Age at weaning

Bitten & Hisses

Just wondering, assuming a 12 month calving interval and no issues with a cow’s body condition score, at what age do people here wean their calves?

Never wrestle with pigs

Ten months, perhaps a month earlier for a first calver thats starting to struggle.

Hard Knocks

Never wrestle with pigs wrote: »

Ten months, perhaps a month earlier for a first calver thats starting to struggle.

Wouldn’t leave them on longer than 9 months, but once they hit 300-350kg I’d be weaning & selling

Lady Haywire

Depends on a few factors here, have weaned at 5 months (and will be doing so next week with one calf) but the norm is 9/10 months for the early born calves and 7 or so for the later born ones. Just more to do with space in the shed than anything else.
If we have space to leave them on cows inside we let them go til the cow is 2 months off calving so age can vary.

Green&Red

I'd be 7 for anything born in spring, they are good and strong
9 or so for the autumn calves

Dozer1

average around the 10 months for autumn calved and 9 for the spring ones, the weather this year has forced that to 8 months this year

High bike

7to 8 mts here I like to give the cows a good break

charolais0153

7 to ten months depending on

kollegeknight

So I’ve a few very late April/ may/early June calves. All cows are housed and on silage and some nuts- calves are light enough still. Two cows not in calf and three due to calf in April. Calves are eating some silage and crunch. Cows body conditions are good.

Should I leave the calf on the cow until early Jan? Or should I be weaning?

Does it make much difference what nuts I’m giving the cows?

charolais0153

kollegeknight wrote: »

So I’ve a few very late April/ may/early June calves. All cows are housed and on silage and some nuts- calves are light enough still. Two cows not in calf and three due to calf in April. Calves are eating some silage and crunch. Cows body conditions are good.

Should I leave the calf on the cow until early Jan? Or should I be weaning?

Does it make much difference what nuts I’m giving the cows?

Weaned a may calf a month ago. Was eating nuts with cow. Has thrived since

Hard Knocks

kollegeknight wrote: »

So I’ve a few very late April/ may/early June calves. All cows are housed and on silage and some nuts- calves are light enough still. Two cows not in calf and three due to calf in April. Calves are eating some silage and crunch. Cows body conditions are good.

Should I leave the calf on the cow until early Jan? Or should I be weaning?

Does it make much difference what nuts I’m giving the cows?

Depends
If you’re keeping the calves as stores, I’s wean now it be easier to feed the cow
But if the calves were of good quality & you were going to sell in spring, I’d keep to end Jan / early Feb

Would give dairy as you want to maximize the calf

kollegeknight

Hard Knocks wrote: »

Depends
If you’re keeping the calves as stores, I’s wean now it be easier to feed the cow
But if the calves were of good quality & you were going to sell in spring, I’d keep to end Jan / early Feb

Would give dairy as you want to maximize the calf

Hoping to sell the bull calves in April after the test.

Hard Knocks

kollegeknight wrote: »

Hoping to sell the bull calves in April after the test.

I’d keep on, just watch cow condition
Also Give calves vitamin drench every 4-6 weeks & a bit of straw with the silage

Never wrestle with pigs

Try not to give them hay as they will get pot bellys

Lady Haywire

We've none weaned yet, bar the two that were off cows sold on Monday night & those calves only 5&6 months. However it was a toss up of keeping empty cows longer and have them eating good silage that could be useful next year or sell now and see how they go. Not a peep out of the calves so didn't take anything out of them!
All calves staying the winter will be on cows here until Jan, others will go first week of December. Main reason for keeping calves on is to keep body condition off cows, if we see them going back the calf will come off.