Weaning

Help Support Steer Planet:

Jill

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 20, 2007
Messages
3,551
Location
Gardner, KS
Ok, we have a couple of early April calves that the kids would like to take to the Jr. show, but don't want to take cow/calf pairs, how early can you wean without setting the calf back.  I know the kids from Oklahoma have always shown some young ones, just not sure how young.  They would have to be weaned at about 60-70 days is that possible? 
 

DL

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 29, 2007
Messages
3,622
Jill - early weaning has been used in various commercial settings especially when there is drought or lack of feed - it generally helps maintain cow condition and gets them cycling back sooner (not really your question, but I digress)...I try to wean all at the same time and usually have a straggler or 2 - have weaned as early as 45 days without apparent difficulty as the steers gained well and made fair weight. I like to make sure that they are eating creep feed with gusto and it really helps if there is grass. Should not be a problem for your calves. dl
 

kanshow

Well-known member
Joined
May 24, 2007
Messages
2,660
Location
Kansas
Many years ago, we got involved with an operation that bought old cows, early weaned the calves, and then sold the cows.  The calves were started very early on creep and quickly moved over to a shell corn/pellet mix - about the same thing the dairy beef people fed.  As soon as the calves were 45 - 60 days old, they weaned.  We fed the calves out and those things never stopped eating & growing.   

Here's another thought..  talk to a nutrionist about a milk based starter pellet.    I'd be really tempted to keep a lot of milk fat/protien in the diet for awhile. 
 

knabe

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 7, 2007
Messages
13,639
Location
Hollister, CA
kanshow said:
  I'd be really tempted to keep a lot of milk fat/protien in the diet for awhile. 

this can be done by leaving the calf on the cow, which, probably costs you more than taking it off and supplementing, maybe not now in today's market.  my heifers seem to self wean a lot earlier than steers.  i have been trying to find info that links this phenomenum with photoperiodism adn corrolation with marbling as two environmental factors as oppossed to genetic factors.  i guess one could say response to photoperiodism has a genetic component, as it is possible to deselect for response to photoperiodism.

i am so sick and tired of endless, lack of creativity Ph.D, M.S. and B.Sci. projects.

what are some good examples of CREATIVE studies one has seen?  they don't have to have worked. in my book, confirming the null hypothesis is a good thing.
example of null hypothesis
there is no difference in slaughter weights between steers on implants and those not on implants.  done 157 times at taxpayer expense by last count.
 

fluffer

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 6, 2007
Messages
644
Location
Springfield, Ohio
Jill,
even if the calves are on feed really well, 90 days is about the earliest I would wean.  Having said that however, I would pen the calves up during the day and only turn them out with the cows at night (which you may already do) and if the calves are eating well you might be ok to wean them and take them to the show.  It will probably depend on the calf.

Good luck!
Fluffer
 

oakbar

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 20, 2008
Messages
1,458
Location
North Central Iowa
Knabe,

I always enjoy reading your posts!!  Looking up some of the words you use creates a way to pass the down time I have sitting in airports, etc.  Of course, if an Iowegian ever trys using some of those words I'll probably be run out of the finer establishments in this area like the Roadkill Cafe,  BellyUp to the Bar, or the Tell U What Cafe!!  We also have a ShadeTree Lounge but unfortunatley most of our family trees don't have enough branches!!    A friend of mine says that our town is so small that if one strategically correct marriage took place----everyone in town would be related!!
 

oakbar

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 20, 2008
Messages
1,458
Location
North Central Iowa
Sorry, didn't mean to "Hijack the thread" or whatever the heck it is you guys call that.    Sounds like somebody running off with sewing machines to me--but then that's just me!!

AS far as weaning goes:

We try to wean no earlier than three months--actually its usually closer to four--unless a heifer is getting really "milked down"  or there's another reason beyond our control like a sick cow, etc.  We have had calves off milk replacer or their momma and on feed at six weeks but we really don't like to do that if we can help it.  We make a small amount of creep feed available to the calves by the time they the oldest are 3-4 weeks old.  Mainly just to get them nosing around in it and to possibly help their gut microflora start to make the change from a liquid diet to a solid diet before they really start eating any larger quantities of feed.  Becuase of this, many of our younger calves are exposed to feed at an even earlier age.  Works for us!!
 
Top