Progressive farming enterprises are using a well-defined breeding season as a cost-effective tool for sustainable reproductive management of livestock in extensive production systems.
By Marble Nkadimeng and Linky Makgahlela, ARC-Animal Production
A breeding season (BS) could be defined as a management practice of breeding animals during a period of available good-quality pastures. It does not typically follow the universal norm because this period varies from one region to another, largely driven by the local weather patterns. However, the golden rule is to coincide BS with months of peak rainfall (i.e., mostly in summer) when conditions for fodder and water availability are most favourable for animals. In tropical regions, extensive beef cattle farming in commercial and smallholder sectors depends on favourable weather conditions for improved herd performance. A year-round breeding plan results in higher operational costs associated with animals being at the peak of production, e.g. pregnant, lactating or ready to rebreed during unfavourable conditions.
The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of a breeding season on reproductive performance in smallholder beef cattle farms. Reproductive performance records, including pregnancy rate (PR), days open (DO) and calving interval (CI) were collected on 3 694 cows from 40 herds. The DO and CI were classified into four classes, as follows: 1) acceptable for 121 and 365 days, 2) concern 182 and 425 days, 3) extended for 243 and 456 days and 4) overly extended for 304 and 604 days, respectively. Our results showed favourable likelihoods of 3.8, 2.6 and 2.7 for PR, CI and DO, respectively, indicating that cows bred during the periods of December-March, November-February and January-March were 2.6 to 3.8 times more likely to get pregnant, have shorter calving intervals and fewer days open versus those bred all year round at 0.4.
Furthermore, as illustrated in Figure 1, we present the consequence of continuous breeding season on reproductive performance. Farm management practices without any defined BS resulted in 62% non-pregnant cows. Consequently, DO and CI in these herds were alarmingly in the 4th class, with most cows having overly extended DO ≥304 days (46%) and calving interval ≥608 days (68%). Thus, a defined BS is not just about bringing bulls and cows together, it’s a game-changer that can make or break the cattle farm enterprise.
How To Plan A Practical Region-specific Breeding Season
Note that different BS may exist for different farms and/or regions. Therefore, it is critical for farmers to establish a specific window for breeding to align calving and fodder availability. Understanding the local climate is crucial in planning a breeding season. Farmers must ask the following questions: 1) when does the wet/rainy season start? and 2) when does the dry season start? Generally, it is recommended to commence the BS following the month with the highest rainfall, commonly referred to as the “green date”. In South Africa, the wet/rainy season typically runs between October and March. However, because of changing climate this may differ slightly from one region to another. Figure 2 illustrates a breeding calendar with essential periods for introducing bulls for mating (rainy season) and the desired calving season (summer season). It is critical for farmers to also be versatile in respect of the changing environment and adjust to their area-specific green date. As a principle, farmers should limit the BS within a window period of 60 to 90 days, to avoid delayed rebreeding, longer calving intervals and uneven calf production.
Benefits Of A Breeding Season
A defined breeding season is a way of optimising resources in simplifying herd management, feeding and healthcare. Managing breeding for predictable calving improves newborn care by reducing calf losses as a result of harsh weather or inadequate attention. Synchronised breeding simplifies record-keeping and overall farm decision-making because tracking and monitoring of farm events such as oestrus cycles, pregnancy diagnosis and calving become much easier, as they occur around the same time. It also improves lifetime productivity by shortening calving intervals. Aligning calving with peak forage availability minimises the need for supplemental feeding, lowering expensive supplementary feeding costs.
Furthermore, it gives farmers the opportunity to buy feed in bulk during off-peak seasons when prices are lower, which can yield significant savings. Breeding season promotes the implementation of herd-wide health management by creating a structured timeline for critical health interventions. This enables bulk treatments, which will lower the costs for veterinary services and medications. Moreover, planning routine farm interventions such as deworming and vaccinations during the same period will increase efficiency and reduce labour costs. Breeding season is not just about timing but also about transforming cattle farming into a sustainable business by providing structure, optimisation and predictability of herd performance.
