Calves averege about 4 months old,i gave them their first round of vaccinations 3 weeks ago,i'm giving them the 2nd round today.I was going to give them another round in 3 more weeks and wean them.BUT it has gotten really dry here and i'm probably gonna be feeding some hay in the next 2 or 3 days if we don't get some rain.So i'm thinking about going ahead and weaning them today.thoughts?
question about weaning
- Thread starter shanel
- Start date
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Central Fl Cracker
Well-known member
I weaned early last year and it was big mistake in regards to money. I am holding out this year for calves to be in the 700 lb range since the feedlots want bigger calves this year.
bigbull338
Well-known member
hold off an wean them at 6 to 8 months old if you can.an if you can afford it give them access to creep feed.
Engler
Well-known member
If you have a good place to wean them & If you have the labor to manage them right early weaning is a really good thing.
1)A cow and a calf seperate will eat about 15% less for the same gain as the pair together if I remember things right from nut. in school. This is because you're cutting out a processing step-feed to milk to calf gain vs. feed to calf gain.
2)I think U of IL did a study 15+/- years ago that said the early wean calves ended up going 5% more choice and had a better WDA than the normal management calves.
3)The cows should breed back easier & hold condition better because they have one less thing to put their nutrition to.
The hang ups on this program are many however.
1)The calves will look like hammered dog poo for a while, but if on a good feed program will look better at 8 months.
2)The little calves are going to have more health problems with early wean vs conventinal. If you're burning up with no grass I'd guess that there is a lot of dust and that's not going to help you any.
We generally wean March/April calves Labor Day at 5-6 months so if it was me I'd wait a couple weeks, let the calves get good protection from the vacine and pull them.
1)A cow and a calf seperate will eat about 15% less for the same gain as the pair together if I remember things right from nut. in school. This is because you're cutting out a processing step-feed to milk to calf gain vs. feed to calf gain.
2)I think U of IL did a study 15+/- years ago that said the early wean calves ended up going 5% more choice and had a better WDA than the normal management calves.
3)The cows should breed back easier & hold condition better because they have one less thing to put their nutrition to.
The hang ups on this program are many however.
1)The calves will look like hammered dog poo for a while, but if on a good feed program will look better at 8 months.
2)The little calves are going to have more health problems with early wean vs conventinal. If you're burning up with no grass I'd guess that there is a lot of dust and that's not going to help you any.
We generally wean March/April calves Labor Day at 5-6 months so if it was me I'd wait a couple weeks, let the calves get good protection from the vacine and pull them.
we normally wean at about 6 months of age...but this springs calf crop which came in march were weaned this last week. calves were not eating creep prior to weaning, had not had vaccinations yet- other than nasalgen which was given when they were a month old. started them out on a good bale of hay, and nutrena Transition medicated feed with a sprinkle of shelled corn. after two days they were all eating very good, after three days had stopped bawling for momma. they were weaned in a barnlot pen with no grass and had access to the barn for shade, cows were on the other side of the lot fence on pasture. turned the calves out on a grass lot last evening during feeding- this morning when i fed- they all circled me and followed me to the feedbunks. they are currently getting 4 lbs of Transition pelllets, 1-1/2 lbs shell corn, free choice hay and grass. additionally, after they were all eating good i gave them 1/4 lb/hd/day of amprolium pellets for 5 days.
weaning this young is not a practice i would recommend if you can keep from it. but if you must, make sure that weather conditions are favorable, you have good facilites, and calves are in good condition prior to weaning.
ROB
weaning this young is not a practice i would recommend if you can keep from it. but if you must, make sure that weather conditions are favorable, you have good facilites, and calves are in good condition prior to weaning.
ROB
charangusman08
Well-known member
I would have to say they are too young, don't wean them!!shanel":2uuyh6r6 said:
shanel":2jn5a06y said:
I wouldn't. 1) 4 months is too young, unless absolutely necessary. 2) By vaccinating and weaning on the same day, you're pretty much guaranteeing that the vacc's won't take due to the stress of weaning. 3) As long as you have hay available, it's cheaper to feed the mothers hay and let them continue to raise their calves than it is to feed the calves the necessary grain for them to continue to develop. 4) Generally speaking - the younger a calf is, the harder it is to get them transitioned over to grain after weaning. 5) There is a price to pay by weaning early - you could be giving up quite a lot of development by pulling these calves this early. I understand the price of hay, and I understand drought conditions, but I would wait until they were at least 5 months old before I even thought about weaning them. Just my thoughts.
novatech
Well-known member
Does anyone have any idea on the economic difference between supplementing the cow to keep it in shape until the calf is ready to wean compared to creep feeding the calves?
You may even want to see what that calf will bring, $, if weaned early vs. feeding. Put a pencil to it.
You may even want to see what that calf will bring, $, if weaned early vs. feeding. Put a pencil to it.
grannysoo
Well-known member
I have weaned early in the past. Won't do it again.
As to creep feeding the calves, I don't do that either. A little supplemental feed to mom has done me more good. Just my opinion...
As to creep feeding the calves, I don't do that either. A little supplemental feed to mom has done me more good. Just my opinion...
novatech
Well-known member
Just a thought.
Sometimes these rough weather conditions that we we are having in different parts of the country may be forcing us to cull out those cows that do not raise a good calf during sparse forage conditions. It also forces us to stock properly being ready for those conditions that will definitely come again.
Reduction in the number of producing cows before bad times would give one reserve forage. Weaned calves could be held back to make use of extra forage or could be sold when the extra forage was not available.
In this case it is hind sight. The mark of a good manager is forsight.
Wonder if we could buy crop insurance on our pasture grass?
Sometimes these rough weather conditions that we we are having in different parts of the country may be forcing us to cull out those cows that do not raise a good calf during sparse forage conditions. It also forces us to stock properly being ready for those conditions that will definitely come again.
Reduction in the number of producing cows before bad times would give one reserve forage. Weaned calves could be held back to make use of extra forage or could be sold when the extra forage was not available.
In this case it is hind sight. The mark of a good manager is forsight.
Wonder if we could buy crop insurance on our pasture grass?
1982vett
Well-known member
novatech":ccoaxufl said:
Don't know if it would ever pay off.
http://www.rma.usda.gov/policies/pastur ... RI-PRF.pdf
novatech
Well-known member
I was just kidding about that pasture insurance. I learn something new every day. Now I'm not about to read 56 pages on this as I have plenty of grass. Very, very dry grass, but they are doing well on it.
Thanks for the info.
Thanks for the info.
randiliana
Well-known member
As much as everyone says wait til they are 6-7 months old, weaning the calves can make a big difference on your cow herd. Not only in the amount of feed needed, but in BCS and conception rates. Here are a couple of good articles on the topic.
http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/disaster/drought ... alves.html
http://beef.unl.edu/stories/200311130.shtml
http://gpvec.unl.edu/HeatDrought/EarlyW ... Calves.htm
http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/disaster/drought ... alves.html
http://beef.unl.edu/stories/200311130.shtml
http://gpvec.unl.edu/HeatDrought/EarlyW ... Calves.htm
Bez+
Well-known member
shanel":3rgxpyko said:
Might be better in the long run to sell whatever amount of pairs you have to in order to be able to keep the rest on grass or use that money to buy feed.
You got grass problems you need to think about recovery of that grass and the holding capacity of that same grass as it recovers - meaning you got to feed out / buy even more feed.
More feed to be fed out / bought means less money in your jeans. Might even mean debt - which is more easily found than profit.
Toss the pairs required and save your pennies. Keep the others on grass and wean heavier.
If you need to sell them all - then do it - you will come out farther ahead in the long run.
Be a grass farmer and the cows will come along later. Can always buy cows - sometimes it is impossible to find affordable feed.
At least an option
Bez+
