Woulda shoulda coulda..

[SBMF 2015]

Right yes that is a very good point, thank you. So a sixish month weaning date probably the way to go? I can adjust breeding dates accordingly. I was just thinking that the longer the calves are on their moms less feed I'm paying for, but you're right that's asking a lot out of the mamas.

Yes, 6-7mos. I got down to wearing at 4.5 - 5 months. It just took to long to to get the calves to start growing. Once they got going they were fine, but 6mos kind of seems to be the magic age. For me anyway.

 

[Little Joe]

So we've been talking which direction we're going. I think with our setup the plan is to keep it small but still go for a cow calf. Plant our 12 acres to grass in the spring shoot for about five to six mamas. We'd breed in may-June, get February-March calves. Ween in the winter, all calves can be weened and wintered in the barn on hay, steers can be finished in the summer to direct sell beef and heifers kept or sold or beef.
Using the barn to ween I figured would be smart because we don't much cover from the elements (and it'd be hard to get enough space between the moms and calves) where we live no windbreak or lean-to yet. So we'd use what is available to us at this point.

`That's alot going on with just 12 acres.

 

[ClinchValley86]

Right yes that is a very good point, thank you. So a sixish month weaning date probably the way to go? I can adjust breeding dates accordingly. I was just thinking that the longer the calves are on their moms less feed I'm paying for, but you're right that's asking a lot out of the mamas.

Myself, I've been letting the mommas wean their own calves. Only animal I really manage is the bull, which I borrow, so not really much trouble.

If you have the feed stuffs, try leaving one on the cow. Some cows will dry off and kick the calf off earlier than others, but we've had no trouble the last 3 years doing it this way. If you're keeping them to take to finish, you want to do it as cheap as possible IMO. So I take advantage of Mommas milk.

Can be done many different ways, and no one shoe fits all.

I can see wanting to wean them to get on feed sooner, might grow them out faster...but will be more expensive.

I'm a cheap ass. Lol.

 

[Travlr]

Myself, I've been letting the mommas wean their own calves. Only animal I really manage is the bull, which I borrow, so not really much trouble.

If you have the feed stuffs, try leaving one on the cow. Some cows will dry off and kick the calf off earlier than others, but we've had no trouble the last 3 years doing it this way. If you're keeping them to take to finish, you want to do it as cheap as possible IMO. So I take advantage of Mommas milk.

Can be done many different ways, and no one shoe fits all.

I can see wanting to wean them to get on feed sooner, might grow them out faster...but will be more expensive.

I'm a cheap ass. Lol.

I've never let cows wean their own calves, or known anyone that did that... so I'm curious. How old is a calf when a cow weans it naturally? How big? Are there calves that refuse to wean?

 

[Dave]

I've never let cows wean their own calves, or known anyone that did that... so I'm curious. How old is a calf when a cow weans it naturally? How big? Are there calves that refuse to wean?

I have seen yearlings sucking on mom. Robbing milk from the new calf. it sure doesn't work 100% of the time.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

I would NEVER advise letting a cow wean her calf.
6-8 months is maximum. 7 months is the "normal" weaning age. If you calve for 60 days, they they will range from 6-8 months."
That is another thing. Have a calving SEASON. Most people choose around 60-90 days. There are some people that calve year round. Id do not advise that.

 

[laek]

`That's alot going on with just 12 acres.

I must be missing something. The way I'm looking at it is, on 12 acres with just 5-6 moms the have about 2acres each. Factoring in their calves that won't be primarily eating grass they'd have an acre each. Do you think that's too tight?

 

[Hpacres440p]

I must be missing something. The way I'm looking at it is, on 12 acres with just 5-6 moms the have about 2acres each. Factoring in their calves that won't be primarily eating grass they'd have an acre each. Do you think that's too tight?

Are you keeping any to finish or selling all at weaning? That finishing time adds another component of mouths on pasture

 

[Travlr]

I must be missing something. The way I'm looking at it is, on 12 acres with just 5-6 moms the have about 2acres each. Factoring in their calves that won't be primarily eating grass they'd have an acre each. Do you think that's too tight?

You will find out what your carrying capacity is as your animals eat the pasture down. I could carry a cow/calf unit per acre and a half on my place in NW Arkansas, but only a pair for every six acres in SD... and there are places where I live now that can starve a cow on a hundred acres.

Personally, I'd start slow. Stock with half the animals you think your property will feed until you get some feel for what you have.

 

[laek]

Are you keeping any to finish or selling all at weaning? That finishing time adds another component of mouths on pasture

I do plan to finish some

You will find out what your carrying capacity is as your animals eat the pasture down. I could carry a cow/calf unit per acre and a half on my place in NW Arkansas, but only a pair for every six acres in SD... and there are places where I live now that can starve a cow on a hundred acres.

Personally, I'd start slow. Stock with half the animals you think your property will feed until you get some feel for what you have.

Absolutely that is great advice, starting slow is key

 

[ClinchValley86]

I would NEVER advise letting a cow wean her calf.
6-8 months is maximum. 7 months is the "normal" weaning age. If you calve for 60 days, they they will range from 6-8 months."
That is another thing. Have a calving SEASON. Most people choose around 60-90 days. There are some people that calve year round. Id do not advise that.

Hence the comment about shoes not fitting everyone.

If you have bulls, its obviously not going to work well in the end. If bull calves are steered and you're not trying to do a preconditioned thing, it's one less stresser to deal with.

Also, if your forage isn't meeting the mommas needs, I would imagine it's a terrible idea. But if the mommas are fat, what's it going to hurt. They know what they're doing.

It's the mommas job to not let the yearling suck. Not the other way around. We've all seen a weaned heifer return to the herd and try to suck on momma. The Momma should kick it away

I don't have a big herd. Only deal with 20 calves a year. I weaned the first few years, mainly to present a calmer animal at the sale barn, plus I had a bull in with the herd. It's worked for me so far. It could be a problem in 2023, who knows.

There are many reasons to wean calves. But for me, I find no reason.

 

[Travlr]

Hence the comment about shoes not fitting everyone.

If you have bulls, its obviously not going to work well in the end. If bull calves are steered and you're not trying to do a preconditioned thing, it's one less stresser to deal with.

Also, if your forage isn't meeting the mommas needs, I would imagine it's a terrible idea. But if the mommas are fat, what's it going to hurt. They know what they're doing.

It's the mommas job to not let the yearling suck. Not the other way around. We've all seen a weaned heifer return to the herd and try to suck on momma. The Momma should kick it away

I don't have a big herd. Only deal with 20 calves a year. I weaned the first few years, mainly to present a calmer animal at the sale barn, plus I had a bull in with the herd. It's worked for me so far. It could be a problem in 2023, who knows.

There are many reasons to wean calves. But for me, I find no reason.

Please answer my questions.

How old is a calf when a cow weans it naturally? How big? Are there calves that refuse to wean?

 

[ClinchValley86]

I've never let cows wean their own calves, or known anyone that did that... so I'm curious. How old is a calf when a cow weans it naturally? How big? Are there calves that refuse to wean?

Edit: To put an age on your question...8ish to 11 months of age they're all weaned I feel like.

I'm sure there are Mommas that won't wean their calf. If one was going this route, she should make the cull/beef list. The calf is going to want milk, it should be the mommas job to wean it.

So far for me, they've all been weaned by Momma a month or two before calving, or earlier.

Had four last year that I sold Momma and kept their calves, they were 500 ish lbs at that time. The ones that stayed on Momma longer were a bit larger than their siblings and they all were born close together timewise.

I make my animals survive on grass and mineral though and probably take an approach that most do not. I don't like unnecessary inputs as I have plenty of things to spend my money on already. I don't like unnecessary management as I have plenty of things to do already.

Was really an act of laziness I suppose the first time. But it worked, and has worked since. So for me, in my operation, we have stopped weaning for now. If a Momma has trouble with that, I will cull her.

So far I have observed first calf heifers do seem to wean their calves considerably earlier than a mature cow. Something I was glad to see. Not saying that's always going to be the case. I want to think these mommas have an idea of what they're doing. I might treat 1st timers differently though if the need presents itself. Makes me wonder if there is a mechanism in their brain that tells their body to dry up if their condition is too low or if they are getting close to calving.

Again, not a shoe that fits all. But I think it's a doable concept if your operation doesn't really need to wean. We don't sell at salebarns and don't have a bull. We steer bull calves also before they're active.

Plenty of reasons to wean though.

 

[Lee VanRoss]

I must be missing something. The way I'm looking at it is, on 12 acres with just 5-6 moms the have about 2acres each. Factoring in their calves that won't be primarily eating grass they'd have an acre each. Do you think that's too tight?

Yes, but if you have deep pockets you can purchase what they lack.

 

[Brute 23]

Please answer my questions.

How old is a calf when a cow weans it naturally? How big? Are there calves that refuse to wean?

It's not the same with every cow. The cows will wean their calf off based on their condition and what ever other factors. I haven't seen it work well with English cattle because they don't have enough sense. The more Brahman influence they have the more they are in tune with it. With that said, they will also cycle and a lot of other things based off that also which may not meet your program.

I know this is hard for some to believe but cattle will survive with out human intervention. Deer and every other animal in the wild weans their own offspring.

Also, you can't have 30 cows on 10ac with them living on hay and treats and expect it to work. Every thing about that goes agaisnt nature. The calves need to have grazing to go to or you are making it tough on both mom and the calf to wean.

It's not uncommon for our calves to be mostly weaned by the time we catch them. The further past 6 mo and closer to 8 the greater the odds.

 

[laek]

Yes, but if you have deep pockets you can purchase what they lack.

Like I said we're gonna start slow and see what our grass can support. Worst case scenario I get my hay for cheap or free in exchange for work