3 Weights

[Goodlife]

Right up front this is a beginner question.

I was at the sale barn yesterday and saw a lot of 275-400# calves gong through. My question is regarding weaning. These calves seem too young to be weaned yet to old to be bottle fed. What care does a 300# calf need? Can they go straight on pasture?

btw, they were going for $1 to $1.25 per pound in Jackson, MO. A few good 4-5 weights we getting into $1.30+ per pound if they were weaned and had shots.

 

[B&M Farms]

A 3 weight calf was weaned too early but sometimes circumstances such as drought and a cows condition will cause a rancher to wean early. 3 weight calves can be put on pasture and feed coming straight off a cow but it will take a little time for their rumen to adjust completely. Thet should have already been eating hay or grass. Usually a 3 weight will bring more than 4 and 5 weights per pound. Here 3 weights topped out at 1.71 while 4 and 5s topped at 1.51.

 

[Goodlife]

I found a good article on the Cattle Today website regarding care needs of early weaned calves. There are a couple of tables that seem unreadable but still good stuff for anyone interested.

http://www.cattletoday.com/archive/2011/May/CT2482.php

One item referred to in the article was implanting or feeding of "ionophores". Anyone experience with this think it is good or those that don't think it is necessary? It is made out to be optional but claims improved gains of 8-12% when they are used.

Another point of interest to me was the supplement of hay even if you have good pasture due to the high water content of live grasses. More dry content is needed for better digestion.

 

[snickers]

i wanted to go to that sale yesterday goodlife but didnt get it done. when we were buying a few calves we bought 3 to 4 wts and they did fine and actually we still have them and they are really nice cow's who raise darn good calves. we don't give our calves ralgrow implants but my dad use to when i was growing up. he said that put 100 lbs on them at weaning. the only thing about the implants is if your gonna keep heifers they shouldnt have them. if you have good pasture calves or cow's wont eat hay. thats what we have found anyway.

 

[Goodlife]

Seemed like a good sale to me snickers. I was frankly impressed with the quality and consistency of the calves running through. And they had more than they could handle in the pens. Unfortunately my wife and I walked back where they unload and the first thing we saw was an old farmer unloading some Jersey Cows so ill taken care of they could hardly walk. It was really sad. Then the old man came back with a hot shot to get them out of the trailer (since they stood there too weak to walk out). I thought my wife was going to go grab that thing and hotshot him! Fortunately one of the young men helping stepped in front of him and gently nudged the sickly cows out of the trailer. Gave us a bad first impression but we quickly realized that was an exception. Most everything else looked very nice. A couple of limpers. I was impressed that the guy running the show and setting the starting price flat out said "something wrong with this one. Not one to take home with boys" a couple of times.

 

[cross_7]

Right up front this is a beginner question.

I was at the sale barn yesterday and saw a lot of 275-400# calves gong through. My question is regarding weaning. These calves seem too young to be weaned yet to old to be bottle fed. What care does a 300# calf need? Can they go straight on pasture?

btw, they were going for $1 to $1.25 per pound in Jackson, MO. A few good 4-5 weights we getting into $1.30+ per pound if they were weaned and had shots.

many a year ago i was young(and dumb) and started buying light weight cattle.
i'll tell you a thing or two i learned the hard way.
assume they have never had anything done to them and vaccinate right away
have your antibiotics on hand cause your going to need it.
start them on a medicated feed.
getting them to eating is #1 - green grass or wheat(depending on the time of year) and offer good grass hay.
again get them to eating even if you have to push them to the feed bunk 4-5 times a day.
of if they are laid up in the shade get them up and grazing.
same with water - you would assume they know how to drink out of a trough, but thats not always the case.
an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure- chack them several times a day. stay out with them and watch them, listen to them breath, watch for snotty noses, droopy heads, droopy ears, pay real close attention.
this is just rules i use and it's hard to stick to. - don't buy bulls or bargains(both will cost you money)(don't like heifers either)
look for good framed cattle that are not fat, may be even thin.
look for ear tags - no guarantee but if they are castrated and ear tagged then there is a better chance they have good breeding, vaccinated and maybe(if your lucky) weaned.
survive 30 days then things get lots easier.
good luck.