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DAIRY FARM
\C> MANAGEMENT <&}
/ BASICS \\
/ \ ' I Desired calving interval
/ A Farm Management Course by \
Glenn A. Shirk
Penn State Extension Agent
Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
Archived at Internet Home Page www.lancasterfarming.com
Calving Interval - Article 23 '
As you plan and manage your herd’s reproductive program, set some goals for yourself, such as
- Heat detection rales %
- Conception rates %
- Days open days
- Calving intervals mo
- Pregnancy success rate %
Let us begin by looking at calving interval, but rather than focusing on calving interval, a more
important question might be, when do you want cows to calve 9 Consider such things as
- Ideal seasons of the year to avoid problems associated with heat stress When do cows have fewer
calving problems and fewer breeding problems 9 When is it easier to get them into peak flow 9
- Seasonal milk prices Is it beneficial to produce the most milk when milk pnoes are highest 9 Also
consider the amount of calving facilities needed if you have a seasonal herd
- Availability and price of feeds Do you want to produce the most milk when purchased feed paces
are lowest, or during the grazing season when the need for purchased feeds is less 9
- With higher producing cows and with the availability of more and more management tools, such as
Smart Yields
Ll MB*-* ;
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H-2515 110 Day RM H23908T 102 Day RM
Kermit Martin Quarryville, PA Clear Meadow Farm Whitehall, MD
H-2515 192.5 Bu./A H23908T 187.1 Bu7A
P-3394 180.1 Bu./A H-2382 180.3 Bu./A
Fisher Welles Elmira, NY P35N05 186.5 Bu./A
H-2515 215.2 Bu./A 1997 - 98 Multi Location Data
DK595 186.8 Bu./A H-23908T 164.1 Bu./A
Rinaldi Farm Easton, PA P37M81 152.0 Bu./A
H-2515 173.1 Bu./A £m r%± A T
P33V08 154.6 Bu ./A fl"ZO"l f 112 Day RM
a*aj Clear Meadow Farm Whitehall, MD
■aOOI 117 Days RM H-2547 192.6 Bu./A
Clear Meadow Farm Whitehall, MD DKS9IRR 164.4 Bu./A
H-2581 208.9 Bu7A P 3335 188.1 Bu./A
DK-642 184.9 Bu./A
P 3335 188.1 Bu./A
A Complete Line for
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3900 Mclntyre Rd.,
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Phone: 1-800-836-3701
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Or Call: Peter Johnson - Sales Rep.
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BST, a short calving interval may not necessarily be the most profitable, especially if cows continue
to milk 70-80 lb or more at 300 days into lactation
What is the maximum days open you can tolerate to achieve your desired calving interval 9 What window
of time do you need for getting cows settled on time 9 Table 1 can help you calculate this For al3 month
calving interval, cows have to be settled by 109 days after calving (days open) If your volunteer waiting
period (VWP) from date of calving is 60 days, then you have a 49 day window of time to catch the cow in
heat, to service her, and to get her settled That's slightly more than 2 heat periods What are your goals
and how well are you achieving them 9
Table 1. Targeting Days Open to Desired Calving Interval
Gestation period
Maximum days open
Volunteer waiting period
Window of time for getting cows settled
Days per heat period
No of heat periods needed to get cows settled
Equipment Manufacturers
Institute Holds Convention
CHICAGO, 111. - Arlie :
Tucker, chairman and chief terms as chairman officially
executive officer of Komatsu began November 1, 1998.
Mining Systems, Inc., Vernon
Hills, IL, was elected the 1998-
99 chairman of the Equipment
Manufacturers Institute (EMI)
during its 105th Annual
Convention held recently in
Coronado, CA. His one-vear
Golden
Harvest
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, November 14, 1998-A25
- months
- days (mo x 30 days)
Tucker’s experience in the construction
equipment industry began in 1964 when he
joined Haulpak as a marketing trainee. After
numerous promotions, he was named presi
dent of the Haulpak Division in 1986. In 1990
he became executive vice president of market
ing/sales for the Komatsu Dresser Company
He was promoted to the chairman and CEO in
1992. More than a year ago, Tucker was
named chairman and CEO of Komatsu
Mining Systems and elected as a board mem
ber of Komatsu Ltd.
His educational experiences include a
bachelor’s degree from Bradley University
and a master’s degree from the University of
Chicago.
November 1 also marked the transition
date for the schedule change in other EMI
officers and directors. Joining Tucker as EMI
officers are Rich Christman, senior vice pres
ident, strategy and corporate development,
Case Corporation, Racine, WI, as vice chair
man and Robert Vermeer, chairman and CEO,
Vermeer Mfg. Company, Pella, lowa, as sec
ond vice chairman
Appointed to serve a second term as vice
chairman of construction was John
Fitzgerald, business manager, construction
material handling equipment, Ingersoll-Rand
Company, Shippensburg, PA. Gary McDonald,
executive vice president, Mac Don Industries
Ltd., was appointed to serve a one year terms
as vice chairman of agriculture
Several new directors were also installed
at the recent EMI Board meeting in
Coronado, CA. They include.
• Ludolf Bjelland, President, Alfa Laval
Agri Inc., Kansas City, MO
• David Black, President, CEO & Chairman,
JLG Industries, Inc., McConnellsburg, PA
• Dennis Eagan, President & CEO, VME
North America, Asheville, NC
• Robert Kluver, President & CEO, Angus-
Palm Industries, Inc., Watertown, SD
• Steve Krause, President & CEO, Krause
Plow Corporation, Inc., Hutchinson, KS
• Thomas Laird, President, Wopds
Equipment Company, Rockford, IL
• David Woods, COO, Charlie Machine
Works, Inc., Perry, OK
. Other members of the board include:
• Nicolas Babson, Chairman & CEO,
Babson Bros. Company, Naperville, IL
• Donald V. Fites, Chairman & CEO,
Caterpillar Inc., Peoria, IL
• Hans Gaastra, President, McKay
Empire, Regina, SK, Canada
• David Grzelak, President & COO,
Komatsu America International, Vernon
Hills, IL
• Bernard Hardiek, President, Worldwide
Ag Division, Deere & Company, Moline, IL
• Charle 'Hoge, President, Melroe
Company, Fargo, ND
•William Horaney, President, Hitachi
Construction Machinery (America)
Corporation, Houston. TX
Yours
390
- 281
109
49
- 21
2 3
_ .31
As an active member of EMI,
Tucker has been on the
Institute’s Board of Directors
since November 1994 and has
served as EMl’s vice chairman
from 1997-98 and second vice
chairman from 1996-97.