To wean or not?

[Logbrog]

My March/April born suckler calves are due to be sold around 10 th of November.
they are still on the cows but need housing.
they are doing fantastically well , eating plenty of creep.
I’ve got room to either wean or not for the next couple of weeks.
any advise appreciated.

 

[Northeastfarmer]

Buyers will appreciate them spaned but obviously there’s a chance they may get a slight check after you’ve taken them off
Personally I’d take them off if they are eating plenty of creep

 

[sticky]

Too close now leave them on.

 

[Samcowman]

Any way of weaning them and leaving them on one side of the gate with mother’s on the other. Do it where I can here and you get 1 night of a bit of noise then that’s it.
A buyer would prefer settled calves than ones bawling in the pens.

 

[Highland Mule]

I think that @Henarar has some good experience of using quiet wean nose paddles - might be enough time to try them and wean off still with their mothers.

Quiet Wean – Quiet Weanwww.quietwean.co.uk

 

[Henarar]

I think that @Henarar has some good experience of using quiet wean nose paddles - might be enough time to try them and wean off still with their mothers.

Quiet Wean – Quiet Weanwww.quietwean.co.uk

Yep I would put a clip in their nose and leave with mum till they go, take the clip out when you load them
Done a few like this now, best of both worlds in a way

 

[Highland Mule]

Yep I would put a clip in their nose and leave with mum till they go, take the clip out when you load them
Done a few like this now, best of both worlds in a way

I've just bought a few on amazon to give them a try. £3.98 for five, but too slow delivery for Logbrog.

 

[Henarar]

I've just bought a few on amazon to give them a try. £3.98 for five, but too slow delivery for Logbrog.

You can get simular things from Mole valley

 

[Highland Mule]

You can get simular things from Mole valley

Not too handy for us in the north, but might suit Logbrog.

 

[Werzle]

My March/April born suckler calves are due to be sold around 10 th of November.
they are still on the cows but need housing.
they are doing fantastically well , eating plenty of creep.
I’ve got room to either wean or not for the next couple of weeks.
any advise appreciated.

Get them weaned in my opinion, if your sale was in a week i would say leave them on the cows but they will have settled well in 10-14 days so i would wean them. Another thing i have learnt is calves will handle sale day,the journey and weigh better if you stop feeding creep 12-24 hrs before going on the lorry/trailer . Stock getting stressed/excited with a belly full of creep will sh#t their hearts out , forage only for the last 12-24hrs helps them no end imo. I wouldnt bother with nose flaps and the stress of putting them in, if the calves are eating plenty of creep the cows will miss the calves more than the calves will miss the cows

 

[Thick Farmer]

I’d wean them the day of the sale. No growth check and somebody else gets to deal with the mooing.

 

[Anymulewilldo]

Get them weaned in my opinion, if your sale was in a week i would say leave them on the cows but they will have settled well in 10-14 days so i would wean them. Another thing i have learnt is calves will handle sale day,the journey and weigh better if you stop feeding creep 12-24 hrs before going on the lorry/trailer . Stock getting stressed/excited with a belly full of creep will sh#t their hearts out , forage only for the last 12-24hrs helps them no end imo. I wouldnt bother with nose flaps and the stress of putting them in, if the calves are eating plenty of creep the cows will miss the calves more than the calves will miss the cows

I’ve found this the last few years since we started creeping calves the last month before weaning. Calves go straight in the sheds with very little fuss. The cows on the other hand... I’m just glad the breeding unit is 2 miles away (and I can still hear them at night!!)

Personally I’d get them weanind. You’ve a fortnight before sale day, that’s plenty of time too get over touch of weaning check and be back in full bloom. As people have said before, they do so much better for the buyer if not straight off the cow.

 

[Radio]

Is it possible to separate and let out once a day to suck then onto every other day,then 3 days will be weaned and cows dry off better .

 

[Logbrog]

Thanks for all reply’s, on balance I will wean. they are not now booked to sell till 13th, so plenty of time to settle.