Electric fence and calves

[pits4life]

Yesterday, I ran a 2 strand electric fence with step in posts and put 2 calves (1 was already weaned and I was trying to wean the other one) in a small lot...Every time they would run through it or jump it,the moma cow and some heifers and one bull was on the other side of lot,but anyway I cannot keep them seperated.. I was trying to wean the calf due to the fact I am trying to breed back and dont want the calf sucking her.The calf is 8 months old.My fence charger is a parham solar pac 6 charger and is lighting up all 5 lights on a checker .Will a calf wean itself or what? any suggestions would be appreciated.I am dealing with a small lot at this time but hopefully around Febuary that will all change....Also what is you alls experience or out take on this fence charger or situation THANKS...

 

[dun]

The key is to have the calves conditioned/trained to electric before you try to use it for serious seperation. After a little calf has been zapped a cople of times either by accident or through it's curiosity they will learn to avoid it. Our calves are in hotwire from the day they are born, After a copule of weeks they don;t go vey close to the wire again and by weaning (single strand at about 28 inches) they know to stay claer. We've only ever had one calf that went though the hot wire to reach it's mother at weaning, she only did it once and didn;t try it again.

 

[pits4life]

Thanks Dun,what do you think of a calf 8 months old weaning itself and also the fence charger(parham solar pac 6 volt)? I sur dont want the bull to get a hold on a calf,I know they say a calf wont come in till about 12 months but I know of some coming in alot earlier than that but I personally dont want mine breed until 16-18 months..All info would be appreciated ,thanks again....

 

[dun]

Thanks Dun,what do you think of a calf 8 months old weaning itself and also the fence charger(parham solar pac 6 volt)? I sur dont want the bull to get a hold on a calf,I know they say a calf wont come in till about 12 months but I know of some coming in alot earlier than that but I personally dont want mine breed until 16-18 months..All info would be appreciated ,thanks again....

Granted I've only been doing cattle for around 50 years but I've never seen a calf wean it's self. Rather then going by the lights, get a good digital fence tester. We giver any heifer that's been around the bull past about 4-5 months a shot of lute when we wean. We have one little slut weaned heifer that's 7 mnths old that's been coming in every 18 days for 3 heat cycles.
The solar chargers as long as the batterys are good will do a good job, they just don;t seem to hanlde shorts as well as the 120 volt jobs do. Just my experience

 

[ga.prime]

Probaly be worth it to the bull to jump your fence when the heifers come in heat.

 

[Anonymous]

Yep, get a fence tester and maybe run a multi strand hot wire with a good ground wire run. If you have a outlet, get the plug in charger. I've never had much luck with the battery based fence chargers

 

[AllForage]

Calves don't wean themselves, the cow kicks them off. A lot of cows will do this, but some have not and it gave us a bottle calf last year. We try to wean onto early spring pasture, but now we will wean in seperate yards now around 8-9 months. You can try premiers new cattle netting. Might feel a little more foreboding to the calf. Also try putting strips of tin foil on fence. All that calf needs is a good zap on a wet nose.