Weaning calves

larrywithalorry

How do ye decide when to wean calves? At a certain age or weight or just when you get sick of feeding them. This year I'm waiting until they are 90kgs and see how that goes.

Base price

Irrespective of breed as long as they are eating meal (about .50/.75kg) per day then they go on OAD (upped to 3ltr) for a week then off milk.
This lovely weather that we are having is even more reason to get them out and off milk.
We weaned 77 early last week onto a bare paddock with adlib hay and meal. On Monday they will head out to larger field with reasonable cover, plus adlib hay and meal. Previously to the 77, an earlier group of 36 went down the same route.
The next batch (63) will take their place on the same bare paddock on
Bank Holiday Monday or Tues weather permitting.

frazzledhome

Base price wrote: »

Irrespective of breed as long as they are eating meal (about .50/.75kg) per day then they go on OAD (upped to 3ltr) for a week then off milk.
This lovely weather that we are having is even more reason to get them out and off milk.
We weaned 77 early last week onto a bare paddock with adlib hay and meal. On Monday they will head out to larger field with reasonable cover, plus adlib hay and meal. Previously to the 77, an earlier group of 36 went down the same route.
The next batch (63) will take their place on the same bare paddock on
Bank Holiday Monday or Tues weather permitting.

We wean based on meal eaten also. Over 1 kg and we wean. All outside on OAD with ad lib meal feeders on 3 litres of milk replacer.

Unlike Base we have in the best grass on the farm and use no hay or straw. We only use straw if housed. We have them in the fields locked up for silage till weaning and them to our farm for 2 yrs. quad or jeep does more damage to the grass than the calves will eat

Dunedin

frazzledhome wrote: »

We wean based on meal eaten also. Over 1 kg and we wean. All outside on OAD with ad lib meal feeders on 3 litres of milk replacer.

if you are stilling feeding OAD outside, how is this weaning? or am I reading this wrong?

_Brian

If they are healthy, stress free, eating 1kg meal and drinking fresh water freely then it is time to wean... We'd cut them down to once a day for a week and then cut it out. Move weaned calves to where they can't see the others being fed as this stresses them.

Maybe lads rearing replacments would want to hit particular targets weight wise, but I wouldnt be familliar with that.

Deepsouthwest

frazzledhome wrote: »

We wean based on meal eaten also. Over 1 kg and we wean. All outside on OAD with ad lib meal feeders on 3 litres of milk replacer.

Unlike Base we have in the best grass on the farm and use no hay or straw. We only use straw if housed. We have them in the fields locked up for silage till weaning and them to our farm for 2 yrs. quad or jeep does more damage to the grass than the calves will eat

Am I reading this correct? Ur calves are in the silage ground, even though it's been closed off and fert is out?