"Weaning Beef Calves".pdf

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Weaning beef calves is a critical process that can be stressful for both calves and cows. The time of weaning depends on factors such as loss of dam, forage resources, cow body condition, and sale time. Calves can be weaned between 3 and 8 months of age, with older ages usually being better.

Preparation for weaning is essential and includes vaccinations, deworming, and acclimating calves to post-weaning diets. Management procedures like branding, castrating, and dehorning should be done in advance.

Weaning methods include total separation and fenceline weaning. Fenceline weaning is a low-stress technique where cows and calves are placed on opposite sides of a strong fence, allowing for some nose-to-nose contact.

Post-weaning management is crucial, and preconditioning is a nutrition and health management practice that prepares calves for the next phase of production. A 45-day post-weaning period before shipping has been shown to be beneficial.