Jirik, (701) 231-9629, tjirik@ndsuext.nodak.edu
Click here for a printable PDF version of this graphic.
(5KB b&w graph)
Click here for a printable EPS version of this graphic.
(76KB b&w graph)
Click here for a EPS file of the BeefTalk logo suitable for
printing.
(100KB b&w logo)
Graphic --
Average Calf Weigh Days* for Wet
Versus Dry Years in North Dakota
------------------------------------------------------
1978 - 1999 Average October 19
9 years with above-normal precipitation October 18
12 years with below-normal precipitation October 20
5 years with the most precipitation October 21
5 years with the least precipitation October 16
------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------
* Data from North Dakota Cow Herd Appraisal and
Performance Software (CHAPS) record program.
|
