Wean at 3 months?

[colleen]

We have a first time heifer. She had a huge bull calf. The calf is 3 months old dec. 2. Cow is drawn down. Is 3 months too young. He's big and healthy. Vet was out today and said wean! But we usually wait till 6 months. We are in southeast texas. Thanks!

 

[SBMF 2015]

If you can wait til four months it would be better. Although some research says there is something to be said for weaning at 75days. The calves are still carrying immunity from their mother at that time.
Good Luck.

 

[Nesikep]

Gonna need lots of extra feed
If the cow is drawn down from that she'd be getting shipped out here, has your feed been exceptionally poor?

 

[Rafter S]

Hello Colleen,

I'd take the calf to the auction barn at the first opportunity. I've been pulling calves off of first-time heifers for years at no more than 90 days old.

Also, you didn't ask, but why do you usually wean at 6 months? A mature cow should be able to nurse a calf for at least 8 (and mine do).

 

[MurraysMutts]

Easier to feed the cow a bit more.
Well, sometimes.. depends on the situation.
What's the calf weigh? I'm not pulling any calves less than 6 months again. If mama cant handle it, shes got to go!

 

[colleen]

Yes. I think we are going to wean the calf. The vet advised it but I was just wanting another opinion. Calf is big! Born big! LOL Mom is losing weight so we are just going to bring her up a few times a week and give extra feed and cubes. Baby has hay, pasture and we are feeding calf starter freely.
thsnks for all the advice!

 

[jerry27150]

i would sell calf or wean. when cow looks better i would sell her too

 

[holm25]

Save a trip and haul them both to the sale barn next chance you get.

 

[bird dog]

How old was the heifer when she calved? Any idea of the heifers weight? I darn sure wouldn't sell the heifer. She has had a big calf and did her best to take care of it. It could be a lot worse. She has one under her belt and things will only get better... well usually. Give her a year to get bigger and then decide after her next one.

 

[Hereford2]

In my experience if a heifer gets her body condition drug down with her first calf, she never does well with raising calves without getting supplemented . Heifer's that stay in good condition raising their first calf generally go on to raise many calves without getting into bad shape. I personally don't keep a heifer or cow around that can't raise a calf while on grass and minerals.

 

[Brute 23]

I'm on the gulf coast and there are a lot of areas in real bad shape around here.

 

[backhoeboogie]

I agree with selling them both. tell that vet good bye too.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

3 months is not too young, if you feed him properly. What is your plans for him? Why not just sell him now? or after he gets adjusted to weaning. If you sell right off the cow, the buyer has to worry about his health, not you.
Why did she get so run down? Is your feed source that bad - or is she that bad? How is her condition compared to the rest of the herd? Any other first calf heifers in your herd?

 

[SBMF 2015]

I wean most of my calves around 5-7 mos.
When my cows start losing condition because the rain has stopped and the grass is short. I can feed the calves cheaper and better in the feedlot than I can hauling hay and creep to pasture.
We get some fall rain and my cows get some really cheap gains in grass if they are dry. My cows that will calve the end of Feb are BCS 7&8 going in to winter with no supplementation sense the calves were weaned. They got green chop corn silage the month of September. It helps them out and teaches the calves to eat silage.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

I agree, if your cows are losing too much BC, it is always cheaper to feed her calf than to feed her. Cows must get back into BCS of at least 5.5 during last gestation. It affects quality of colostrum, energy to calve, energy for the newborn to survive, and breed back.
I have a 60 day calving, so my calves are 6-8 months of age when I wean so my cows have some great fall grazing to flesh up for winter.
A few calves get weaned early at 3-4 months of age for show cattle. But, I do it slow. They spend the day in the barn without dam, and out at night with dam for a week of two - until they are eating grain well.

 

[lithuanian farmer]

3 months isn't too young. If a heifer managed to grow a big calf calf in that time, she has a great potential as a cow when older. She probably has overdone herself and put too much of herself into the calf, and it'll be much better to wean a calf and give her some rest before the next one. Some cows tend to become skinnier while raising a calf, most of the time the biggest form all, but as long as she breeds back in time, raises a healthy calf until weaning, stays healthy herself and gets back into shape before the next calf, there's no need to cull them that quickly.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

That brings us to the most important question. Is the heifer bred back? Has she been cycling? If not, she is not a candidate for a herd cow.
But, I think we are talking to ourselves. OP has not been one since Dec 7th. when she announced she was weaning the calf per vet.

 

[Brute 23]

That brings us to the most important question. Is the heifer bred back? Has she been cycling? If not, she is not a candidate for a herd cow.
But, I think we are talking to ourselves. OP has not been one since Dec 7th. when she announced she was weaning the calf per vet.

I do think people jumped to conclusions based on the very limited info given. The vet was there and saw the heifer and talked it thru in more detail.