The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Cattle => Topic started by: Backinwellies on November 06, 2015, 02:46:28 pm
-
I know a number of you have sucklers, when do you wean your calves and how do you do that on a limited acreage? Sheds are not an option here! If you do split ... how long before they can be put back together?
-
I would be weaning April born calves after New Year some time to give the cow a couple of months without a calf drawing on her. And as the weather is often shitty around then it's good to get the calves inside.
If the cows were thin or i was a bit short of feed i would wean earlier or if i thought the cows were a bit fat i could leave the calves on them for a bit longer.
I have never used or even seen these things but might just be ideal for your situation where you don't want to split the cow and calf http://longashspecklepark.com/quietwean.html (http://longashspecklepark.com/quietwean.html)
-
On a limited acreage, with no housing facilities, would you not be better just weaning the calves at 8 or 9 months old and selling them?
I personally either sell them at weaning or, for those that I'm keeping, leave them on their mother and they wean themselves naturally.