Weaning a single calf

[j&lfarms]

I've got a calf I'm ready to wean. I want to wean him in the barn and keep him around for a month until the rest are ready to take to the sale barn. If I put him in the barn with feed, water, and hay, how long will it take for him to be weaned? Also how long before the heifer he is out of dries up?

 

[Bigfoot]

Are you talking about-------turning him back out with the same herd his mother is in? I have turned steers back out after 3 weeks. I have never seen the reasononing of selling a calf that still had frame to grow.

 

[gonzo]

I've had steers away from mom for a month or more and go back after the teet, and some after a couple weeks want nothing to do with mom. All depends on the calf I guess. :cowboy:

 

[j&lfarms]

Yeah I will be turning him back out with the rest. I'm ready to wean him now but the rest I want to wait for about a month.

 

[Rahe Family Belties]

I believe I would leave him on the cow until the others are weaned.

 

[snake67]

Some never wean - seen lots be separated from mom for up to a year and go back sucking - sometimes on anything available.

You play the game you take the chance.

Dry up is hard to say - depends on how long she has been sucked on - longer she was being sucked the shorter the dry up - unless you go medical - in which case you or your veterinarian can bring it right down to a few days.

Personally I would keep it away from the others until I killed it or sold it - however, the choice in the end is yours.

Best to all

Bez

 

[j&lfarms]

Typically I would leave him on for atleast 5 months, but this cow is a young heifer and I am wanting to get the calf off of her so she can start to mend a little before winter. I was contemplating selling her too, but I think I will keep her and see what she does.

 

[backhoeboogie]

Check the almanac for best times.

I would not put it back with the herd. It may work. It may not. He may go to nursing any wet cow that will tolerate him.

 

[j&lfarms]

Check the almanac for best times.

I would not put it back with the herd. It may work. It may not. He may go to nursing any wet cow that will tolerate him.

Luckily for me I'm just starting out so all of the rest are heifers who won't calve until December or January. So he won't have anyone else to nurse. I'm selling him in November if everything works out right.

 

[denvermartinfarms]

If your gonna sell him sometime in November, at this point I would leave him on the cow until you sell. I know you want to get him of that heifer but another month or so isn't going to make or break her, and selling that calf unweaned isn't going to cost you that much, by November it will be cooled off enough that the unweaned calves will be selling again.

 

[Rafter S]

Just to put in my ¢2 worth, although it's a bit off-topic, I wean calves off first-time two-year old heifers at 60 - 90 days old. They will often come in heat within a week, so that puts them calving along with my older cows, and it gives them a chance to finish growing without the calf pulling them down. You give up a few dollars on the calf's price, but I believe you more than make up for it because the heifer will have her next calf sooner and be in better shape.

 

[j&lfarms]

I think the last month I left him on broke her. I'm not sure if she will pull out of it or not. Hopefully so but the way she is looking it's got me worried. She doesnt look really bad just skinny and a lot smaller than the rest. There was a picture of her on a previous post .

 

[M.Magis]

How about one of those nose contraptions? I bought one for a similar situation, but never have used it.

 

[j&lfarms]

I have heard some bad reports on the nose flaps. I'm not sure about them. Dun had a name for them the other day I think.

 

[dun]

I have heard some bad reports on the nose flaps. I'm not sure about them. Dun had a name for them the other day I think.

They're called a "Blab"

 

[skeeter swatter]

Check the almanac for best times.

I would not put it back with the herd. It may work. It may not. He may go to nursing any wet cow that will tolerate him.

Luckily for me I'm just starting out so all of the rest are heifers who won't calve until December or January. So he won't have anyone else to nurse. I'm selling him in November if everything works out right.

Just because they haven't calved yet doesn't mean he wont suck them, especially dumb heifers. If you're gonna sell in a month or so I'd just keep him apart until then.

 

[Double R Ranch]

We've used crown weaning rings with great success and not a problem. We've had cows weaned from there calves for two months start lactating again for there calves. Turn the calves out thinking all would be fine as moms were dry and calves were living on there own well. Check a while later and moms are full bagged and the cycle starts over. No longer have that problem. If we have to put them back sooner than we'd like we put weaning rings in. Problem solved. Otherwise they stay separated for 5-6 months usually.
We've even purchased show cattle that have been of breeding age, turn them out with the herd and find them nursing. Weaning rind in for a few months, moms kick the cow, weaning complete.