Let’s be honest—breeding season asks a lot from our cows. Within 90 days after calving, we expect them to nourish a growing calf, recover from giving birth, and cycle back into estrus so they’re ready to breed again. That’s a tall order, especially when you consider how much their performance impacts the success of our entire operation.
A yearly calving interval isn’t just a goal—it’s a financial necessity. If a cow isn’t giving you a calf every year, she’s not paying her way. And with rising input costs, feed bills, and tight margins, every open cow hurts a little more. Keeping cows on schedule helps maintain a steady bottom line.
But here’s the catch: cows can’t meet these demands on empty fuel tanks. To stay on track, they need proper nutrition at the right time. That means we’ve got to pay close attention to three things:
- Forage Quality – Is the grass packing the protein and energy she needs?
- Forage Quantity – Can she consume enough to meet her daily requirements?
- Her Stage of Production – Is she lactating, regaining body condition, or getting ready to breed?
Meeting her nutritional needs isn’t just about tossing out some cubes. It’s about understanding what she needs and ensuring your pastures—and your plan—can support her through this high-demand period.
Because when cows get what they need, they’ll give you what you want: a healthy calf on the ground, year after year. And that’s the kind of return we’re all after.
What’s Your Forage Base?
Forages form the very foundation of any successful nutrition program. Not only are they more economical than buying feed, but the cow’s rumen needs a certain amount of roughage in the cow’s diet to function correctly. Regarding your forage base, there are two things to consider: Can the cow eat all it wants in a day? And what is the quality of the forage that she is consuming?
The quantity and quality of forages can vary depending on factors such as drought. However, we are prepared for such situations. During drought or drought conditions, we can see reductions in both the quality and quantity of forages. How you handle this type of situation can be crucial. Suppose you want more information about forage management during a drought. In that case, we have resources available, such as those by the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, a renowned institution in the field of agriculture, to guide you.
Another factor that can affect how much forage she will need is the amount of milk she produces. The more significant the amount of milk produced, the more high-quality forage she will need to consume. You want to select traits where she will make just enough milk for the calf but not too much; otherwise, she will require a lot of feed.
When your breeding season is over, it will play a role in the quality of the forages available. For most native-type pastures, forage quality tends to peak sometime in June. After that, it will start to decline from July to November. Knowing the quality of your forage and the Body Condition Score (BCS) of your cows, which is a numerical assessment of their body fat, will be a big part of learning how to proceed. Having your forages tested regularly will tell you the overall quality of your forages.
How Much Grass Is Out There?
In many cases, the amount of forage available is as significant as the quality. There are four methods that you can use to estimate your pasture’s yield:
- Cut and weigh: This is the most accurate method. Use a 0.25 sq meter frame and trim all the forage that falls in that frame to ground level. You should take at least ten different measurements across your pasture to get the most accurate amount. If we assume the grass is 20% dry matter, multiply the wet grams of forage by 0.2 to get the amount of dry matter. Then, multiply the average dry matter weight by 35.69 to convert it to pounds per acre. The actual conversion rate can differ depending on ground cover and forage type.
- Use a grazing stick: This is the most commonly used method for estimating yield. Walk the pasture and take about 30 different height measurements to get a reasonable estimate. Take the average of all your heights, then multiply it by 250 pounds per acre per inch. Again, the conversion rate will depend on forage type and coverage.
- Falling plate method: This method uses a grazing stick or yardstick to measure the height of forages under a heavy plate. The compression from the plate leads to a more accurate height estimation because you will not be relying on visual estimation of the forage level. As with the other, you should repeat this process multiple times in each pasture to obtain an average measurement. Using a height in inches multiplied by 432 lbs/acre/inch to get a forage estimate in lbs/acre.
- The rising plate method: Unlike the falling plate method, this uses a rising plate meter to take measurements. Walk the pasture and take about 30 measurements. Take the average forage height and multiply it by 126 pounds per acre per inch to convert it to pounds per acre.
Her nutritional needs at breeding and beyond
Not all cows have the exact needs—and a big part of that comes down to where they’re at in their production cycle. A young cow that’s still growing is going to need more nutrients than a mature one. And
once she hits mid to late gestation, her energy needs jump by about 25%, and her protein requirements bump up by 10%.
However, the real nutritional challenge begins after calving. That’s when she’s producing milk, trying to regain body condition, and gearing up to breed again—all at once. If there’s ever a time she’s going to lose weight, this is it.
Why? Because forages alone usually don’t cut it this time of year. Even decent pastures may fall short on energy or protein, which means you’ll likely need to provide some supplement to meet her demands. What type? That depends on what the forage is lacking—so forage testing goes a long way here.
If your cows are still falling behind, consider early weaning as a solution. This tactic is especially helpful for younger cows (2- to 3-year-olds) who are already struggling to keep up. Once a calf is weaned:
- The cow’s nutrient demands drop dramatically.
- Forage intake decreases by about 5 lbs per head per day.
- She has a better chance to bounce back in time for rebreeding.
In short, adjusting your plan based on the cow’s stage of production can help you avoid condition loss and set her up for success in the next cycle. It’s all about giving her what she needs—when she needs it most.
The Rumen Still Needs Roughage
When dealing with drought conditions, you may need to replace forage. As I mentioned earlier, the cow’s rumen requires a specific amount of roughage in its diet to stimulate microbial activity. Without them, the cow won’t be able to digest the starches in the feed effectively.
When selecting feed alternatives, consider your specific needs and budget. In a previous post, “How to replace hay in a drought year,” I went over some options. With fuel prices the way they are, it is a good idea to source your supplements locally.
One thing that some people need to avoid is beginning supplementation too late. It would be best to start supplementing at the first signs of forage inadequacy. If you wait too long, you will have to “catch up,” which can be more expensive in the long run.
Remember that not all proteins are created equal if you need to provide a supplement. Although a protein source may be high in crude protein, this does not necessarily mean that the cow can effectively metabolize it. A protein source high in rumen undegradable protein may be needed to increase the supply of metabolizable protein.
Minerals Matter: Don’t Let Deficiencies Sneak In
When we talk about nutrition during the breeding season, most folks think about protein and energy—but minerals often get overlooked. And the truth is, a mineral deficiency can quietly derail your entire breeding program.
Reproduction is one of the first things to suffer when key minerals are lacking. For example:
- Phosphorus supports energy metabolism and fertility.
- Copper and zinc are essential for hormone function and embryo development.
- Selenium plays a significant role in uterine health and immune function.
If any of those are off—even just slightly—it can lead to delayed heats, poor conception rates, or weak calves.
The tricky part? You usually won’t notice a deficiency until it affects your herd’s performance. That’s why prevention is key.
Here’s how to stay ahead of it:
- Offer a high-quality, region-specific mineral year-round—not just during the breeding season.
- Work with your veterinarian or nutritionist to ensure the mineral you’re using matches your forage test results.
- If you’re in a known deficiency area (like low selenium), consider injectables or boluses as part of your herd health plan.
- Keep mineral feeders clean, dry, and placed where cows actually use them.
Cows can’t breed back if their nutritional foundation isn’t solid—and minerals are a big part of that foundation. Think of it as cheap insurance for your next calf crop.
