When to wean?

[BRAFORDMAN]

We usually sell our commercial calves right off the cow at about 7 months old.

I bought a registered fleckvieh cow. She had her first calf(a fullblood fleck heifer) in November and was put with a bull in march(our usual start of the breeding season). She bred back in march and is in great shape and is still milking well.

I plan on keeping her heifer calf . Is it ok to wean the heifer in August when we wean our other calves? The calf would be 9 months old. The cow is due in December.

 

[hillsdown]

Yes it will be OK, as long as she keeps her condition . She should have a long enough dry period.

 

[Anonymous]

I would wean the calf at 7 months. She may be putting out good milk but that also taking away for the fetus. If I read right, if you wean the calf at 9 months, the cow would be well into her 2nd trimester and going into the third. That when the demand is is highest on the cow

 

[plumber_greg]

I'd be more worried about the heifer gettin' bred. gs

 

[TexasBred]

We usually sell our commercial calves right off the cow at about 7 months old.

I bought a registered fleckvieh cow. She had her first calf(a fullblood fleck heifer) in November and was put with a bull in march(our usual start of the breeding season). She bred back in march and is in great shape and is still milking well.

I plan on keeping her heifer calf . Is it ok to wean the heifer in August when we wean our other calves? The calf would be 9 months old. The cow is due in December.

I'd wean it at 7 months...Cattle don't give much milk in July and August in Texas anyway.

 

[Isomade]

Yes it will be OK, as long as she keeps her condition . She should have a long enough dry period.

I agree. As long as we are talking about a cow and not a first time heifer.

 

[msscamp]

We usually sell our commercial calves right off the cow at about 7 months old.

I bought a registered fleckvieh cow. She had her first calf(a fullblood fleck heifer) in November and was put with a bull in march(our usual start of the breeding season). She bred back in march and is in great shape and is still milking well.

I plan on keeping her heifer calf . Is it ok to wean the heifer in August when we wean our other calves? The calf would be 9 months old. The cow is due in December.

Why would you wait to wean the calf until she is 9 months old? That is putting a serious drain on the cow while she is trying to support herself and her developing calf, and could leave you open to the possibility of the heifer being bred before you want her to be bred. I would wean her at 7 months old.

 

[BRAFORDMAN]

She is a first calver who is in excellent condition, raising a good calf and has already bred back. We put bulls with our cattle in March so our cows start calving in December and we sell/wean calves the beginning of August.
Since i bought the heifer bred and she calved earlier than the other cows I thought it may be ok to leave the calf on until i wean the other calves.

 

[Anonymous]

Let's say I've got a gallon of milk to split. If I split it 3 ways there's less for everyone. If I split it 2 ways, there's more for the 2 then there would be for the 3. An extra break for the cow won't hurt her, but not weaning til 9 months may or may not have an effect. Why run the risk if not necessary?

 

[BRAFORDMAN]

Since I am keeping the heifer calf i thought 2 more months on the cow will just grow her out a little more.

 

[Anonymous]

It probably would but at what cost. That's the question and you're the only one who can answer that one since you are there

 

[whitecow]

I have weaned calves late many, many times. Sometimes on purpose, sometimes not :roll:. I don't recall ever noticing negative affects as long as the cow stays in good condition.

 

[TexasBred]

I have weaned calves late many, many times. Sometimes on purpose, sometimes not :roll:. I don't recall ever noticing negative affects as long as the cow stays in good condition.

Did you notice any "benefits" other than cow condition perhaps??

 

[whitecow]

I have weaned calves late many, many times. Sometimes on purpose, sometimes not :roll:. I don't recall ever noticing negative affects as long as the cow stays in good condition.

Did you notice any "benefits" other than cow condition perhaps??

Not particularly. Except for the convenience of weaning calves in groups rather than individually.

 

[KNERSIE]

If its a good heifer, worthy of seedstock material, letting the calf suckle longer won't hurt her a thing. Just make sure to give the calf a shot of prostaglandin 10 days after weaning in case she got bred.

 

[jcarkie]

or you will be pulling a calf out of an 18 month old like i did 2 weeks ago. she got the bred before i weaned her, she was early and i left her to wean with the others she was 9 months old. that is a first for me. i wean in groups some older some younger, i have one on his mom that is 11 months old, mom wont calve till sept. i still dont know how she calved in july ??? she is fat and sassy