When do I wean?

[pacadowling]

Its comin up on winter here about the end of October...I have a 2 week old calf and was wondering when I wean him off the bottle. This calf raising stuff is all new to me so I was wondering when do I start him on hay and grain along with his bottle. Ive already put some out for him but it seems like he doesnt know what it is...does he need to be around other cows to learn what to eat? or is he just too young and will begin eating when its time? Maybe my questions seem lame but Im trying not to make mistakes...which I know I will.

 

[dun]

Bottle calves are typically weaned at around 8 weeks. But, they have to be aeating a couple of pounds of calf starter grain a day at that point and need to be kept on grain for quite a few months after that. After it finishes it's bottle, stuff a little grain in it's mouth, eventually it will ge tthe idea. Hold off on the hay till he's closer to weaning so that he does eat the grain.

dun

 

[pacadowling]

Bottle calves are typically weaned at around 8 weeks. But, they have to be aeating a couple of pounds of calf starter grain a day at that point and need to be kept on grain for quite a few months after that. After it finishes it's bottle, stuff a little grain in it's mouth, eventually it will ge tthe idea. Hold off on the hay till he's closer to weaning so that he does eat the grain.

dun

Cool, I can do that, BUT one more question...I dont have calf starter but I do have 3-way...will that work?

 

[dun]

Have no idea what 3 way is. Calf starter grains are specially formulated (in theory) to help get the calf ruminating and extracting the nutrition taht is required.

dun

 

[fav]

I have a 2 month old calf that I have been bottle feeding for the past month. I have had high protein calf grain with him ever since I started bottle feeding him. He does not eat much of it and what he does eat he turns into a powder and it lands back in the trough. I was giving him milk 3 times a day and now I have cut back to 2 times a day and he is now eating more grain.

 

[Medic24]

As Dun mentioned.......8 weeks is optimum for weaning, and everyone is different , just as each calf is.... a good starter should be offered about a week after birth. A GOOD starter with high protein and fat content, along with medication to prevent coccidia.

But actually the calf is the one that will tell you when it's ready to wean. again as Dun mentioned. when it is consuming at least 2 pounds of grain a day, you can consider weaning.... and you can either cut back the feedings, cut back the replacer and substitute more water, or cut him cold turkey, which some do, but I would not suggest, as it is a stresser in it self.

We wean our calves at different times. We kinda put values on our calves........ we wean the least valuable calves, such as Jersey bulls at 4 weeks if we can.( and yes they do pot belly for a while) The Holstein bulls at 5-6 weeks, heifers at 8 weeks,and our beef breeds on the bottle up to 8 weeks. or even more.

Our incentive is to turn over as many calves and open our hutches up to new ones as quickly as we can. Every one has a different type of operation.

but it is between you and your calf. Good luck! :cboy:

 

[milkmaid]

I dont have calf starter but I do have 3-way...will that work?

I'm assuming 3-way is the oats, corn, barley ration sold almost everywhere...and yes, that will work. However, the calf would probably learn to eat a sweet calf starter w/molasses in it - ie, Purina calf Startena - quicker than plain COB.

 

[pacadowling]

3-way is an oat, corn, grain mix covered in molasses.

 

[dun]

3-way is an oat, corn, grain mix covered in molasses.

What kind of protein? On a stared bottle calf or even a weaned bottle calf I wouldn;t use anything under 16% protein, and no urea.

dun

 

[msscamp]

I dont have calf starter but I do have 3-way...will that work?

I'm assuming 3-way is the oats, corn, barley ration sold almost everywhere...and yes, that will work. However, the calf would probably learn to eat a sweet calf starter w/molasses in it - ie, Purina calf Startena - quicker than plain COB.

Actually, Milkmaid, my calves have taken to the COB (as it's called here) much, much better than Startena. They are started on the COB then introduced to the Startena after they are eating the COB good. The major drawback to the Startena is the pellets, as calves have to be several weeks old before their teeth are able to chew them. Even if they do eat the Startena, they don't eat the pellets. COB does not have the pellets, so it does better. Just my experience.

 

[JHH]

I use what my feed store calls 3 way and it is gluten,soy bean hulls and corn.protein they say is only around 7%. I am mixing oats with this myself and the calves love it.But I start them out on Startena and then gradually switch to 3 way.Feb calves are around 450 lbs maybe more, never was any good at guessing weight. Would feed calf starter first.JHH