Difference in reaction after weaning

[herofan]

Is there anything that makes a difference in the cow/calf reaction after weaning, or will it just vary for unknown reasons? We wean by moving them apart. There have been times when the calves were literally trying to climb the barn walls and bawling their heads off, and there were times when they acted like nothing had happened, and then there's the in between reaction.

The same with cows. The last time we weaned, we turned the cows in another pasture, and I don't recall hearing a peep out of them. This time, they are standing around bawling their heads off, and this is the third day.

The reactions don't always match during the same weaning either. Sometimes the cows may be going crazy, but the calves are calm, and vise versa.

Some believe in weaning by the signs. Does that make a difference?

 

[talltimber]

I wean by the sign, the main group of calves. I just weaned a late calf only, by turning her in with my yearlings. Bawl four days regardless here. The cow, with this lone calf, didn't hang around and bawl but a day or so. She went off with the other cows. So in her case I think there was some misery loves company missing.

 

[M.Magis]

Only thing I know for sure is that letting them have nose-nose contact sure seems to help. I put the calves behind 4 strands of electric. It seems to be much easier on everyone.

 

[Brute 23]

We wean year round. Different places are some-what synced at different times of the year. From just looking and listening the calves that come from total different places and are weaned cold turkey do not make near the commotion of the ones from that place and their moms are across the fence.

One thing I can guarantee helps is if you have calves that are already weaned and you bring in new calves. The new calves acclimate a lot faster if you mix them.

If I bring in calves to wean and there are no others there it is several weeks before I am comfortable turning them out on grass. If there are other calves there already that have settled in and I mix them... the new calves can go out in a week or less usually. Monkey see... monkey do.

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

We wean year round. Different places are some-what synced at different times of the year. From just looking and listening the calves that come from total different places and are weaned cold turkey do not make near the commotion of the ones from that place and their moms are across the fence.

One thing I can guarantee helps is if you have calves that are already weaned and you bring in new calves. The new calves acclimate a lot faster if you mix them.

If I bring in calves to wean and there are no others there it is several weeks before I am comfortable turning them out on grass. If there are other calves there already that have settled in and I mix them... the new calves can go out in a week or less usually. Monkey see... monkey do.

That makes sense. I've noticed similar results.

 

[TCRanch]

We wean by the Farmers Almanac best days and I have no clue if it makes a difference. As a general rule we move the weanlings to a pasture across the road from their mamas where they can still see/hear them and (knock wood) so far we've never had a calf or mama try to bust through the fence and they usually stop bawling within a couple days. When we wean stragglers or fall calves we generally put them with the retained/bred heifers, similar to Brute 23, and it does seem to help. We don't creep feed the calves but cube year 'round so they're already eating them (the majority are even hand-feeders) and that also seems to make a difference - not a huge change in diet. We're actually weaning tomorrow, hopefully status quo.