How early do you wean?

Help Support Steer Planet:

red

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 20, 2007
Messages
7,850
Location
LaRue, Ohio
I think I'm going to wean my 2 oldest calves next weekend. They'll be 4 to 3 1/2 months. they're eating grain pretty well. I need to waen early to be able to break them while they are small.

What age do you typically wean? Remember these will be show calves not feed lot.

Red
 

Jill

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 20, 2007
Messages
3,551
Location
Gardner, KS
A couple of years ago it was dry and we didn't have enough pasture and someone suggested weaning calves at 4 months if they were eating well, said it is also much easier on the cow, however the feed bills go way up.  We tried it and have done it every since, works great for us, but like you they all have the potential for show, you couldn't afford to do this on a commercial level.
 

fluffer

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 6, 2007
Messages
644
Location
Springfield, Ohio
Red,
THey would probaby be ok.  I don't know your set up, but in my case (when I was showing)  I would pen the babies up in the barn all day, feed them, work with them, etc. then turn them out at night with momma.  It sounds like a pain, but the cows didn't mind and the calves were usually at the gate waiting each morning to be let in.  We would even take them to 1 day shows that way.  Then when we did wean them it wasn't a big deal.

Fluffer
 

red

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 20, 2007
Messages
7,850
Location
LaRue, Ohio
we have separate barns for the cows & show calves. My wash rack & chute are alll in the show barn. i guess I am lazy & just think they'd be cleaner if left in the show barn. Plus I wouldn't have to tramp through the slop to move them each time.

Red
 

daydreamingacres

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 3, 2008
Messages
167
Location
South Windham, CT
I think in the Simmental mag that I got maybe a year ago it says that the best way to wean the calves is at the 4 month mark because they can convert feed better... The feed to gain ration will be higher.... I think that is what i am trying to say.... Ex. If they are eating 4 pounds of feed now and gaining 1 lb per that feed they will gain more like 1.5 pounds when they are weaned. I hope this makes sense. We keep our calves on longer b/c we show the cows with them. I was talking to someone who said that there is an age cut off for cows to show? Is that true for everyone's local fairs? I know Louisville and some of the bigger shows have cut offs but we can show our cows up here till they die...actually we have quite a few people up here that take out cows 9-15 years old.
 

Bawndoh

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 17, 2007
Messages
720
Some shows have a cut off...ususally only 2 and 3 year old pairs are allowed.  Most shows I notise also have a cutoff for bulls also.  I think they should have an aged bull class.  There are a lot of good ol boys out there who could still compete at age 8 or so.  But then again, it wouldnt be fair if you were able to come back and win again, and agian with the same bull.  Why do they have that cut-off for bulls anyways??
 

red

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 20, 2007
Messages
7,850
Location
LaRue, Ohio
I'm not sure how old a cow can be in the cow/calf classes. i know my rosie could still get in there w/ the best of them.

Maybe bulls get to hard to handle? I know the can show dairy bulls at any age.
 

fluffer

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 6, 2007
Messages
644
Location
Springfield, Ohio
Red,
A previous post reminded me that while I was at OSU they were doing some early weaning studies and weaning calves at 90 days if I remember correctly.  Those calves did very well.  Especially on carcass values and feed effiencie.

Fluffer
 

red

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 20, 2007
Messages
7,850
Location
LaRue, Ohio
daydreamingacres said:
We dont really even have bull classes around here......and sorry to "highjack the thread" as i think it is called.

Hey, knabe can't be the only one to do it! We're all famous for it! As someone said at topic can go from calves to Killer kitty!  ;)  (welcome)

Red
 

SKF

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 24, 2007
Messages
1,057
We wean all our show calves by 4 months and have not had any problems. I like starting when they are little it is so much easier.
 

SKF

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 24, 2007
Messages
1,057
We wean all our show calves by 4 months and have not had any problems. I like starting when they are little it is so much easier.
 

red

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 20, 2007
Messages
7,850
Location
LaRue, Ohio
I'm already brushing the Hard Core heifer so think it's a good time to start. I can't wait to get my hands on them!

Red  (clapping)
 

showsteerdlux

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 30, 2007
Messages
1,765
Location
Western NC
Just weaned today. Show heifer is 4 months, commercials are 6-7 months. Now we are preconditioning and breaking the heifer we are selling.
 

ZNT

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 25, 2007
Messages
1,006
Location
Rhome, TX
A rule of thumb that I have used both when I lived in Nebraska and now here in Texas is 120 day.  That is assuming you have the calves exposed to some sort of creep feed.  If the calves already know how to eat grain or pellets, weaning that early is a breeze.  We have weaned calves all the way down to 90 days old with no detrimental effects.  Any earlier, and the calves do seem to get stunted somewhat.  The key to any earlier weaning like I said was get the calves used to eating before they are weaned.

Good Luck with weaning!
 
Top