Sidestepping Mother Nature seems to be a growing trend as farmers debate whether to begin calving in the fall or wait until the spring, as it is usually done.

Dennis Maxwell, overseer of the McNay Research and Demonstration Farm, said farmers have been calving in the fall for more than 30 years. He said the practice has become more mainstream as farmers begin “looking for new ways to diversify their options.”

Maxwell said fall calving is “really catching on” because it offers many advantages.

He said fall calving allows producers to “diversify their options, look for marketing alternatives and better utilize their forage.”

“The beef industry today requires a year-round supply,” Maxwell said. “Fall calving is a way to meet that demand as an alternative beef production.”

He also said it “provides diversification and increases a farmer’s market alternatives.”

“The cows seem to be pretty flexible,” he said. “They are adaptable.”

Calving in the fall provides a “complementary herd” and allows for calving in good weather. It can also save on feeding costs.

In some cases, however, fall calving can add to feeding costs.

Maxwell said the farmer is forced to either “wean the calf sooner or feed the mother more to keep her lactating” if bad weather comes early.

Weather is a large concern when dealing with fall calving. The colder temperatures and shorter days can decrease conception rates. During that time, fewer plants grow, leaving less natural forage for the cattle.

“You’re going a little bit against Mother Nature,” Maxwell said.

These disadvantages have kept some farmers from following the trend.

“It was usually an accident if we had calves in the fall,” said Betty Voss, a retired farmer. “They have a hard time with the cold and it’s difficult to raise the calves in the winter.”

Voss said the main reason she didn’t calve in the fall was the risk of sickness.

“It is easy for a calf to get pneumonia, and they don’t normally recover from it,” she said.

The McNay farm currently has 300 cows who will calve in spring and 100 to 125 cows who calve in the fall. They are being used as part of breeding research.