Weaning

[Maccbob]

I have a 9 month old steer that has a problem with an eye, Vet says it has a abscess caused by something picking his eye, a piece of straw or the thorn hedge, we don't know, He suggested weaning the calf off the cow while he is penned up, just let the mother out with the rest of the herd, Question- how long do mother and calf have to be apart for the weaning to work

[ann]

It is possible that the cow may have started weaning the calf herself by now if she is back in calf.
however you would need to keep them apart for at least 2 weeks and possibly longer otherwise he would probably start trying to suck again. However if you split them after 24 hours you will be able to tell by the size of her udder how much milk he is still getting.

My only worry would be if your cattle are still outside is the stress of being split up from her calf when the weather is so dismal and forage values are not high going to cause any problems.

Mya be you could give us a bit more idea of your set up, then its easier to give good advice.

[Broomcroft]

We wean at 9 months and don;t have any problems. Lot of noise for a few days. If you have your calf(s) separate, you could perhaps give them some high protein feed. There are special mixes available for young growing cattle, and it can help quieten them down. Then cut it down after a couple of months or after the winter. At least then they can cope with the physical aspect of being weaned, just leaving them with the emotional one.

But at 9 months, mom will be glad of the break when she gets used to it.

HOWEVER, there is no way I'd leave a calf by itself if that is what the vet is suggesting.