Weaning calves quietly

[hoff135]

I have 6 cows and calves in a shed. Calves are 7 to 9 moths old.

We started putting the calves in the pen next to the cows during the day a so they could get extra feed but the cows were bawling the heads off.

One night we left them off all night and the noise was off the scale. Seems to be the cows making all the fuss they tore the bedding to bits.

We have neighbours so im not wanting people phoning the council or something. And tbh i would not blame them as i hardly slept a wink.

They have been seperate all day today and im going to join them tonight then separate in the morning then join tomorrow night for 20mins then try and keep them off for 24hrs.

Failing that was going to try taking one calf off at a time.

Never seen them going so mad as this even when the calves went to the mart at 6mnths old.

They are only in the next pen!

Any ideas?

Tia

 

[Formatted]

Think you're just making it worse putting them back together. We wean our cows + calves next to each other in the barn, get a night and a day of noise that's it

 

[serf]

Have you got a pen in another parish you can put them in....
Failing that go on holiday for a week

 

[hoff135]

Think you're just making it worse putting them back together. We wean our cows + calves next to each other in the barn, get a night and a day of noise that's it

I said this to the old man, that we should just separate and tough it out for 2 or 3 days after which theyed calm down.

We have a few houses just along the road. Nearest one only 50m away otherwise it would be ear plugs and get on with it.

 

[JSmith]

As above, just wean them, job done! Two or three days should be fine but even if they’re still noisy after that don’t put them back together or your just back to square one!! Any one rings up tell them it’s the countryside an these things happen

 

[hoff135]

Have you got a pen in another parish you can put them in....
Failing that go on holiday for a week

Hahaha yeah new shed at the other end of the farm is what we need. Sadly got neighbours who i try not to aggravate if possible

 

[hoff135]

As above, just wean them, job done! Two or three days should be fine but even if they’re still noisy after that don’t put them back together or your just back to square one!! Any one rings up tell them it’s the countryside an these things happen

You may be right. Sadly the tiny village with about 20 houses our yard and buildings is beside is no longer a rural farming community.

 

[Limcrazy]

Quiet wean nose flaps.
Job done

 

[ffukedfarmer]

When we weaned ours this year the most upset (vocal) were 2 15 month old steers we reared on the bucket last year that had run with the herd this summer.

 

[Wooly]

QuietWean | Calf Weaners designed right

quietwean.com

 

[case44]

Definitely try the easiwean nose flaps
You can get them from Edward Penty in Yorkshire.
Few days,keep cows and calves together then remove flaps and keep calves separate.

 

[Werzle]

I often think these threads are setups to promote nose flaps, i wouldnt use them if i was given them for free. Txt your neighbours informing them that nothing is wrong but there is going to be 2-3 days of bawling, job done.

 

[hoff135]

I often think these threads are setups to promote nose flaps, i wouldnt use them if i was given them for free. Txt your neighbours informing them that nothing is wrong but there is going to be 2-3 days of bawling, job done.

Ive never used them or seen them before. Have heard of the spikes.

Whats your reason for not using them? Thanks

 

[JSmith]

You may be right. Sadly the tiny village with about 20 houses our yard and buildings is beside is no longer a rural farming community.

I understand what your saying but if you don’t do these things what next? No muck spreading in the field next to the houses, no late tractor work, that’s how it starts, they moved into the countryside not the other way round!!! I farm on the fringe of towns and villages so I know where your coming from but they just have to deal with it, your not doing anything out of the ordinary!!

 

[Dave6170]

My pal said starve your cows before weaning.

 

[Werzle]

Ive never used them or seen them before. Have heard of the spikes.

Whats your reason for not using them? Thanks

I dont fancy extra cattle handling putting the things in for a start. If you are weaning at the correct time the calves are getting most of what they need from creep/silage and the cows are glad to be shot of the calves. A few days bawling from the worst of them and the jobs done. I wouldnt like to wean using anti suck spikes, you would be training the cows to kick!

 

[Lofty1984]

As has been said just explain to your neighbours why your doing it and that the noise is only temporary

 

[Werzle]

My pal said starve your cows before weaning.

Turn the water tanks off for 12 hrs and feed them straw for a few days. They soon forget the calves when turned out or fed better in a day or two after that treatment

 

[tinsheet]

Nose flaps, absolute no brainer, even got the neighbours using them now.

 

[puppet]

We creep them into a large loose pen next to the cubicles so they are used to lying there. Shut them in one night, out again then shut away for good. Helps if they can see each other but a few cows will roar for 2 days. Had a neighbour comment on roaring a few years ago but he sold me the sheds so understood not much we could do except better double glazing.