Do I have to wean my heifer calves?

I was planning on weaning the bull calf, but thought maybe I could just leave the heifers with their Mom's who have been bred this year again?

Thanks - Jill

If it is not hurting the cow then leave them on as long as possible. There is no feed that can replace a good cows milk.

Yes wean her. A cow can look good but that does not tell you the whole story. Calves left on to long can cause a cow to have a calcium defiency, and in turn cause the developeing calf to have a calcium defiency. Wean the heifer and give the cow a rest. I am assumeing you are weaning at around 6-7 months.

Yup wean them 6 or 7 months is right. It takes more feed to produce milk to put weight on the calf. Than to put the feed directly into the calf. and a 6-7 months the calf will do it on their own easily.

mnmtranching":qcvq6nl0 said:

Yup wean them 6 or 7 months is right. It takes more feed to produce milk to put weight on the calf. Than to put the feed directly into the calf. and a 6-7 months the calf will do it on their own easily.

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Dont most cows wean their own calves by that time?

Some cows will kick them off when they are big enough but most won't . You should wean them at about 7 months

Brute 23":2ollv5yr said:

mnmtranching":2ollv5yr said:

Yup wean them 6 or 7 months is right. It takes more feed to produce milk to put weight on the calf. Than to put the feed directly into the calf. and a 6-7 months the calf will do it on their own easily.

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Dont most cows wean their own calves by that time?

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cows will seldom kick the calves off before 10 months.

If the cows are in good condition, with good grazing, as long as they have at least two months rest before calving again, suckling the calves a little longer won't do any harm.

Most calves get weaned at around 7 months, that way the cows can be fed lower quality hay for about two months before entering the last trimester of the pregnancy.

If I had the grazing, I'd certainly let the calves suckle a little longer than 7 months, its just not worthwhile feeding cows in order to let the calves suckle longer.

I believe its one of those things where if a cow can't maintain with a calf milking for 7 or 8 months with good grass, mineral, and such then that high maintenance #$@%& needs to become a hamburger.

BUT then again... I know some people on here would put their cattle in a bubble if they could. :lol:

I have purposely watched the smaller herds and our cows won't let them suck much past 7 months.

Brute 23":hfs2wagb said:

mnmtranching":hfs2wagb said:

Yup wean them 6 or 7 months is right. It takes more feed to produce milk to put weight on the calf. Than to put the feed directly into the calf. and a 6-7 months the calf will do it on their own easily.

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Dont most cows wean their own calves by that time?

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Depends, I wouldn't say most cows. Seems to me that older cows just get tired of it. Cracked teats, 600 pound calves butting. They start kicking and walking and dry up. Young cows and first calf heifers seem to have the hardest time weaning calves.

Hmmmm... my Brahman cows are the only ones I've ever had that will kick a calf off themselves. The Simmentals would let every generation keep nursing if I didn't separate them.

TheBullLady":2dkbncxc said:

Hmmmm... my Brahman cows are the only ones I've ever had that will kick a calf off themselves. The Simmentals would let every generation keep nursing if I didn't separate them.

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Interesting... I run Brangus and Brahman crosses and myne will kick them away also.

For the folks that actually want to make money there is a lot of data showing early weaning ( 5 months ) may be profitable.

But a lot of that was likely gathered before corn/feed skyrocketed.

It is also a drought management tactic.

ALX

AngusLimoX":2fjqha3x said:

For the folks that actually want to make money there is a lot of data showing early weaning ( 5 months ) may be profitable.

But a lot of that was likely gathered before corn/feed skyrocketed.

It is also a drought management tactic.

ALX

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1) Very debatable

2) Exactly.. ;-)

3) Most all have agreed to wean early in hard times.

The longer the calve stays on the less milk she will produce in the future. And if you do not wean her calve befor the next one is born she will not go back into colostrum.

Scotty":2j4k3boc said:

The longer the calve stays on the less milk she will produce in the future. And if you do not wean her calve befor the next one is born she will not go back into colostrum.

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i respect your opion.but your wrong about 1 thing.weve slipped up a few times in the dairy an had cows calve without being dry.an they produced chostrum for their newborn.an it never did hurt their production.an weve had beef cows calve the same way.except they weaned the old calf.an again it did not hurt their milk production or ability to breed back.

Brute 23":poyqjm6j said:

AngusLimoX":poyqjm6j said:

For the folks that actually want to make money there is a lot of data showing early weaning ( 5 months ) may be profitable.

But a lot of that was likely gathered before corn/feed skyrocketed.

It is also a drought management tactic.

ALX

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1) Very debatable

2) Exactly.. ;-)

3) Most all have agreed to wean early in hard times.

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Are you looking for some attention from me?

ALX

Re:

The longer the calve stays on the less milk she will produce in the future.

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I disagree.

And if you do not wean her calve before the next one is born she will not go back into colostrum.

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I also disagree with that statement.
It is my understanding that it is the birth, not being dry, that triggers the production of the colostrum.
Anyone got any thing scientific on this.
URL please.
And that's my

SL

FYI:

Several factors affect either the quantity or quality of colostrum. The yield of colostrum varies with breed but perhaps more significantly with age, heifers giving much less colostrum than cows. Poor nutrition during winter months causes a marked drop in colostral quantity and often in the early spring a large number of suckler cows give insufficient colostrum to protect their calves from disease. Colostral quality in terms of immunoglobulin concentration is unaffected by yield but varies considerably between individual cows.

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Source: http://www.springerlink.com/content/51u6v63v44446356/

Colostrum is produced by the udder immediately after parturition. The composition of colostrum is considerably different from the composition of normal milk.

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Source: http://classes.ansci.uiuc.edu/ansc438/L ... ctors.html

Sir Loin":5hjcpoo8 said:

And if you do not wean her calve before the next one is born she will not go back into colostrum.

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I also disagree with that statement.
It is my understanding that it is the birth, not being dry, that triggers the production of the colostrum.
Anyone got any thing scientific on this.
URL please.
And that's my

SL

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I guess you proved that to yourself and didn't just take someones word for it.

AngusLimoX":2ww2mny4 said:

Brute 23":2ww2mny4 said:

AngusLimoX":2ww2mny4 said:

For the folks that actually want to make money there is a lot of data showing early weaning ( 5 months ) may be profitable.

But a lot of that was likely gathered before corn/feed skyrocketed.

It is also a drought management tactic.

ALX

Click to expand...

1) Very debatable

2) Exactly.. ;-)

3) Most all have agreed to wean early in hard times.

Click to expand...

Are you looking for some attention from me?

ALX

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Just giving my theory on your theory.