Search for weaning calfs !

[Stepper]

Man alive ! :lol: I done a search about 2 hours ago on just how young can you wean a calf and i'll be danged if i did not come across that Caustic thread that had been locked ! :lol:

After reading that whole thing i am not ever going to do a search again ! :lol:

 

[Beef11]

I say 2 months on the weaning.

 

[bigbull338]

Man alive ! :lol: I done a search about 2 hours ago on just how young can you wean a calf and i'll be danged if i did not come across that Caustic thread that had been locked ! :lol:

After reading that whole thing i am not ever going to do a search again ! :lol:

im assuming your talking bout weaning a calf off the cow.i wouldnt wean off the cow younger than 4 months.

 

[Stepper]

bigbull338,

Yeah that is what i was looking for. I thought that 205 days was the ideal time to wean and i have some just reaching that age. But i had some that were about a month younger that i would like to go ahead and take to the sale to.

I was not for sure what would be the youngest age i could get by weaning them at.

 

[ALX.]

I was not for sure what would be the youngest age i could get by weaning them at.

Ya gotta look at what is the age you make the most money at,if you sell too light in this market around here you are gonna get hurt.

Where is your grain/feed prices, what feed you got on hand?

 

[bigbull338]

bigbull338,

Yeah that is what i was looking for. I thought that 205 days was the ideal time to wean and i have some just reaching that age. But i had some that were about a month younger that i would like to go ahead and take to the sale to.

I was not for sure what would be the youngest age i could get by weaning them at.

id pre con the calves 30 days.if i weaned them at 4 months old.

 

[ga. prime]

I wean from 5-7 months depending on several factors. Never had a prob.

 

[Outrigger2]

we weaned about 200 calves this week. oldest was 205 days youngest 137 days, but his ratio was better than some of the older calves. it was a little earlier weaning than last year.

 

[BC]

There is nothing magical about 205 days except that it is used to standardize weaning weights to a set date. Younger calves will typically ratio higher than older calves. Beef Improvement Federation uses the adjusted 205 day weights to compare calf crops born 160 to 240 days in age.

I probably leave calves on longer than most folks because I figure that cow doesn't have anything better to do with her time than raise a big calf. Dry years do change that, but this year with plenty of grass the calves will be 8 or 9 months old at weaning.

 

[bigbull338]

There is nothing magical about 205 days except that it is used to standardize weaning weights to a set date. Younger calves will typically ratio higher than older calves. Beef Improvement Federation uses the adjusted 205 day weights to compare calf crops born 160 to 240 days in age.

I probably leave calves on longer than most folks because I figure that cow doesn't have anything better to do with her time than raise a big calf. Dry years do change that, but this year with plenty of grass the calves will be 8 or 9 months old at weaning.

another man that thinks like i do.let the cow raise the calves.all the calves i sale are 9 months old.sold some lighter an younger last year due to the drought.

 

[Outrigger2]

we are in a drought and that was the biggest factor to wean a little early

 

[Rod]

I wean first calf heifers earlier than cows, and If a cow is being pulled down i'll wean her calf earlier than others. If the cow and pastures are holding up I keep them on until 450-500lbs.

 

[mnmtranching]

Stepper the 205 day weaning is a benchmark. Mostly for grazing herds, born in April weaned in Nov. Normal conditions is to use the grass, that by Nov is getting lower quality. Good to get the calves off the cows when the feed is getting short and poorer quality.

In dryer conditions calves should be weaned earlier, ideal conditions it's OK to leave the calves on another month or so.

Its cheaper if grass is in short supply to put the feed directly into the calf, rather than put it through the cow to produce milk.

I don't think calves should be weaned under about 450 pounds, to much stress on them, and their digestive systems aren't ready for a all roughage diet, and it takes some time to get them on grain.

I think calves that are over say about 550 pounds adjust well to feeding good hay and grain.

 

[mnmtranching]

bigbull338,

Yeah that is what i was looking for. I thought that 205 days was the ideal time to wean and i have some just reaching that age. But i had some that were about a month younger that i would like to go ahead and take to the sale to.

I was not for sure what would be the youngest age i could get by weaning them at.

Stepper, another big sale a Motley on Wed. 2500-3000 feeders,
The Semis will be lined up. Good prices for those 4-600 pound new crop calves.