As a dairy farm that only ever milks a maximum of 130 cows, calving spurts can be a challenge for our overall system. This year, we are calving 14 cows and heifers starting on Sept. 1 and ending on Sept. 9. For us, that is a huge hit on our calving facilities and our milking system. Do not get me wrong, I am not complaining about the added milk to the tank or the next generation coming along, but let’s be honest, adding cows and calves in such a short time span can produce some challenges. Everyone loves a baby calf until they try to feed them a bottle for the first time. It is one of those deals where the calf is either an automatic superstar or they test our patience. There is no in-between. The ones that take a bottle right away are your favorites, and you instantly dread having to feed the others because you know it is going to add time to your already crazy busy schedule. The new heifers coming into the parlor are either as gentle as kittens or kick like a mule. Again, no in-between; they either love you or hate you.
Our annual feeder steer crop is no different. We either have super sweet steers that go wherever you want, or they are just plain wild. We always raise a group of 2-year-olds (yes, I am aware that I am losing money keeping them that long, but that is not my decision), who we sell at one of the stockyards around the area. This year, we have over 40 of them heading out in the middle of the month. To say I will be glad to watch them leave will be an understatement. At 1,000 to 1,500 pounds, they are borderline dangerous. We are also running low on feed, so it is time we said goodbye to them.
We ran out of corn in June, and by the end of September, we will be chopping 2025 corn. We are always one of the last to harvest because it just works better for us. However, those are some long, sleepless days and nights. During harvest, the day can start as early as 3:30 a.m. and might not end until 11:30 p.m. Granted, since we switched from self-harvest to custom, we went from six weeks of long days to just three days, so life is a little easier.
September is always a crazy month with harvest, heifers, calves, and steers. Yet through it all, we keep going.
The author is a sixth-generation farmer and fifth-generation dairy producer in southwest Virginia, where she and her family own and operate a 145-head Holstein dairy. Courtney is involved in agriculture organizations throughout her community and is a graduate of Virginia Tech.