Ali Luciani, Campus Carrier asst. arts and living editor

Berry College’s pastures are a little livelier this season as a new group of beef calves have been born. With calves scatter, across the pastures and more expected before the season ends, the herd’s newest members are already becoming a familiar sight for students, faculty and visitors driving through campus. 

The unit manager of the beef cattle, Lynn Greeson, said that calving season is far from being finished.

“So far, we’ve got 85 calves,” Greeson said. “We should have about 130 when we finish.”

Calving typically wraps up by late January or early February after a long 285 day gestation period. However, Greeson said that this schedule may be adjusted in the future as the program continues to expand its beef enterprise.

Some of this year’s calves also bring something new to the herd: Wagyu genetics. Wagyu beef is known for its tenderness and rich flavor and is highly valued in the beef market. 

“I’ll have some Wagyu calves on the ground,” Greeson said. “There’s about seven of them, some half-blood Wagyu. They should really put some added value to our beef brand.”

Unlike the dairy calves, the beef calves are born and raised directly in the pasture. Jay Daniel, a professor who teaches the Beef Systems and Management course, said that this is the standard practice. 

 “The cows raise them, so the calves stay with their mothers,” Daniel said. 

This pasture-based system allows the calves to begin their lives in a low-stress environment while learning normal herd behaviors from the moment they are born.

Nutrition during early life comes primarily from the cow. Colostrum, the first milk produced by the heifer after birth, is essential within the first 24 hours because it provides nutrition, antibodies, immunoglobins and innate immune system development. Calves are born without immunity and can only absorb colostrum during the first 24 hours of life. 

“The cow provides their food — colostrum first, then milk,” Daniel said. “By the time they’re three months old, they’ll be grazing a fair bit and getting nutrition that way.”

As calves grow, they are gradually introduced to creep feeders, a system designed where only the calves have access. Senior Case Lake, who has been working with the beef cattle since his freshman year, explained how this feeding method works.

“Creep feeders are restricted access only to the calves,” Lake said. “It kind of gets them used to eating out of a trough, goes ahead and helps them put on some weight and get used to grain.”

Weaning typically occurs around seven months of age, once the calves have developed and the heifer is preparing for her next pregnancy. 

“Most of the time we go by age; they wean at about seven months old,” Greeson said.“At that stage, the mother is usually back pregnant again, so it’s important not to go much past that.”

Health monitoring and identification begin almost immediately after birth to ensure every calf gets the best possible start to their life.

“Within the first 24 hours, they’ll catch the calf, put an ear tag in it, identify it and give any treatment it needs,” Daniel said.

In addition to the standard ear tag, Greeson said each calf also receives an electronic  identification tag.

“That way, if the ear tag comes out, most likely they won’t lose both at the same time,” Greeson said.

Much of the daily responsibility for watching the calves belongs to the  student workers.

“You’re always watching them,” Lake said. “It kind of starts with making sure they’re born healthy and from there, it’s generally keeping an eye on them, making sure they’re running around healthy.”

Work with the calves and the rest of the herd usually varies from day to day.

“Most days aren’t typical or the same,” Lake said. “The one constant you’d probably have is feeding.”

According to Lake, cattle are fed grain twice a day with hay added several times a week, especially during the colder months when the grass is not growing as quickly. Other tasks range from fixing fences to cleaning equipment, all of which support the  calves’ environment.

Calving season requires extra attention, particularly for first-time heifers. 

“That stress of being born, especially on the first calves, cows are having their first time,” Greeson said. “A lot of times, they will have the calf and walk away. That’s why you have to pay a lot of attention to them.”

Workers check the cows multiple times each day and provide assistance if labor does not progress normally and if the heifer is experiencing difficulies during birth, such as dystocia. As the calves mature, after weaning they are raised on grass and grain until they reach market size.

“They should weigh about 1,200 pounds,” Daniel said. “Which typically occurs between 14 and 16 months of age.”

Beyond their role in beef production, the calves are central to student learning. Multiple animal science classes have labatories working hands-on with the cattle to help students understand the material better and work with the cows daily.

When asked about his student crew on the barn, Greeson said they are responsible for about everything.

“We have certain chores that are like everyday feeding chores and checking cows,” Greeson said. “I really get them involved. I got a really good crew.”

For Lake, the experience has helped shape his future career path.

“It’s definitely pushed me more towards large animal veterinary medicine,” Lake said. “I’ve actually really grown to love the ranching, veterinary medicine side of things.”

As the calving season continues, the pastures remain active with new life and steady routines. The calves may be small, but they play a big role in the college’s agricultural program and the students learning alongside them.