Weaning replacment heifers

[BRYANT]

I usely pull all my calves and ship the same day and very seldom do I keep replacment heifers because I don't like the risk that goes with heifers
But this year I am going to keep about 8 or 10 Brahma cross heifers that I really like for replacments.
They are about 6 months old now when I take them off of the cows do I need to let them get weaned before I have them branded, dehorned and shots. or is it better to just do it all at once.
Also what kind of a feeding program would you all recomend, like so much a day or put them on a feeder and keep feed out? I want them to grow out and be good cows if I am going to keep them this is kind of a trial to see if I want to keep heifers again.

 

[MO_cows]

I would work them at least a couple of weeks before weaning and not put all the stress on them at once.

As far as feeding them afterwards, just enough to keep them in good condition and growing but not make them too fat.

 

[nagwag]

The best schedule for vaccinating calves is to give the first round of shots 6 weeks before weaning then follow with the booster shots 3-4 weeks later. This allows the calves immunity to be in place before the stress of weaning is put on them.

 

[Douglas]

Most research i have seen says to wean 7-9months of age. Early weaning can reduce heifer future milk production. Other suggestion would be to keep 1 or 2 more than you need so you can pick the best ones nearer breeding. Most people suggest and ionosphore(sp) in the feed or minerals to aide growth.

 

[dun]

We fenceline wean and give the first round of shots on the day we wean. They are on a weaning ration for 45 days (13%) at a rate of about 1% per cwt. After 45 days the heifers we're retaining go out with the cow herd and get bred in the spring along with the cows.

 

[BRYANT]

Thanks for the input
My problem now is my working pens is about 50 miles from the pasture that has these pairs in it so I was kind of hoping I could just bring them home and wean. But that may not be a good idea.

 

[I luv herfrds]

The way we started weaning is a month before we pull the calves is taking hay out to the pairs. The cows teach the calves to eat the hay. They get used to it faster. The bawling for the cows is less and the shrinkage is not as much.
We keep them in the corral and feed them barley hay, grass and alfafa hay along with Weaner T pellets starting with 2 five gallon buckets twice a day and finishing out at 2 bags a day for 21 days.
Then after the pellets we feed 4 (5) gal. buckets of ground barley once a day along with the hay.

 

[piedmontese]

I usely pull all my calves and ship the same day and very seldom do I keep replacment heifers because I don't like the risk that goes with heifers
But this year I am going to keep about 8 or 10 Brahma cross heifers that I really like for replacments.
They are about 6 months old now when I take them off of the cows do I need to let them get weaned before I have them branded, dehorned and shots. or is it better to just do it all at once.
Also what kind of a feeding program would you all recomend, like so much a day or put them on a feeder and keep feed out? I want them to grow out and be good cows if I am going to keep them this is kind of a trial to see if I want to keep heifers again.

what age do u breed your brahmas?

 

[BRYANT]

what age do u breed your brahmas?

Like I said I do not usely keep replacement heifers so there is other people on here that can answer this alot better than I can
most of my brahmas and brahma cross were bred or had calves when I bought them.
Seems like what few I have kept over the years will not breed as young as other breeds
also seems like some of my brahma cows don't breed back as fast as others ????
I do know that bulls will not be ready to use as soon as other breeds
I have used brangus and brahma and both were older to mature.
Ask the question under a new post an you can get some good info. from some on here that knows more about brahmas than i do.

 

[cfpinz]

We've done the fenceline weaning and still wean some that way, but I'd just as soon go pick up a group from 20 miles away. I think they "get over it" sooner if mom is out of sight, but that's just me.

Ours get 2 or 3 lbs/day of 16% pellets per heifer for 6 to 8 weeks, then get turned out on stockpiled fescue with no supplement til breeding. We make a cut at the end of the weaning period and another at breeding.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

How you handle feeding your heifers after weaning depends on the AREA you are in. Their maintenance requirements differ in different climates. In order for my to breed our heifers at 14 months of age, I need to suppliment them with about 5#/hd/day of whole shell corn.
It is BEST to get a full round of shots with boosters into the calves BEFORE weaning - but, let's face it, in some herds that is never going to happen because of facilities.

 

[BRYANT]

I stopped by an visited with a vet that I have used before ,He is only about 6 miles from this pasture, He suggested I work them and give first round of shots then turn them back in with cows for a few weeks then wean so I am going to just let him do it for me . I think that would be better than taking them almost a 100 miles round trip to take home an work