Five Feed Tips for Weaning Calves
- Use Cattle Lick Tubs When Weaning Calves. Cattle lick tubs can be used as a free-choice supplement in calf receiving pens. ...
- Offer Palatable Calf Starter Feed. When calves search for feed, make sure there’s a palatable feed in the bunk. ...
- Select a Feed That Supports the Immune System of Weaning Calves. It’s critical to support the immune system of weaning calves during high stress. ...
- Find the Right Feed Form. The physical feed form can influence consumption. Bigger pellets tend to work best for calf starter feeds because they are softer.
- Prioritize Starter Feed Quality. Evaluate your feed quality and don’t settle for the least expensive option – it might be cheaper up front, but it could also be less ...
How much grain should our weaned calves eat?
There are guidelines on how much grain a calf should be eating in order to have a functional rumen and be weaned. The rule of thumb is that calves should be consuming about 2 pounds (about 4 cups) of starter per day for three days in a row to be weaned onto all-solid feed (Jones, and Heinrichs 2017).
What is the best way to wean calves?
- Requires additional pasture/drylot space to isolate calves from cows
- Bawling Calves
- Requires more feed to condition calves in drylot/pasture setting
How to raise a feeder calf?
- It's easy to over-react when you hear your calf cough for some reason or other. ...
- Not keeping regular scheduled feedings will cause a calf's stomach to get upset and make him get scours. Keeping a routine will prevent this.
- Check the calf for ticks, fleas, lice and other bugs that can spread disease. Spray to alleviate flies and mosquitoes as well.
When is the best time to wean?
Your baby is ready to wean if they can:
- Stay in a sitting position and are able to hold their head steady.
- Co-ordinate their eyes, hands and mouth, can look at food, grab it, and put it in their mouths all by themselves.
- Swallow their food. Babies who are not ready will often push their food back out, so get more around their faces than they do in their mouths.
What to feed calves at weaning?
Try to limit silage and other familiar feeds. So, the calf is offered half of 1.0 or 0.5 percent of body weight of a weaning ration or pellet and half of 1 percent of body weight of good quality grass hay. * Positioning the feed is as important as the feed itself.
How much feed should a weaned calf eat?
Calves will need 4 to 5 pounds of a grain-protein mixture per head daily to average 1.2 pounds daily on winter fescue pastures (Table 3). Forage sorghum, small grain and grass legume silages work well for wintering calves but are lower in energy than corn silage.
How long do calves take to wean?
between 7 and 14 daysHow Long Does It Take To Wean Calves? On average, it takes between 7 and 14 days after the calves and cows are separated for them to quit bawling, and begin to forget about each other.
What feed is best for calves?
A typical creep feeding ration is corn or a mixture of 65 percent corn and 35 percent oats. Place beef feeder calves on good quality pasture to economically gain weight. After weaning, calves enter a growing phase.
When should I introduce grain to my calf?
In early weaning systems calves need to begin eating some grain by 2 weeks of age to allow enough rumen development to occur before weaning at 5 or 6 weeks of age. If we do a good job of managing grain intake, it is possible to wean calves at 6 weeks, even when milk feeding rates are high.
What should I feed my 4 month old calf?
Treat calves more like piglets up to 4 months of age. Feed them a diet high in corn that is not restricted. Do not feed hay until 2 months of age. Feed only a high-quality, leafy forage from 2 to 4 months of age, and limit the amount of forage to no more than 10 percent of the diet, preferably 5 percent.
Will calves wean themselves?
Though calves naturally wean themselves around ten months, on beef farms calves are weaned when they are around six months old; for dairy farms, this happens just 24 hours after they are born.
How much milk replacer does it take to wean a calf?
Milk Replacer Start with 1 lb of milk solids (1 gallon) in the first week and gradually increase to 2 lbs/day (2 gallons of milk) in the first 4–5 weeks of age. Gradually decrease the amount offered after the 5th week to avoid weaning stress.
Can you wean a calf at 6 weeks?
In extreme conditions, it is possible to successfully wean calves from 4 - 6 weeks of age without a milk replacer, provided appropriate management is applied. Calves 3 - 4 months of age are easier to feed and manage than younger calves.
Why is it important to keep calves eating?
“It is important to keep the calves eating because there are many times where we create more problems for ourselves in a weaning program by getting ahead of the calves and offering them too much feed ,” Waggoner said.
What is a weanling's diet?
Weanlings are often used to feedstuffs such as grass and hay, which are not rich in nutrients, so producers must find a way to balance the familiar feedstuff with new, nutrient-rich feeds.
What is the K-state Hays weaning protocol?
Waggoner referenced a series of studies called the K-State Hays weaning feed management protocol, a step-by-step process used to wean calves so it would be standardized across different treatment groups. It transitioned the calves from a grass and milk diet to some sort of a total mix ration.
What happens if you don't feed your cows?
If they do not eat properly there’s an increased risk of disease. * Feeding both cows and calves a small amount of a supplement or the weaning ration out of a bunk prior to weaning when the calves are with the cows can be a good way to acclimate them to those feeds.
Is spring beef weaning good?
GARDEN CITY, Kan. – As spring beef calves are beginning to be weaned, it is the producer’s responsibility to help make that transition as smooth as possible. Improper weaning can result in poor growth, which may stay with the animal through its life, according to Kansas State University animal scientist Justin Waggoner.
How to keep calfs hydrated?
Until then, one way to keep calves hydrated is to place some additional water tanks or tubs in the pen. Like feed bunk placement, water tanks or tubs should be placed along the fence line so calves will quickly find them and start drinking.
How much bunk space do calfs need?
If you’re using a calf starter feed with intake control properties in a self-feeder, each calf only needs six to eight inches of bunk space because they won’t all eat at once.
Is it stressful to wean a calf?
Weaning calves can be very stressful, but implementing a few new nutritional strategies can make the transition more seamless.
Can you walk a calf out of a waterer?
If your calves are suddenly moved into a pen with an automatic waterer and they’ve never used one before, you can’t expect them to walk right up and drink out of one. It will take some time for calves to adapt to their surroundings and navigate the facilities with ease.
Can you wean cattle?
Weaning calves can be a stressful time for you and your beef cattle. But, the sooner you can get your calves to eat, the less likely they are to get sick. A few adjustments to your nutrition program can make a huge difference. 1.
What do I feed my finishing steers?
I feed WSC to my finishing steers. They are fall calves weaned in May, on grass w/ corn , then hay w/ corn. I get them up to about 20# WSC with a little bit of protein pellets.
What do you feed whole shell corn with?
Against what a lot of people do - I feed whole shell corn, with a protein pellet added to get the protein level needed.
How old are fall steers when they are butchering?
And to add - I feed out Sept-Oct born calves and butcher them the following October - so they are 12 or 13 months of age. I have been averaging about a 750# carcass. Growthy calves do not need to be backgrounded (pastured). They can go directly on a finishing ration (SLOWLY). Start with 1% of their body weight. You can easily increase every 2 weeks - up to 3% of BW. My fall steers are getting just about 20# WSC right now. Butcher date is 10-11
Why do cattlemen fear feeding whole corn?
That’s because they can see the corn in manure and fear their cattle aren’t getting anything from it.
How much corn should I feed my dog?
I would feed him 1-2% of his body weight. What does he weigh? If he is 1000#, 1% is 10#. So 9# corn & 1# 45%, should be about 12.5% which I would think is "just right" for protein. With good hay, that should be good to grow him out. 2% will help him grow out better - just watch for fat.
Can you feed straight corn to prevent acidosis?
I generally don't feed straight corn to prevent acidosis since they are grazing and getting grain, was told the high levels of starch in straight corn while grazing was more likely to cause acidosis.
Can you research PB cattle?
You can research it - there have been lots of research on the subject . I have been feeding steers to finish and showing PB cattle for many years. My show string also gets WSC with pellets added. I do all right in the show circle.
When should I wean my cows from calving?
That being said, I know of producers with spring-calving herds that routinely wean calves from first calf- females ahead of the mature cow herd. Body condition at calving has the greatest impact on reproductive performance the next breeding season. By weaning calves (calves 160 to 180 days of age) early the nutrient needs of these females decreases a bunch and they are able to graze themselves into good body condition before calving and reproductive performance is really good for these females the following spring/summer.
How to wean a cow?
Second, before weaning, expose calves to feed. We know that the sooner calves consume feed after weaning, the lower the morbidity and mortality. This may mean that two to three weeks before weaning, start calves on a creep feed or offer cows a couple pounds of cubes three to four times a week. Calves will learn to eat alongside their mothers and then when they are weaned, considered starting them on a pelleted ration for the first 14 to 21 days.
How old should a cow be to wean from dam?
There are data that indicates that beef calves can be successfully weaned from their dams when they are 45 days old. So when the youngest calf is between 45 to 60 days old, you could consider weaning them from their dams. It is important that waters and feed bunks are at a level that calves of this age can easily access them. Also, consult your veterinarian as to herd health strategies. Calves at this young age are still responding to passive immunity that they received through colostrum. Your vet will help you with this component. Diets fed to early weaned calves must be comprised of high quality feeds that are highly digested. These calves have a small rumen and to keep them growing at an acceptable rate, the diets need to be well designed. Also, these diets need to be high quality, dust free, and particle size needs to be uniform so that calves cannot sort the rations.
What is the importance of feeding bunks and waters?
It is important that waters and feed bunks are at a level that calves of this age can easily access them. Also, consult your veterinarian as to herd health strategies. Calves at this young age are still responding to passive immunity that they received through colostrum. Your vet will help you with this component.
How long do cows stay at fences?
The first day, calves and cows will stay at the fence, after four days , they both will be content in their pastures. Continue to feed the calves or have the creep feeders available for them.
Can cows get MLV?
The concern about using modified-live virus (MLV) vaccines in pre?weaned calves is that pregnant cows (the dams of these calves) might abort following exposure to the vaccine virus. This very rarely happens and many thousands of calves receive MLV vaccine prior to weaning without adverse effect to the cow herd. Vaccinating cows prior to breeding, using the same product, further minimizes this risk. However, vaccine manufacturers often warn of the possibility of problems on the label - and if they don't want to assume any liability, then I don't either - so follow the label directions.
Can you wean calves from a herd?
Good question. The answer, I think, is "it depends". If first-calf females have access to an abundant amount of forage and appear to be in adequate body condition, then weaning calves from this group of females ahead of the time that you would wean calves from the rest of the herd is likely not necessary. If the amount of forage is not adequate (drought conditions) and/or quality of the forage is low when these young females are still in a part of their lactation curve where they are producing a lot of milk, then early wean calves from this group of females would allow them not to get in poor body condition or if they have, you could regain body condition without much supplementation.
How old should a calf be after weaning?
After weaning, calves should receive free-choice calf starter until 3 mo old. If hay is fed during this period, it should be of excellent quality and fed in limited amounts. Energy requirements for adequate growth in calves 3–15 mo old may be derived largely from good quality forage. Meeting protein requirements during this period is challenging, ...
What is the crude protein requirement of animals?
The crude protein requirements of animals <150 kg are relatively high and could be reduced by the use of protein sources with higher RUP proportions. DMI, dry matter intake; RUP, rumen undegradable protein; RDP, rumen degradable protein; ME, metabolizable energy.
What are the goals of raising calves to weaning age?
The goals of raising calves to weaning age are optimizing growth and minimizing health problems. We do this by understanding the digestive system, immune system, nutrient needs, and feed options.
Why is constant feeding not good for calf?
This is not the case, because calves with different body weights have different maintenance energy requirements. A constant feeding level will meet the needs of an average calf, but exceed the needs of smaller calves and fall short of the needs of larger calves, resulting in different rates of gain.
How much of a calf's stomach is omasum?
The stomach compartments grow in proportion to the calf's body size. By 12 weeks of age, the reticulum and rumen will make up more than two-thirds of the total stomach capacity. The omasum still makes up about the same proportion at 10 percent. In contrast, the abomasum comprises only 20 percent.
How to choose milk replacer for dairy cows?
There are many options available for calf milk replacer, and each is designed to meet different needs. To sort through them, first set goals for calf growth, health, and weaning age. Then select a product designed to meet those goals. When comparing products, the first step is to read the label. The most important items to identify are the crude protein and fat content, ingredients, and feeding instructions. Differences in the price of milk replacer are due to ingredient selection, manufacturing technology, and nutritional quality. Consider these factors when balancing cost and calf performance.
What is the digestive system of a dairy calf?
The Digestive System. At birth, the dairy calf's digestive system is underdeveloped. From birth to about 2 weeks of age, the calf is a monogastric, or simple-stomached, animal. The abomasum is the only stomach compartment actively involved in digestion, and milk or milk replacer provides nutrients.
Why is colostrum feeding important?
Timing of colostrum feeding is critically important for two reasons: the short-lived ability to absorb large molecules and the potential for pathogenic bacterial colonization of the intestine.
What is the stomach of a calf?
Anatomy. At birth, the calf's stomach contains the same four compartments found in adult ruminants. However, the calf's reticulum, rumen, and omasum are inactive and undeveloped. The newborn's functional stomach, the abomasum, is similar to a human's stomach.
WEANING
Weaning is one of the most stressful times for calves, and it doesn’t help that it’s also the most common time to give vaccinations. No one wants to work their cattle more than necessary.
The WHEN of weaning
Generally, 6-8 months of age; though calves can be weaned as young as 3 months. As long as your cows have good body condition and you have ample feed, there is really no reason to wean early. In Maryland, the majority of farms wean in the fall: September through early November.
The HOW of weaning
There are 3 methods of weaning commonly used in the beef industry. Each method has pros and cons, the key is finding the best one that suits your farming operation and the cattle market in your region.
The WHY of Vaccines
In the beef industry, we operate on tight margins and while $3-10 per animal (depending on the vaccination program you choose) may seem like a lot, especially when you factor in the labor of catching your cattle and running them through the chute, it’s really not. Especially when a sick animal happens – and it will.
The HOW of vaccines
There are 3 types of vaccines commonly used in the beef industry. Each has pros and cons, the key is finding the best one that suits your farming operation. Again, always consult with your veterinarian when making decisions about vaccine use on your farm.
