Picture of our two stage weaning

[longhorntractor]

Here are a couple of calves we are weaning with nose flaps. We take them out after about 6 days and then seperate the mom and calf. So far it has worked well.

 

[Deepsouth]

Do you supplemental feed the calves while they have the nose flaps in?

 

[ranching mn]

Nice setup! Seems like the best low stress weaning option!

 

[Bez__]

We just lock the calves in a solid pen - feed them for about a week - push the cows to the back fields and let them all holler for a couple of days.

The noise ensures the teachers and lefties in the area know this is farm country - if they do not like it they can leave - if they complain I spread manure in the fields along side their houses to ensure they get it.

We ship the ones we do not keep and put the keepers in a pasture on another farm.

Looks good - but what do you do if you are weaning a couple hundred?

Far too much work for me

Hope you have a great week

My best

Bez

 

[torogmc81]

Gets the neighbor to the west everytime out here. Calls or comes by asking if everything is ok with our cows/calves.

Yes, it's called weaning

 

[slick4591]

I'm giving this a try next month. I'm putting it in 5 days before the buyer is supposed to show and pulling it just before loading.

 

[pdfangus]

I'm giving this a try next month. I'm putting it in 5 days before the buyer is supposed to show and pulling it just before loading.

they will still ball and be stressed....because they still have the bond to mama even though they are not nursing....
the weaning flaps make weaning easier but they are not a one step silver bullet
I used them for several years and still have about thirty or forty hanging around....

 

[dun]

Just strikes me as more unnecessary work, fenceline weaning is a whole lot easier and works just as well.

 

[pdfangus]

Just strikes me as more unnecessary work, fenceline weaning is a whole lot easier and works just as well.

it is more work and probably not for larger operations....

with our herd which was easy to gather and work....the benefits outweighed the work.

It does make for a less stressful weaning....
while the calves will still bawl for mama a little....
it is markedly less than normal....
and for the cows the time is much reduced....
we would still fence line wean but in no time the cows had gone off and the calves were easier to introduce to some starter feed....
sped up the process and we could sooner break up the calves into their managment groups....bulls, replacement heifers, market calves ....
worked well for me but might not work for everybody or anybody else.

 

[SPH]

Just strikes me as more unnecessary work, fenceline weaning is a whole lot easier and works just as well.

We do fenceline weaning too and has worked well. Just have to make sure you have some good fence though! We'll put creep feed out about 3-4 weeks prior to weaning then do fenceline weaning and ease the calves over to full feed by using the creep feed and putting a bloat block in the feed trough then gradually switch over to the grain ration and self serve hay so they don't bloat with the added stress of weaning.

 

[branguscowgirl]

Just strikes me as more unnecessary work, fenceline weaning is a whole lot easier and works just as well.

:nod: :nod: :nod:
If your fences aren't all that good, all you need is some hot wire, and a quiet baby sitter. (With no udder!)
I think the calves stay a whole lot healthier. I wouldn't do it any other way.

 

[herofan]

We just lock the calves in a solid pen - feed them for about a week - push the cows to the back fields and let them all holler for a couple of days.

The noise ensures the teachers and lefties in the area know this is farm country - if they do not like it they can leave - if they complain I spread manure in the fields along side their houses to ensure they get it.

I'm a teacher, and i figured out the area I live in was farm country even without the noise of weaning calves. I'm so smart! :clap:

 

[Nesikep]

I consider using noseflaps for my replacement heifers only, or steers I keep over.. The rest that get shipped get loaded on the truck the day they're weaned... The cows don't say much if there's no reply. I wean the rest a little later usually, and that way there's always a few that are calm.

 

[Lazy M]

Here you get docked pretry heavy if they can tell that they haven't been weaned for at least a few weeks

 

[Nesikep]

Here it's the norm to wean right before sale day, everyone does it, don't know if it would help if you said they were weaned before

 

[boondocks]

Related weaning question. We have weaned 2 calves for about 6 weeks now and with the change in weather, need to reunite them (and their steer "babysitter") with the rest of the herd. We are thinking of putting noseflaps on them for a few days in case they try to nurse their mamas (or our "commie cow" who will let anything nurse her). They are all now on just hay and protein tub (and access to water and loose minerals of course). Will they have any problems getting enough nutrition with the flaps on?

 

[City Guy]

After six weeks is there anything left in the udder to nurse?

 

[Supa Dexta]

Shouln't be, but you still don't want them sucking. Creates lifelong bad habits, and could bring the cow back into milking

 

[bird dog]

I also do the creep for two weeks before fence line weaning then a round bale of my best hay at weaning. They will still bawl some but not as much with their belly full. They won't lose hardly any weight with this method and very rarely does one get sick. Well worth the time and expense to me.