Heifer Holding Pen

[groveman14]

I have to build a new pen for my heifers who need to be weaned. It will be on another peice of property from my regular operation which is about 3 miles away or more. I know I will need to feed, water, and keep them in a sturdy pen because they will want to find "mama" I won't ever have more than 8-10 at a time because my operation is small and I cull hard. I am trying to assure there is some shade also. How long do I need to keep them there to be sure that they won't try to break out form the normal pasture? Also, if anyone has any ideas of the size I need and the configuration, I'd sure appreciate your expertise of this and thanx in advance.

 

[backhoeboogie]

I bring my heifers from the farm to my house. I only have 16 acres here at the house. It is regular fence and they never try to break out. They holler for mom for a few days then settle in. There is no special pens to hold them. I just pasture them in a small pasture. I've never had problems.

 

[TLCfromARK]

Anytime we move cattle (not just heifers ) to a new place we like to pen them for a few days. Give them a little feed, let them get used to the different sounds / smells, let them see that its is not a bad place just a different place. We do walk the fence line making sure there's no wires down, trees across the fence etc. before we turn them out because they will check out the boundrys.

As for your question on pen size, it doesn't have to be very large for 8 - 10 head but if you're building "all new" pens try to build for what you'll need in the future not just what you need now. You might check out the web site below for ideas on size & designs.

http://www.cps.gov.on.ca/english/bc1000/beef.htm

As for as how long to keep them up, if they're staying in the same pasuture with their mothers after weaning we like to keep them up for 4 - 6 weeks. If they're going to a new pasture away from the main herd we keep them up for 2 - 3 weeks.

Good luck,
;-)

 

[mnmtranching]

When I wean my calves I also bring them home far away from their mamas. But I believe it is best to wean them so they can hear, smell, see each other, but have a tight fence . But for some of us that not possible.

I think having a smaller tight closed in area is best, a place where they simply CANNOT break out. Why? becouse if newly weaned calves get away from you, they will not stop looking for mama. Your going to work pretty hard to get them back. :shock: :shock: :cboy:

mnmt

 

[Wewild]

We put our's in the corral of our heifer pasture for 3 to 5 days and supply feed, hay and water. It happens to be acroos the road from their mothers in 1 place. We let them out in a 14 acre pasture after that untill their ready to breed. We put a low birth weight bull in and allow them to calve before moving them back into the main stream population. We have 2 such pastures.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Heifer lot comes off the pens, the lot has water good grass 7 strand barb wire and four hot wires. There moms are right on the other side. The cows hang around a couple of days and slowly start leaving for extended periods after about a week. I then move the cows to the back pasture and the heifers to the east pasture until mature. I have tried it eighteen different ways this seems the least stressful to me.

 

[backhoeboogie]

but have a tight fence .
mnmt

That goes without saying. Tight fences are the only way to go everywhere. Wild hogs will wreck fences tho. You have to stay on top of it.