weaning period

[wrm]

How long should I wean calves? Has anyone tried the quiet wean or two step weaning systems?

 

[Running Arrow Bill]

We wean our calves at 205 days, give or take. Keep in separate pasture for bulls or heifers. Integrate back into adult herd when they are breeding age (about 14 months) and put with an appropriate bull. Note: a breeding age bull is never put in same pasture with an adult bull.

 

[wrm]

Tanks for the info. What is the shortest amount of time that I could put the calves back with adult herd and not have them start nursing again? Also has anyone ever tried pasture weaning with those quiet wean nose flaps?

 

[Running Arrow Bill]

Probably the "safest" period of time would be when the cows dried up and no longer producing milk.

Would probably think about a 2-3 month wait to be totally sure...probably not that long though. Enough time for calves to get used to being a "cow" or "bull" rather than still having the "calf" way of thinking.

 

[Alan]

I have a cow, that I'll cull this year, but she always has trouble keeping her weight on during the winter. So I put her in with the heifers this year, including her own calf, it has been about 3 to 3.5 months since I had weaned them, haven't seen a problem yet, although she hasn't started to bag up yet or even close to it.

Alan

 

[wrm]

Thanks for the replys. I appreciate the info.

 

[dun]

We keep them seperated for 6-8 weeks, whatever is convenient. The retained heifers are then turned back in with the cow herd. Every once in a while a yearling heifer will try to suck a little but when she doesn;t get anything they give up. Generally it's a one time deal. Some, no matter how long they've been weaned will still try to suck.

dun

 

[Scotty]

Tanks for the info. What is the shortest amount of time that I could put the calves back with adult herd and not have them start nursing again? Also has anyone ever tried pasture weaning with those quiet wean nose flaps?

Yes and have had good luck.


Scotty

 

[S.R.R.]

Does anyone just let nature take its course? If so when does a cow start kicking its calf off?

 

[nrs farm]

Also has anyone ever tried pasture weaning with those quiet wean nose flaps?

Yes I have with good luck as well. Sent a PM to you.

 

[wrm]

Scotty / nrs

How long do you leave the flaps on for(4-7 days)? How do you seperate the calves afterwards? Do you fenceline wean or do you move the calves to a remote pasture? Is it ultimately worth the time and effort to run the calves through the chute twice?

P. S. I am trying it out on 10 calves now.