wean flap emergency

[boondocks]

Hi All,
We put quietwean nose flaps on 5 calves last Sun. The intent was to put them thru the chute tomorrow, remove the flaps and separate them from their mamas. We had a small weaning pasture all set up with polywire. Then we got 38" of snow this week (more in drifts). A bit of it has melted but when we went to check the fence today, the pasture is very deep in snow and a lot of the wire is buried. So, we are contemplating putting them thru the chute tomorrow, and removing and replacing the flaps and keeping them with mama one more week. The reason for putting them thru the chute would be: (1) two of the five got theirs off (including the one I'm most concerned about 'coz her mama is due May 3 so we're already pushing it); (2) I've heard you shouldn't leave them on over a week, so we would replace them on the 3 that kept theirs on.
My thought is to remove them, maybe put a tiny bit of (human) neosporin or similar ointment on the ends of the new, clean ones, then re-insert for a week.
If I'd have known we were gonna get this much snow I would have not started down this path right now.
Any major concerns with the above plan? Thanks!!

 

[Aaron]

Get them out and wean them as normal. Forget about reinserting the flaps. Their nose is going to be sore enough as it is. Your not giving the cow enough time to dry up and produce adequate colostrum for the next calf.

 

[angus9259]

Get them out and wean them as normal. Forget about reinserting the flaps. Their nose is going to be sore enough as it is. Your not giving the cow enough time to dry up and produce adequate colostrum for the next calf.

yup. If even one comes out again you're still gonna have bawling cattle.

 

[farmerjan]

Yeah, I would just get them out, let them bawl if they need to. They are what 7-9 months old? Plenty old enough to be off momma and the ones that lost the wean flaps, will bawl but will follow the others and learn to eat at the bunk or trough or whatever. You're pushing it with less than 6 weeks to the first calf.

 

[boondocks]

We had a nice sunny day so we were able to dig the fence out. I think maybe I didn't make clear enough that I know these calves are old enough to wean (one mama is due in May and the rest in June-July) and wasn't worried about bawling. The problem is that we had 3.5 feet of snow covering the fence. So we will see if it can keep them in or not! It's still very drifty in spots. Going down to check them again now. Thanks all!

 

[TCRanch]

Good luck! We had a freakish 88 degrees here.

 

[boondocks]

Good luck! We had a freakish 88 degrees here.

Wow, we hit 40 and thought it was a heat wave! :lol: Working in tshirts

 

[TCRanch]

Good luck! We had a freakish 88 degrees here.

Wow, we hit 40 and thought it was a heat wave! :lol: Working in tshirts

I caved & turned on the A/C because it was 83 in the house. On the 1st day of Spring?! Back to mid 60's tomorrow. Welcome to KS :roll:

 

[boondocks]

Good luck! We had a freakish 88 degrees here.

Wow, we hit 40 and thought it was a heat wave! :lol: Working in tshirts

I caved & turned on the A/C because it was 83 in the house. On the 1st day of Spring?! Back to mid 60's tomorrow. Welcome to KS :roll:

got a few feet of snow I can send ya to cool off! We are going back down to 7 by Wed night.