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When formulating a weaning strategy, the first aspect to ascertain is the target weaning date, which is frequently determined by the target sale date. In the days of the Suckler Cow Welfare Scheme, the terms and conditions of the scheme required a pre-weaning supplementation period of four weeks followed by a two-week period post-weaning before animals could be traded.
The majority of farmers will agree the scheme delivered huge benefits and its terms and conditions are every bit as relevant today.
Before discussing feeding levels and weaning strategies, it is also important to consider the health of animals.
Vaccination
The lungs of the animal are the organs under most attack. It is therefore essential to ensure they are healthy in advance of weaning. At this stage of the season, all calves should have received at least one worm treatment.
Subsequent treatments should be administered as required, with a treatment recommended two weeks pre-weaning to ensure lungs are healthy.
Product selection will depend on previous use, with your vet best placed to formulate a programme.
Regarding a vaccination programme, some farmers can successfully wean calves without any vaccinations, while others see it as a vital aspect of their weaning programme, especially where there are previous issues or weanlings cannot be maintained outdoors.
Whatever the choice, the same rule stands – implement your vaccination programme in sufficient time to allow optimum immunity to develop.
Correct meal feeding
While the focus at weaning should remain on good grassland management, meal feeding can still have an important role to play.
It is important that meal is introduced at the right time and fed to the right level, with rates influenced by animal type and whether the animals are being sold. The optimum is to feed meal in troughs rather than in an ad-lib creep feeder.
While not always feasible, where creep grazing can be implemented it will deliver significant benefits in performance and aid grassland management as the season progresses. Calf performance will be maximised by offering animals the best quality grass while cows can be used to graze out paddocks which will also aid in building a bank of grass heading into the autumn.
Eight-week weaning plan
Weeks six to eight: Worm treatment, vaccination and creep grazing.
Weeks for to six: Creep grazing and creep feeding.
Weeks two to four: Worm treatment if required.
Weeks zero to two: Match feedings levels to grass quality/quantity and retention/plan.
Weaning: Keep stress to a minimum.
The following tips will help safeguard your investment to ensuring animals remain healthy and hit the ground running, achieving optimum performance.
Arrival management: House purchased weanlings ideally in a well-bedded shed or let to a sheltered field close to the yard. Maintain indoors or in small paddocks until animals have settled, taking care to avoid sudden changes to the diet.
Bio-security and health: Quarantine animals for at least one week post-purchasing. Avoid mixing with other cattle where possible. Advice differs between implementing a health/vaccine programme immediately or waiting until animals have settled – consult your vet and do what works best for your farm/farming system.
Check stock frequently: Check stock at least twice to three times daily in the first few weeks for early signs of problems. Identifying and isolating sick animals early will help avoid potential spread or outbreaks.
Minimise stress: Reduce the risk of health issues becoming established by not carrying out stressful practices such as dehorning or castration until at least two weeks after purchase or such time that animals have settled into their new environment.
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