After weaning

[Dave]

Our one and dome cows get shipped in mid August. Calves are in the corral for 4 or 5 days to get the bawl out of them. Then out to graze on regrowth in irrigated hay fields for as long as the grass holds out. About 75 to 90 days depending on the year. All they get is salt, minerals, and the grass. They ring the bell at the sale every year.

 

[elkwc]

We make the decision on when too sell and whether to wean or sell off the cow based on pasture availability for them. As to days of weaning. It used to be the barns here wanted 30 days, then 45, then 60 and now some say 90. Have talked to barb owners, feedlot buyers and managers and my vets. The vets say after 30 days any effects of weaning are over and it is post weaning management and conditions that play into it. Have been told by some that increasing the days weaned is one way of increasing the age on the calves. We have had mixed results weaning them, we have made money doing it then like last fall the feeder price dropped enough we didn't make anything weaning for 45 days. We sold some 850 wt 100 day weaned steers this week. If we had kept them on the wheat another 2-3 weeks they would of made more. But we needed to pull bulls and a place for them. We have too consider what works best for our whole operation. We have several bulls we used as yearlings last year we want too run on wheat for 45-60 days. Again we make all decisions on calves and whether to wean or not based on current conditions. If we wean we usually wean for at least 21 days after that it depends on feed availability.

 

[kenny thomas]

I don't have the grass, I do have a ton of 14% pellets and plenty of hay for awhile though

I would feed the ton of feed and sell them. If your family is involved at the sale have them ask the buyers

 

[bird dog]

What I have discovered. At 30 days wean, they haven't had enough time to start gaining good but it will help some with the shrinkage. They will weigh about what they did fresh off the cow. At 45 days calves on good spring/summer pasture will gain a average of 1 1/4 lbs per day. Add some good 14% feed a couple times a week seems to be well worth it to me. They will do a little better on oats or wheat. Shrink goes down another percentage point or two. Some calves at 45 days will gain up to 3 lbs per day while others gain a 1/2 lb. At 60 days your daily gain will go up some more and your shrinkage will go down some more. This is where the level out for me and I only keep them past this if I have abundant forage.

One interesting thing I have noticed is some calves off poor doing cows or off thin heifers will start doing very well after just a couple weeks. Its like that once they are on their own they are forced to work and actually perform better than they were sucking down a thin animal.

 

[clovlanfarms]

How long after weaning should I sell? I've recently been told 30 days and no longer. Calves have 2 rounds shots wormed and bunk broke, this Sunday will make 30 days.

i ween my on the way to the sale barn. no lost of gain for 30 then have to make it up paying 300 ton nono. sell the suckers .

 

[bird dog]

no lost of gain for 30

Your right of course. You lose it all in three hours and the buyer pays you for a high risk calf.

 

[Brute 23]

It depends on your area, where you are selling and the market at that given time. Clearly some areas pay for weaned calves... some dont... and some times there is such a demand that the margin for weaned or cut is very minimal.