Weaning

[Suzie]

My question is can you wean at 4 months? My cow for the second time around will not feed her calf without supervision in that I can only feed her when I need her to stand and feed the calf even then she is not happy to do so and will kick but fortunately he is determined. He is now three months old and well grown on three feeds a day plus haylage and some molassed dry food but I am wondering if I can put him out in the middle of May when hopefully we shall have some grass. I know she will not feed him in the field, she will walk continually to keep him off. I appreciate I will have to cut his milk down to two feeds and then one before I do put him out but will he survive at this young age!!

[Duncan MacIntyre]

You would need to be sure he is eating enough concentrate of suitable composition for calf rearing, like for dairy calves, and he may well need some suppliment all through the summer if you want him to grow well. If he is not being fed by mum and has access to other cows in milk he may be able to steal some.

Duncan

[Suzie]

Thank you Duncan for your reply. I asked as I had seen some four and five month calves offered for sale and wondered if weaning early was feasible. Suzie