Weaning calves: What recommendations do you have?
- Thread starter Whitewing
- Start date
Doug Thorson
Well-known member
I let them run 200+ days with the cows. Around here that can get right up against winter. I got caught with cows that didn't have a chance to flesh up last year between weaning and winter, but if a cow can't run her calf for over 1/2 the year I don't think I could stand to own her.
One thing I do is I put them in a small pasture and feed them ground hay with a little grain in it for 3 days before I wean. I lock them up for 3 days on long hay and then I turn them out into a big lot with bunks in it. Almost every time I have 100% of the calves eating within 15 minutes of opening the gate.
One thing I do is I put them in a small pasture and feed them ground hay with a little grain in it for 3 days before I wean. I lock them up for 3 days on long hay and then I turn them out into a big lot with bunks in it. Almost every time I have 100% of the calves eating within 15 minutes of opening the gate.
I like to wean at about 4 to 6 months depending on the pasture I have available. I feel it is more efficient to feed the calf directly than to process the feed thru a cow after the calves have a mature digestive system.
I will feed cows and calves a small amount of grain daily for about a week to get the calves educated then I put a creep gate up and put more of the grain on the calves side each day for about another week.
After the calves go right to their side I close the creep gate and they now have fence line contact with the calves on fresh pasture until the cows lose interest and move off after about another week.
I realise this is a 3 to 4 week process but I sell pre conditioned calves that know how to live, eat and grow at a primum price and this is one way I keep the buyers coming back. It also takes only about 30 minutes a day and I normally spend that much time with them anyway.
I will feed cows and calves a small amount of grain daily for about a week to get the calves educated then I put a creep gate up and put more of the grain on the calves side each day for about another week.
After the calves go right to their side I close the creep gate and they now have fence line contact with the calves on fresh pasture until the cows lose interest and move off after about another week.
I realise this is a 3 to 4 week process but I sell pre conditioned calves that know how to live, eat and grow at a primum price and this is one way I keep the buyers coming back. It also takes only about 30 minutes a day and I normally spend that much time with them anyway.
per
Well-known member
I wean according to feed resource location. If the feed at the Ranch is good the calves stay on longer and if the feed at the Farm is better they come home. About 50 miles apart so there are no cows bawling. The wean is over in about 3 days as the calves move out onto pasture and forget about their moms.
Justin
Well-known member
like Doug, our calves will spend about 200 days with mom. then try to wean when it looks like a good chance of dry weather for a week or so.
most years i will feed the cows a little hay every other day the week prior to weaning. i feel this has helped the calves go to to feed faster.
then wean the calves where mom come can be across the fence if she desires. after about 2-3 days move the cows out. after about 2 days the cows are the ones doing most of the crying.
most years i will feed the cows a little hay every other day the week prior to weaning. i feel this has helped the calves go to to feed faster.
then wean the calves where mom come can be across the fence if she desires. after about 2-3 days move the cows out. after about 2 days the cows are the ones doing most of the crying.
Here's what my guys are doing, and to be honest with you, I've not ever asked them exactly why they do it the way they do it.
The youngest calves are penned for the day and fed fresh-cut green pasture and some commercial or ranch-made mix. They're also released twice daily (early morning and end of day) to milk with their moms for about 15 to 20 minutes in a corral next to where they're penned.
After some period of time, and I'm not sure how the determination is made, they're released to spend the entire day/night with the cow.
A weaning date of about 6 months seems to be the preferred timeframe.
The youngest calves are penned for the day and fed fresh-cut green pasture and some commercial or ranch-made mix. They're also released twice daily (early morning and end of day) to milk with their moms for about 15 to 20 minutes in a corral next to where they're penned.
After some period of time, and I'm not sure how the determination is made, they're released to spend the entire day/night with the cow.
A weaning date of about 6 months seems to be the preferred timeframe.
Justin
Well-known member
Whitewing said:
thats not really weaning them is it?
Justin said:
No, and I didn't mean to imply that that was our weaning method. Sorry about that.
. At weaning time they're simply moved to another corral with others of similar age and feed there or placed in separate pastures.
I Luv Herfrds
Well-known member
A month before we wean I take out a round bale of hay to the pairs. I do this once a week for 2 weeks then the next 2 weeks I take them a bale twice a week. The cows teach the calves to eat the hay.
We bring them in 3-4 days before the shipping day and fill the feed bunks and round bale feeders.
The morning that we ship, we seperate the calves from the cows and put the calves in a pen with a feed bunk that is filled with hay.
Cows are worked and kicked out to a different pasture.
The sell calves are shipped and the ones we are keeping are kept in the pen for around a month. They are then kicked out to a small pasture away from the cows.
Since we started doing this we have noticed the calves start eating hay and feed quicker. They don't seem to lose as much weight as they did when we would just pull them off the cow.
We bring them in 3-4 days before the shipping day and fill the feed bunks and round bale feeders.
The morning that we ship, we seperate the calves from the cows and put the calves in a pen with a feed bunk that is filled with hay.
Cows are worked and kicked out to a different pasture.
The sell calves are shipped and the ones we are keeping are kept in the pen for around a month. They are then kicked out to a small pasture away from the cows.
Since we started doing this we have noticed the calves start eating hay and feed quicker. They don't seem to lose as much weight as they did when we would just pull them off the cow.
Northern Rancher
Well-known member
Most years ours bale graze out with their mothers on snow-if we get some early snow melt we'll wean into a paddock with a running draw so they have some live water to drink on.If spring gets late we'll move over to the fields where thay have to come to corrals to drink then I'll just peel calves off as they come up-i can sex and sort as I go along.They really don't bother too much by then.