What are the reasons to eliminating nighttime calving?
There are several benefits to eliminating nighttime calving; –Calving difficulties are easier to manage during daylight –Daylight births give calves time to dry off before the sun goes down –Predators are less likely to strike during the day –It is easier to find calving cows in larger areas and in those areas that have blizzards throughout the calving season reducing losses due to snow and freezing temperatures –Feeding in the evening helps maintain body temperature during cold winter nights How much can feeding in the evening increase daytime calving? A British study involving 162 cattle from 4 different farms compared the percentages of calves born from 5:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. with cows being fed in the morning versus feeding in the evening. 57% of the calves born during the day were from cattle fed at 9:00 am versus 79% born during the day when cows were fed at 10:00 p.m. A study done in Iowa with 1331 cows from 15 farms showed that 85% of the calves were born between 6:00 am
