Preparations for weaning are under way with spring-born calves being wormed and vaccinated against respiratory diseases in recent weeks.
Weaning is one of the most important periods for herd management, particularly on farms selling weanlings during autumn or finishing male cattle as young bulls next May and June.
Calves will experience additional stress, which suppresses immunity and leaves animals more vulnerable to respiratory diseases. In the worst case scenario, mortality levels will rise.
Poor management during the weaning phase will lead to a major loss in performance, leaving weanlings in a less saleable condition.
Where bulls will be finished next spring, any significant setback at weaning will result in an excessive loss of liveweight and extend the intensive finishing period.
Weaning methods
When it comes to weaning, there is no single method that is better than others. However, there are several steps that should be avoided at all costs.
Regardless of which weaning method is used, having healthy animals eating concentrates and minimising stress at all times is recommended
For example, weaning and housing calves should not be carried out at the same time. Leave at least a fortnight between each process.
Equally, weaning and dosing on the same day should be avoided, as should weaning and castrating calves at the same time.
Regardless of which weaning method is used, having healthy animals eating concentrates and minimising stress at all times is recommended.
Outlined are five weaning methods used successfully on the programme farms in recent years.
1 Removing cows from the group
The first option is to slip cows away from each grazing group every three to four days. Start by removing first-calving heifers or older cows that are starting to lose condition.
A good handling setup is required to bring cows in and split out three to four animals on each occasion.
By removing cows, the calves remain in the same field with creep feeders. Having other cows present will keep calves relatively settled throughout the process.
The cows removed can be housed for a week to dry off. If there is rough grazing available, they can go back outside if ground conditions allow.
If not, then cows can remain housed. By housing cows rather than the calf, this eases grazing demand in autumn and limits damage to wet ground, leaving more grass to carry calves outside in October.
2 Restricting suckling
An alternative for weaning calves outside is to use creep grazing to good effect. Start by raising the electric wire, or use a creep gate to start letting calves creep ahead of cows.
Offering concentrates in a portable trough ahead of the wire will entice calves to come forward.
Once calves are used to creeping forward, the next step is to entice calves into an adjacent paddock. Calves should still be within sight of the cows.
By creeping into an adjacent paddock, calves can be locked off cows during the day. Cows can then have their grazing intake restricted to reduce milk production.
If paddocks do not have stock-proof fencing in place, add a second or third strand of electric wire to prevent access to cows. Ideally, mains electric works best, or battery fencers with high-voltage batteries and solar panels to maintain charge.
3 Nose flaps
Weaning calves using the QuietWean nose flaps has been successful on some of the programme farms in recent years.
Once inserted, the flaps prevent calves from suckling the cow but still allows animals graze and eat concentrates.
The flap should be left in the calf’s nose for at least a week, during which time the cow starts to dry off. Make sure cows are on low grass covers to prevent issues with mastitis.
Flaps are also reuseable, so the same process can be replicated year on year.
4 Weaning indoors
On farms that predominantly calve during April, or have first cross cows from the dairy herd, weaning usually occurs in late autumn once the herd is housed.
Weaning indoors can be much simpler to carry out as diets can be controlled to dry cows off and it is easier to separate calves.
The gradual weaning approach in this method reduces stress levels on calves.
Calves can be locked away from cows in creep areas, or separated and penned side by side to keep animals settled.
If necessary, install an additional gate or barrier to prevent calves from sucking cows through the dividing bars. Once weaned, calves can be moved to different pens.
Weaning outdoors can be carried out by removing small groups of cows every few days. As calves remain in the same field with access to creep feeders, young animals are under less stress.
5 Priority weaning
On the programme farms that operate bull beef systems, bull calves are weaned first and housed in early to mid-October.
Heifers are usually left on the cow for a couple of weeks longer until the bulls have settled after weaning.
Prioritising the bull calves first means they can start the growing phase earlier. With the heifers left on the cow, there are fewer calves to monitor for respiratory problems during weaning.
Once bulls are over the risk period, heifers can then be weaned.
Again, these animals are easier to monitor as there are fewer animals to watch compared to all calves being weaned on the same day.
Preparations for weaning are under way with spring-born calves being wormed and vaccinated against respiratory diseases in recent weeks.
Weaning is one of the most important periods for herd management, particularly on farms selling weanlings during autumn or finishing male cattle as young bulls next May and June.
Calves will experience additional stress, which suppresses immunity and leaves animals more vulnerable to respiratory diseases. In the worst case scenario, mortality levels will rise.
Poor management during the weaning phase will lead to a major loss in performance, leaving weanlings in a less saleable condition.
Where bulls will be finished next spring, any significant setback at weaning will result in an excessive loss of liveweight and extend the intensive finishing period.
Weaning methods
When it comes to weaning, there is no single method that is better than others. However, there are several steps that should be avoided at all costs.
Regardless of which weaning method is used, having healthy animals eating concentrates and minimising stress at all times is recommended
For example, weaning and housing calves should not be carried out at the same time. Leave at least a fortnight between each process.
Equally, weaning and dosing on the same day should be avoided, as should weaning and castrating calves at the same time.
Regardless of which weaning method is used, having healthy animals eating concentrates and minimising stress at all times is recommended.
Outlined are five weaning methods used successfully on the programme farms in recent years.
1 Removing cows from the group
The first option is to slip cows away from each grazing group every three to four days. Start by removing first-calving heifers or older cows that are starting to lose condition.
A good handling setup is required to bring cows in and split out three to four animals on each occasion.
By removing cows, the calves remain in the same field with creep feeders. Having other cows present will keep calves relatively settled throughout the process.
The cows removed can be housed for a week to dry off. If there is rough grazing available, they can go back outside if ground conditions allow.
If not, then cows can remain housed. By housing cows rather than the calf, this eases grazing demand in autumn and limits damage to wet ground, leaving more grass to carry calves outside in October.
2 Restricting suckling
An alternative for weaning calves outside is to use creep grazing to good effect. Start by raising the electric wire, or use a creep gate to start letting calves creep ahead of cows.
Offering concentrates in a portable trough ahead of the wire will entice calves to come forward.
Once calves are used to creeping forward, the next step is to entice calves into an adjacent paddock. Calves should still be within sight of the cows.
By creeping into an adjacent paddock, calves can be locked off cows during the day. Cows can then have their grazing intake restricted to reduce milk production.
If paddocks do not have stock-proof fencing in place, add a second or third strand of electric wire to prevent access to cows. Ideally, mains electric works best, or battery fencers with high-voltage batteries and solar panels to maintain charge.
3 Nose flaps
Weaning calves using the QuietWean nose flaps has been successful on some of the programme farms in recent years.
Once inserted, the flaps prevent calves from suckling the cow but still allows animals graze and eat concentrates.
The flap should be left in the calf’s nose for at least a week, during which time the cow starts to dry off. Make sure cows are on low grass covers to prevent issues with mastitis.
Flaps are also reuseable, so the same process can be replicated year on year.
4 Weaning indoors
On farms that predominantly calve during April, or have first cross cows from the dairy herd, weaning usually occurs in late autumn once the herd is housed.
Weaning indoors can be much simpler to carry out as diets can be controlled to dry cows off and it is easier to separate calves.
The gradual weaning approach in this method reduces stress levels on calves.
Calves can be locked away from cows in creep areas, or separated and penned side by side to keep animals settled.
If necessary, install an additional gate or barrier to prevent calves from sucking cows through the dividing bars. Once weaned, calves can be moved to different pens.
Weaning outdoors can be carried out by removing small groups of cows every few days. As calves remain in the same field with access to creep feeders, young animals are under less stress.
5 Priority weaning
On the programme farms that operate bull beef systems, bull calves are weaned first and housed in early to mid-October.
Heifers are usually left on the cow for a couple of weeks longer until the bulls have settled after weaning.
Prioritising the bull calves first means they can start the growing phase earlier. With the heifers left on the cow, there are fewer calves to monitor for respiratory problems during weaning.
Once bulls are over the risk period, heifers can then be weaned.
Again, these animals are easier to monitor as there are fewer animals to watch compared to all calves being weaned on the same day.
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