Beef calves are usually born in the spring. Calving is timed to coincide with mild weather and the emerging spring grass so that the mother cow will have nutritious grass to eat, which helps produce an abundance of milk for her offspring.
Calving is predominately done outside. Producers prefer to have their cow herd calve within a 30–45-day window. This allows the farmer and rancher to keep a close eye on their cows that are about to give birth to ensure a safe delivery. A short calving period also means the calves will reach market weight at approximately the same time and weight, allowing the farmer and rancher to sell a uniform group of calves.
