As most cattle producers know, weaning time can be very stressful.
Youngsters don’t want to leave their mothers, and the mommas don’t want to leave the youngsters. Weaning is essential, however, for the health of calves and cows, and other livestock. Ideally, weaning needs to happen before the forage quality of pasture drops, and prior to when the cows begin to decline in milk production.
Calves will gain weight faster if they are immediately put on a high quality feed after they are weaned, and the cows can get their body condition back up in time for rebreeding, colder weather or both. If animals are stressed during weaning, though, it can weaken their immune systems and create some long-term problems. There are several ways to keep stress low during this time.
Preparation
If your weaning system consists of sorting off cows and calves and running the calves into a pasture or corral they’ve never been in before, with feed bunks and waterers they’ve never seen, without any sight of mom anywhere, you are going to stress out your stock. A little forethought and preparation can ease a great deal of this stress on your animals.
Eldon Cole, livestock specialist with the University of Missouri Extension, suggests the following system: “A few days, ahead of weaning, place the cows and calves in a fresh, high-quality pasture that has water and feed bunks in it. Put feed and good hay out so the cows can lead the calves to it for a few days. On weaning day, separate the cows and calves, leaving the calves where they were, and moving the cows just across the fence from the calves. Feed bunks may be located adjacent to the fence so the calves can’t help but bump into them as they walk the fence.”
Cole stresses the importance of using this fence line system to reduce stress on all parties during weaning.
“Perhaps the single most effective tool used in reducing stress in the weaning process is the fence-line system. In a perfect situation, which most farms do not have, they should try to get the process as perfect as possible,” he said. Be sure to use pastures with the stoutest fence available.
Proper Handling
Calves and other livestock have an intense pair bond with their mothers – being separated for the first time creates a great deal of emotional trauma on young animals. They certainly don’t need you to add to this by using loud voices, threatening body language, or rough handling. You can lower the stress levels of your stock by simply lowering your voice and working calmly and quietly off of the cattle’s natural pressure points. Use of prods, hot shots and dogs should be avoided during weaning time.
As part of your pre-weaning preparation, spend a couple of days hand feeding the cows and calves and topping off their feed bunks. After your cows and calves are separated, continue this process with the calves. “Hand feeding has advantages over a self-feeder as it forces the owner to walk out into the pen and that should gentle the calves,” Cole suggested. “You’re also more likely to detect calves that are in the early stages of sickness. Observe calves and treat draggy ones sooner rather than later. Checking temperatures may also help identify calves that could be under stress.”
Partners
Sometimes all the calves need to lower their stress levels is a buddy – an older animal who can help guide them to feed and water, and help them feel secure. Many farmers and ranchers will put a dry cow or a steer in with a group of weaned calves to provide this partnership.
