Fenceline weaning

[Braunviehboy]

I have 5 mo old heifer that I am trying to break for our county fair in sept. I've been somewhat of fenceline weaning by putting her up in the day and at night letting her go back to mom. Has anybody had luck with this or is there a better idea out there. I think I am going to wean her off the 25 after I get back from 4-H O-Rama.

 

[novatech]

I just pull them off and get it over with.

 

[pdfangus]

I did a bunch with fence line weaning this spring.

I had an area where I could easily string some electric polywire over a short distance and seperate the cows and the calves and have the calves near the working pen if needed.

I strung four strands of poly wire and used step in posts fairly close like 12 to 15 feet apart.

worked okay.

Was little different from another bunch where I took the calves to the barn lot where there is good fence and left the cows out.

Bawling time was about the same. the electric fence worked as none of the calves got out. but my cattle are exposed to electric fence all the time so they knew what it was.

Bringing a show calf to the barn for the day is a sound strategy that has been used for years. Works well and makes eventual weaning somewhat easier.

 

[Avalon]

We used to do all the show prospects somewhat like you are doing. From 3.5 months - 6 months we would halter break and keep them in the barn starting a show ration during the day. Then let them out at night with Mom. This made the transistion to weaning date much easier. However you need to tottaly wean wel before your first show ( amybe a month). If the calf is not completley weaned before that time you'll be asking for shock problems. Weaning is a shock to the sytem. If you add the shock of travel and a first show to that you are inviting problems from not eating to sickness. That first show is always stressful so make sure you completly wean well ahead of that day. Happy trails :cboy: