Lessons Learned from Grazing Dairies

#10 Seasonal breeding and calving is often used. Seasonal breeding and calving are not required to have a successful pasture-based dairy farm but cows bred to calve in one or possibly two compact seasons can simplify animal management. Use of two calving seasons allows more consistent year-round production of milk if that is of concern for cash flow or is a requirement for marketing milk. Potential advantages for using seasonal breeding and calving in a dairy management system include matching forage availability to nutrient needs resulting in lower feeding costs; having fewer different groups of animals at any one time; being able to concentrate on specific tasks within short periods; and to vary the farm workload across the year.