ksmit454
Well-known member
I have 2 calves that have been separated for 48 days from the mama cows since weaning. Is this long enough to let them back together? Thanks!
How long to keep calves separate when weaning?
- Thread starter ksmit454
- Start date
Help Support CattleToday:
coachg
Well-known member
It should be . Cows should be dry by now but I've never liked putting them back in unless it was bred heifers back with their mommas at calving . I've seen them go back to nursing even with momma dry .
chevytaHOE5674
Well-known member
Maybe?
I've had heifers try to nurse from their mothers after more than a year of separation.
I've had heifers try to nurse from their mothers after more than a year of separation.
coachg
Well-known member
True
farmerjan
Well-known member
Maybe... as has been stated above. Some will go back on cows even though the cows are technically dry. Start milk flow again...
We do not put weaned calves back with the cows. The bred heifers will get mixed in with cows AFTER they have their calves and are bonded to them. Steers never get put back with their momma's. Have put some steers in with other cows out to pasture as yearlings... but have had some even try then.
For us, the answer is pretty much never... Separate the pastures with electric and let them have their own pasture.
We do not put weaned calves back with the cows. The bred heifers will get mixed in with cows AFTER they have their calves and are bonded to them. Steers never get put back with their momma's. Have put some steers in with other cows out to pasture as yearlings... but have had some even try then.
For us, the answer is pretty much never... Separate the pastures with electric and let them have their own pasture.
coachg
Well-known member
we/
What I should have said ! I was thinking maybe you only had one pasture ?
OP
OP
ksmit454
Well-known member
Ok thank you. I have several pastures I was just trying to make my life simpler lol!! Will keep them separated until the steers get butchered. 
Mrcopier
Well-known member
Nothing in this lifestyle is simpler 
wbvs58
Well-known member
No.
Ken
Ken
Yup, good call on keeping them separate. The heifers I retain are kept in a separate pasture until they're close to calving, then moved to the barn. They don't rejoin the main herd until they have their first calf. If I have a steer I'm keeping to feed out, he stays with the bulls.
who cares
Well-known member
I use weaning rings on anything that nurses it shouldn't. I've even put them in 3 year old who were later culled - doesn't slow their grazing, but with spikes out it does have the cow kick them when they try to nurse and it stops the nursing
TexasJerseyMilker
Well-known member
What about weaned heifers raised on bottles?
who cares
Well-known member
I have used them on bottle heifers who try nursing each other after their bottle. It works well
TexasJerseyMilker
Well-known member
My dairy heifers are penned separate, bottled, then fed grain and hay before being turned out together. They also cannot cross suck through the fences of pens. I am wondering about when they are old enough to be turned out with each other with and other cows.
chaded
Well-known member
I don't retain any calves (going to the next batch) so I don't know. I do know my last bull was sucking several cows. Couldn't get rid of him fast enough..
farmerjan
Well-known member
If they aren't sucking each other now after bottles and grain etc... that's great. They probably will never try to suck a cow... they don't know what they are for...
Double R Ranch
Well-known member
I give at least 90 days separated. When I put them back together I watch close for any that attempt to nurse successfully. Usually mom says nope and lets them know. If that's the case I don't worry about it and just check over the next few weeks to be sure no one started trying successfully but by then I have rarely had any that do. If they do they either get separated again for longer, get a crown weaning ring for a year or are sold. Usually depend on pastures I have available. I've had more go back to nursing at 60 days and under so we started 90 days and have had little issues since.
We use nose flaps for 4 days, then we fence line wean them for another 30 days.
We turn them back with all the cows and heifers but they don't cause any problem trying to nurse.
At that point they've already been on creep feed since they're old enough to get in the feeder.
We turn them back with all the cows and heifers but they don't cause any problem trying to nurse.
At that point they've already been on creep feed since they're old enough to get in the feeder.
Double R Ranch
Well-known member
I love those flaps. Worth every penny. We use them here as much as possible but have had some try and go back to nursing over the years with shorter weaning times so we wean longer now just to be sure.
I can offer no help at all on this topic, since all of my calves are weaned at 6 mos when I load them on the trailer to go to cow sale, and I never see them again! 
