Weaning first calf

[RICHARDL]

How long is the weaning period for. ? I'm weanin my first set of calves. And i'm not sure how long i need to keep them seperated? everything is fine so far not much balling from them and they all seem to be happy eating grass. but its only been less than a week.
:cowboy:

 

[dun]

About 2 months or 8 weeks whichever works best for you

 

[RICHARDL]

thanks, I didn't think it would of ever taken that long. seems like i read somewhere 7-14 days. but i could recall where i found that so that's why i was asking . :cowboy:

 

[dun]

thanks, I didn't think it would of ever taken that long. seems like i read somewhere 7-14 days. but i could recall where i found that so that's why i was asking . :cowboy:

It only takes about a week as long as they will not be back with their mother. If they go back with their mother it takes 2 months

 

[RICHARDL]

THANKS, yes he'll go back with his mother or the butcher depending on how much rain we get from now to than. :cowboy:

 

[TheBullLady]

When we wean we generally keep the heifers away from their mommas until they are bred. 7 - 14 days isn't long enough in my opinion. I can't imagine you could put them back and not have them start sucking again.

 

[Suzie Q]

We take ours out and don't put them back in unless they are old enough to go to a bull.

There is a ring that you can put on their nose that has spikes. With that Mum won't let them drink. I have never used one, but our neighbours do. Then you don't have to take the calves away from their Mum.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

That's correct - 7 to 14 days to get them "over weaning", but not to be put back with their dam.
We keep them seperated until the heifers have been bred (or breeding age as BullLady said). Even at that, they will pair up with their dam & be buddy-buddy - but so far, never had one go back to sucking. Dam has her new calf by the time they are put back together.
Depends on the cow (maybe breeds of cows??). I know Dun has no problem putting them back in 2 months. I KNOW my calves would go back sucking. No doubt about it!
But, I have a neighbor with 1 hereford cow, and she WEANED her calf without pulling them apart (and she wasn't even bred back). I've never tried that, never would even think to try that, so I can't say if my cows would or wouldn't. But, I have kept them together up to 9 months of age (not normal), and went thru just as hard a weaning as at 6 months of age.

 

[RICHARDL]

He's 8 months and haven't had much of a problem at all. he balled a bit the first afternoon, than that was it. What i did was basiclly take the Dam away from him and left him with the rest of the herd, I was able to get her and 2 more in one field and the calf stayed with the rest of them He's going about his business right now. No problems and they are right now a fence line away. I hear say the lose a bit of wean right at weaning time. than gain back? in few months? :cowboy: