weaning

[backhoeboogie]

We've had pretty good luck weaning by the moon. First time we tried it was the most dramatic in terms of how absolutely quiet they were. We also make sure to put the weaned calves in the strongest pasture, if not at least one will find a weak spot to crawl through.

Thank you for this post. Logic!

Not one other person even mentioned the almanac. No wonder they have to watch for mastitus etc. I never watch for mastitus and never have issues. Not even with the nurse cows.

You wean at the wrong time, you got problems. Fences don't fix stupid.

 

[dun]

We've had pretty good luck weaning by the moon. First time we tried it was the most dramatic in terms of how absolutely quiet they were. We also make sure to put the weaned calves in the strongest pasture, if not at least one will find a weak spot to crawl through.

Thank you for this post. Logic!

Not one other person even mentioned the almanac. No wonder they have to watch for mastitus etc. I never watch for mastitus and never have issues. Not even with the nurse cows.

You wean at the wrong time, you got problems. Fences don't fix stupid.

We don;t go by the almanac, we go by what is convenient for us. With fencline weaning the calves don;t go off feed, there is very little calling between the cows and calves. We weaned thursday and tomorrow the cows will be shifted away to a back pasture. They're pretty much not showing much interest in each other. No mastitis, no bellering, no calves going through a single strand of very hot wire, almost too easy.

 

[backhoeboogie]

We've had pretty good luck weaning by the moon. First time we tried it was the most dramatic in terms of how absolutely quiet they were. We also make sure to put the weaned calves in the strongest pasture, if not at least one will find a weak spot to crawl through.

Thank you for this post. Logic!

Not one other person even mentioned the almanac. No wonder they have to watch for mastitus etc. I never watch for mastitus and never have issues. Not even with the nurse cows.

You wean at the wrong time, you got problems. Fences don't fix stupid.

We don;t go by the almanac, we go by what is convenient for us. With fencline weaning the calves don;t go off feed, there is very little calling between the cows and calves. We weaned thursday and tomorrow the cows will be shifted away to a back pasture. They're pretty much not showing much interest in each other. No mastitis, no bellering, no calves going through a single strand of very hot wire, almost too easy.

If it works for you, it works.

 

[Roadapple]

Stick a nose flap on him and leave him with his mother and quit worrying about your fences. Less stressful on him & mother. Does'nt walk the fenceline , does'nt go off feed, keeps on gaining, etc.

:nod: :nod:

I've wondered about those flaps and read articles about them both pro and con. I guess the biggest draw back would be handling the calves twice, once to put the flap on and once to take it off.

If the time to put the flaps in/out is a a big drawback, reading these boards everyday must really be a drawback.

 

[slick4591]

Stick a nose flap on him and leave him with his mother and quit worrying about your fences. Less stressful on him & mother. Does'nt walk the fenceline , does'nt go off feed, keeps on gaining, etc.

:nod: :nod:

I've wondered about those flaps and read articles about them both pro and con. I guess the biggest draw back would be handling the calves twice, once to put the flap on and once to take it off.

Personally, I think running them through the chute many times is a good thing. I'm set up so that when I put out feed I have the option of making their only exit through the chute. I do this at least once a month and they don't get excited about it like they used to. Makes working them much easier.

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

I've wondered about those flaps and read articles about them both pro and con. I guess the biggest draw back would be handling the calves twice, once to put the flap on and once to take it off.[/quote]
If the time to put the flaps in/out is a a big drawback, reading these boards everyday must really be a drawback.[/quote]

Well Roadapple, seeing as how I do not currently own any cattle I don't find cattle today to be much of a hindrance whatsoever.