Weaning a Bull Calf early

Broomcroft · Post by **Broomcroft** » Tue Apr 28, 2009 7:24 pm

I have someone who wants to buy a bull calf from me as early as possible so the calf can get used to them. They are prepared to take on milking by hand, feeding or whatever is necessary. They are responsible people known to me with a nice small herd, well looked after. What neither of us know though is how early we could wean the bull.

Although I normally wean off mom at about 8-9 months, I was thinking on this occasion maybe doing it at say 5 months and also getting the calf used to some high quality baby-calf feed (available locally to top-end pedigree breeders) whilst in the pen.

This is something I have never done before, so any thoughts or advice much welcome.

stew · Post by **stew** » Tue Apr 28, 2009 7:37 pm

couldnt you multi suckle the dam till she got used to the new calf then slip the bull calf of her
theres some great calf milk replacer about so he could go as soon as you find a spare calf to suck his dam
or let him go now and pull her milk for a week or so till she dries up keep pulling less and less and shel dry up but id be going and gettin something to draw of her while shes in milk

nuttalls · Post by **nuttalls** » Tue Apr 28, 2009 8:26 pm

if she,s a good dam she might mother one on,then wean the other fella at 10 weeks let the other people have the enjoyment of a youngster. we wean around 5 months but thats for us to keep them, i think 9 months is a long time, surely the cows deserve a break for the good job they do, before the next calf arrivesmaybe i,m too soft jjean jordeth

nuttalls · Post by **nuttalls** » Tue Apr 28, 2009 8:34 pm

a question? if a heifer calf can be served at a very early age, at what age do these suckling bull,s become fertile or are the mum,s already served up as soon as possible? we run our bull around 6 weeks.ish after calves are born. jean jordeth

Saffy · Post by **Saffy** » Tue Apr 28, 2009 10:33 pm

Our bull was orphaned as a calf and quite a bit younger than 5 months! No chance to gradually get him onto a calf pellet, so we put him on some asap and he did very well. At 5 months he was being moved on to Beef Nuts. We never ever fed the prescribed amounts, which would be 3 pounds plus a day, we barely made it to half that - he just didn't need it, or want to eat that amount, he did well on grass and hay. Despite being orphaned in October.

Stephanie

stew · Post by **stew** » Wed Apr 29, 2009 7:17 am

dairy calves are took of around 15 days old

Saffy · Post by **Saffy** » Wed Apr 29, 2009 7:27 am

Dairy calves are often taken off even earlier. We took ours at 24hours or less as the Mum would be bursting to be milked, although sometimes she would go back for another day.

They were bucket reared - cows milk, i.e. colostrum for the first 3 to 4 days, then onto powdered milk, calf ration and ad lib hay. They had milk powder until 6 weeks. At 6 weeks as long as they were eating 2 and a quarter pounds of calf ration,( remember they are much bigger than a Dexter calf at 6 weeks, a Dexter would need less,) they could be weaned on to the ration and the ad lib hay. However I liked mine to be eating 2 and a half pounds of ration.

The tenants on my land here follow a similar regime now, they run most of my farm and thier own next door and milk 300 black and whites. Although these are now holsteins so don't look as if they have been fed anyway!!!

Stephanie

Penny · Post by **Penny** » Wed Apr 29, 2009 10:41 am

Jean,
I would disagree about you being too soft by weaning at 5 months. I personally think that cow and calf would be much happier if you left them together a lot longer. If cows are left to do it by them selves they will naturally wean their calves anywhere between 6 and 10 months of age, giving themselves a good couple of months off before they calve again presuming that they are calving once a year.
I find they know well when they are due to calve, and sometimes when I think they are leaving it late, I find that they calve later than I had on the calender, as I had missed them being served again. If you wean too early, then your cow could also become too fat before the next calving. And no, mine are not skeletons, anyone who knows my herd can tell you that they all have a good amount of covering , like their owner!
Clive, as Steph says, your calf can b e weaned at any age with correct management, but at this time of year I would be extremely careful that the dam does not get mastitis when a strong bull calf is taken off her.
Penny

Saffy · Post by **Saffy** » Wed Apr 29, 2009 10:55 am

Mastitus could be a problem this time of year and Summer mastitus can ruin a cow but dry cow tubing should prevent it.

Stephanie

Woodmagic · Post by **Woodmagic** » Wed Apr 29, 2009 2:02 pm

I largely agree with Penny, although I have known the odd cow that will feed a calf right up to the time she calves again. It is possible to rear a good calf by hand, but there is no doubt the cow will do a superior job at less expense. Beef breeders quite often employ two or three cows to make a good job of rearing a bull. If you can house the cow and calf for an hour a day you have plenty of opportunity to handle it while it is still on mum.
If you decide you must wean early when there is plentiful grazing I would advise having the cow in on a straw diet for a week or two until you have thoroughly dried her off, as well as using antibiotic dry cow tubes. You may have trouble getting her back in calf if she gets too fat, I would prefer to find an alternative way to give you an easily handled animal.
Beryl (Woodmagic)

AlisonKirk · Post by **AlisonKirk** » Wed Apr 29, 2009 2:30 pm

Clive - How about letting the cow and calf go to the new owners until the calf is older? The new owners would be able to begin halter training the calf, grooming or whatever and generally getting to know the young bull. It would also keep the dam in good order.

Just one thing to remember, bull calves grow until adult bulls and whilst they need handling from a young age, I'm not so sure about hand feeding or whatever.

Broomcroft · Post by **Broomcroft** » Wed Apr 29, 2009 3:30 pm

Thanks everyone - I can't let the cow go elsewhere because we are a closed herd so anything that goes off doesn't come back unless in boxes. I agree with you Alison about bulls. I treat mine at a distance, never tickle them or feed by hand. Even when they get used to seeing a bucket, they can end up chasing walkers in your field looking for food. Actually, that sounds like a good idea :D (only joking). A suppose a new type of sign would do the trick though, "Bull in Field. Don't carry a bucket".

Otherwise I think what I might try is penning them up when the time comes and start straw-feeding them but arrange a creep for him to get some special feed and start getting used to it at the same time and then separate them during the process after a few days or so. Maybe letting him back in each day to take some milk but not too much. There's no way I'm going to start milking myself. Does that make any sense?

Edited By Broomcroft on 1241015491

Saffy · Post by **Saffy** » Wed Apr 29, 2009 3:51 pm

I think your idea sounds absolutely excellent Clive. It may not be necessary to set up a creep if you are separating him for part of the day anyway - you could just pop his feed in a bucket or trough.

Stephanie

nuttalls · Post by **nuttalls** » Fri May 01, 2009 10:31 am

thanks penny and beryl, i will try that from now on, you made me laugh penny saying you are well covered, i call myself very well covered too. jean jordeth

davidw · Post by **davidw** » Fri May 01, 2009 7:48 pm

Unfortunately I lost a cow last year to Magnesium deficiency and so her 5 month old steer calf was suddenly deprived of his milk. He adapted extremely well and seemed to dive into the solid feed very quickly. He was a little more ribby than his mates who were still suckling, but otherwise doesn't seem to have suffered any ill effects