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<blockquote data-quote="msscamp" data-source="post: 284862" data-attributes="member: 539"><p>There is a world of difference between weaning young if the mother is being pulled down (although I don't understand why she would be pulled down if the management was there - provided it wasn't a drought year, she wasn't bred too young, and didn't have health problems - which may or may not come back to management), and weaning young as a matter of practice because of the 'convenience' factor. We don't do shows anymore, but we used to and we've broken too many calves to lead and show while still on their mothers for me to believe it's that difficult. Seperate the calf and work with him/her for an hour or so every day, what is so difficult about that? Start when they are a week or so old and it gets even easier because they are easier to handle. Sure, you need to cut down the time when they are very young, but it's still possible and easier. 'Looking' good, and 'being' good are two different things - particularly as the calves mature. There is a sound, proven reason that beef calves are usually not weaned until they are 6 months old, that reason is growth, nutrition, health, and the ability to perform later in life. The younger a calf is weaned, the less developed his/her immune system is, and the greater toll the stress takes in the form of illness. Yes, an adequate diet will offset some of that, but no diet can replace what nature intended. If you doubt that, look at bottle calves - no matter how well they do, it will never be as good as it would have been if that calf had been raised on its mother. A lot of the posts I read on this showboard simply reinforces my refusal to buy show heifers. True, there are a number of people out there who raise their show heifers according to the generally accepted practices of raising cattle, but they sure seem to be in the minority and it's impossible to tell them from the rest - unless one knows their management practices.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="msscamp, post: 284862, member: 539"] There is a world of difference between weaning young if the mother is being pulled down (although I don't understand why she would be pulled down if the management was there - provided it wasn't a drought year, she wasn't bred too young, and didn't have health problems - which may or may not come back to management), and weaning young as a matter of practice because of the 'convenience' factor. We don't do shows anymore, but we used to and we've broken too many calves to lead and show while still on their mothers for me to believe it's that difficult. Seperate the calf and work with him/her for an hour or so every day, what is so difficult about that? Start when they are a week or so old and it gets even easier because they are easier to handle. Sure, you need to cut down the time when they are very young, but it's still possible and easier. 'Looking' good, and 'being' good are two different things - particularly as the calves mature. There is a sound, proven reason that beef calves are usually not weaned until they are 6 months old, that reason is growth, nutrition, health, and the ability to perform later in life. The younger a calf is weaned, the less developed his/her immune system is, and the greater toll the stress takes in the form of illness. Yes, an adequate diet will offset some of that, but no diet can replace what nature intended. If you doubt that, look at bottle calves - no matter how well they do, it will never be as good as it would have been if that calf had been raised on its mother. A lot of the posts I read on this showboard simply reinforces my refusal to buy show heifers. True, there are a number of people out there who raise their show heifers according to the generally accepted practices of raising cattle, but they sure seem to be in the minority and it's impossible to tell them from the rest - unless one knows their management practices. [/QUOTE]
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