Cattle breeding is all about time. From the date you turn bulls out or artificially inseminate your cows, it takes approximately nine months (or 280 days) before you’ll start seeing calves on the ground. In those three trimesters of development, nutrition will have a major impact on the calves’ future performance potential. 

Programming performance

During the first trimester, the placenta begins to form, which is the nutrition pathway from the cow to the calf. Correct development during this time positively impacts the calf’s lifelong performance. At the same time, organ growth from the gastrointestinal tract, heart, brain, lungs, kidney and liver starts, along with the reproductive organs’ formation. 

In the second trimester, muscle tissue and intermuscular fat cells develop. How many muscle and fat cells are developed can help predetermine the quality of calves you market. Organs continue growing during this time and the limbs develop. 

The third trimester is when 75% of fetal growth occurs. The final development of the lungs happens during this time, which plays a massive role in combatting respiratory disease later in life.

Post-calving, cows should have a body condition score (BCS) of at least 5.5 at breeding. Cows need to be in good condition so they can support their calf, get their body ready to go again from a reproduction standpoint, repair the reproductive tract and start cycling to meet the goal of rebreeding within 85 days post-calving.

Timing pregnancy

As you look at the calendar each year, you can use holidays as benchmarks to know when to evaluate body condition and nutrition since you know gestation is nine months from breeding to calving, and every three months marks a new trimester. For instance, a spring calving herd can use the following holidays as a guide: 
•    1st Trimester: Memorial Day 
•    2nd Trimester: Labor Day 
•    3rd Trimester: Thanksgiving 

Fall calving could be as follows: 
•    1st Trimester: New Year’s Day 
•    2nd Trimester: April Fool’s Day 
•    3rd Trimester: Independence Day 

These holiday dates mark approximately the beginning of each trimester, but it is all dependent on when you start breeding.  

Maintaining nutrition

When it comes to your cow herd’s nutrition, remember it’s easier to keep up than play catch up. It’s all about maintaining what you have. That’s why body condition score parameters are so important – between 5 and 6 – and that you don’t get too far below the curve. 

Mineral should be a constant regardless of the type of breeding program you’re implementing. Having mineral available year-round is crucial for your cattle. Providing additional trace minerals using Purina^® Wind and Rain^® mineral with Zinpro^® Availa^® 4 or Purina^® Wind and Rain^® ProCycle^® mineral can help support optimal pregnancy rates. 

Providing supplements when cows need additional support, whether hand-fed or self-fed, is also a key part of maintaining body condition. Nutritional needs will change based on a myriad of considerations, including the time of calving season, forage quality and weather. 

By focusing on each stage of gestation in cattle with nutrition, you can enhance calf development, optimize reproduction and strengthen the future of your operation.

Does your cattle nutrition program stack up? Find out with a Purina^® Proof Pays^® feeding trial.