As the summer heat gives way to crisp fall days, we move into the time to ship calves to their next destination. Before they go, weaning them from their mothers needs to take place. Weaning can be achieved using multiple methods, all with different pros and cons, and can be tweaked to fit your operation and its goals.
Time your weaning to properly maximize your available feed. Early weaning has benefits to the producer if the feed is not available, since cows gain weight going into the next calving cycle. Without a calf on her side, she can focus all that energy on gaining weight rather than producing milk. This plan can be used in drought but also requires a rigorous nutritional program for calves. Early weaning can require additional labor (more sick calves needing attention) and requires facilities that can manage smaller calves.
The method of weaning can be just as important as your timing and can certainly influence your weaning timeline. The three types of weaning I want to focus on are total separation, fenceline weaning and two-stage weaning. Total separation is just as it sounds, shipping the calf or cow to a new environment, typically after being sold to a stocker or feedlot. This method allows the calves to be sold immediately or whenever the market is best and allows the producer flexibility in whether the calves are fed on the operation or not. Separation weaning typically has the least amount of labor and typically does not require specialized facilities.
Fenceline weaning is where a cow and calf have access to smell and have nose-to-nose contact but are not able to nurse. This allows the social structure to remain without the nursing. This method decreases stress but may require a special fence to keep the animals apart, in addition to providing feed for the calves. This method can be done between two pastures or in a drylot.
The third common method of weaning is two-stage weaning, where a device is fixed to the calf’s nose that does not allow it to nurse. This method has less associated stress than abrupt separation, but the jury is still out on whether fenceline or two-stage is less stressful. Considerations for two-stage weaning include having to run calves through the chute at least two times and the cost of the rings.
Your chosen method depends on your operation and other factors, such as preweaning health protocols and environmental conditions.
