Weaning calves early?

[fnfarms1]

I've calved all my cows but 1. I've got 5-6 cows that I should have parted with years ago, but open cows and payments kept them around. I'm to a point I need to part ways with 5-8 anyway due to lack of rain here in far NE Oklahoma. Afraid we are in for another drought.
Question being the youngest calf on the 5-8 I'm thinking to sell was born 3-8-23. So in June at 3 months old can you feasibly wean those, feed them and send cows to town? What about now at 2months? I know it's not really cost effective but I hate to wait and cull those cows in fall and have same issue, but selling calves now feel like I did all the work and jumping out to early. Figure to sell cows, feed calves until fall. Buy some bred heifers or something in fall

 

[SDgrampa]

that's a good plan. Sure creep feed may seem high priced,but a calf that age doesn't eat much. You can add a little shelled corn to lower feed cost and increase gain plus the cows that are left have more grass. I think it's a win win

 

[Brute 23]

Good plan.

Do you have much experience feeding calves like that?

 

[TCRanch]

You can wean them now. But even though you would prefer not to sell them, calf prices are way up. You may want to reconsider sending them as pairs and the sale barn will split them up.

 

[MurraysMutts]

Cow and calf prices are definitely good. Be a great time to sell.

If you enjoy feeding the critters and watching them grow, why not?
That's exactly what someone else is gonna do with em and they make money at it.

 

[GoWyo]

How do you make money on bottle calves? My attempt to restart a heifer milking with a my spare calf 6 days after she lost her calf failed. I am on my third 25# sack of milk replacer at $50/bag and going to try and get the calf going on starter before this bag runs out. Bottle feeding for a month and the fun has ended.

 

[MurraysMutts]

How do you make money on bottle calves? My attempt to restart a heifer milking with a my spare calf 6 days after she lost her calf failed. I am on my third 25# sack of milk replacer at $50/bag and going to try and get the calf going on starter before this bag runs out. Bottle feeding for a month and the fun has ended.

Get it eating feed!
A "calf starter" feed labeled as such. Should be 16 to 18% protein.
I generally cut mine back to one bottle a day.
I feed in morning and bottle in evening. Easiest for me.

As far as making money......
Sometimes things are not always as they APPEAR.
If it's a single birth breedable heifer, there is lots and lots of folks who want that type heifer because they are so easy to work with. I've had real good luck with craigslist.
I think I have a pic of the last group. Let me look...

These should already have calves by now. I need to ask the fella if they have calved.

 

[fnfarms1]

Good plan.

Do you have much experience feeding calves like that?

Yes and no. I've weaned a lot of calves but not typically that light weight. I'm kind of taking the gamble we see $3/lb 5 -6 weights in fall.
My plan is to buy couple hundred pounds of calf starter and gradually move them to my commodity mix, just for helping starting them. Yet that starter is $20/50lb. My commodity is $30/100lbs, and actually getting lower

 

[fnfarms1]

Keep in mind this is only 5-8 out of the herd. Not sure I could afford to feed them all until Novish. I did LRP on most of them.

 

[kenny thomas]

Yes and no. I've weaned a lot of calves but not typically that light weight. I'm kind of taking the gamble we see $3/lb 5 -6 weights in fall.
My plan is to buy couple hundred pounds of calf starter and gradually move them to my commodity mix, just for helping starting them. Yet that starter is $20/50lb. My commodity is $30/100lbs, and actually getting lower

If you can make money with the feed at that cost i wish you well. Im struggling to wean a few on a 14% $15/100 mix.

 

[Brute 23]

If you can make money with the feed at that cost i wish you well. Im struggling to wean a few on a 14% $15/100 mix.

That's is the key here.

People love to say don't sell early... some one else will just make money off your animals that you could make.

That's great in theory... IF you know how to feed out calves. If you dont... then what.

If you want to learn how to feed out calves... great... try it out. If not... cut them loose and save the headache. Not every one is set up to feed calves.

A lot things get half butt done and money lost by those who think they can do what every one else can do. Personally, I would focus on getting your cow calf operation to a point you don't have to learn how to feed out calves early. That would be a better use of time and resources, imo.

 

[clovlanfarms]

If you can make money with the feed at that cost i wish you well. Im struggling to wean a few on a 14% $15/100 mix.

14% is ur problem. needs to be 16 to 18 % cheeper is never the best in raising cattle. you must feed good and top feed

 

[Dave]

Buying one and done cows I always end up with a late calf or 2. Last year hay was real high so I started buying cows later. Thus I had more late calves. Cows get shipped in mid August so a May calf is only 3 months old. Had a dozen of them last year. Kept them and fed them. I am certain that I lost money doing that. A dozen calves eating 2 pounds of feed a day makes right close to 50 pounds every 2 days. They didn't grow enough to pay for that feed. From now on the little late ones get shipped right along with the big ones.

 

[Lucky]

14% is ur problem. needs to be 16 to 18 % cheeper is never the best in raising cattle. you must feed good and top feed

Are you giving the calves hay or do they have plenty of ruffage to go with 16-18% feed? We feed the yearlings and cows the same feed so tried 18% and it scoured the yearlings and had them eating the bark off a tree. Because of this we feed everything 14% feed. The yearlings get very little if any hay and are on winter grass when we feed them.

 

[Dsth]

Dairy calves are usually weaned at around 6 weeks of age, so weaning at 3 months would be no big deal. dairy calves are generally introduced to feed at 1 week and are eating good by the six weeks. If you have a way to start creep feeding, that would be the best way to wean early if they are eating feed. Make sure they also have good quality grass/alfalfa hay after weaning. the calf starter can be mixed with cracked corn or oats to lower your feed cost ones they are eating good. can't say feeding or selling is the best way to go since both have advantages and disadvantages.