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Weaning a calf from a cow is quite difficult. This is a stressful process for both the livestock and their owner. It is worth considering traditional and unusual weaning methods that can be implemented in home and large farm settings.
When to wean a calf from a cow
The term for weaning a calf from its mother is chosen by the owner of the animal independently in the time interval between 3-10 months after his birth. Most farmers start weaning an animal around day 205 of its life, when it is 6 months old. However, the timing is not that important. The main indicator is weight: it must be at least 60 kg.
Preparing calves for weaning
When preparing for weaning, the following important nuances should be considered:
- It is advisable to remove the antlers and, if necessary, castration while the calf is still accustomed to the mother. These procedures cause him a lot of stress, which can be stabilized by the direct presence of a cow nearby. But if traumatic operations are performed during the weaning period, this can aggravate the condition of the animal, lead to rapid weight loss or various diseases.
- In order for the calves to get used to the new environment, a separate, fenced pasture can be allocated to them a couple of weeks before the intended separation from the mother. If it is not possible to allocate a whole pasture, a separate pasture can be assigned to the calves. Be sure to take care of a good fence for this area. Also, this area must be clean, because dirt and dust often provoke various respiratory diseases in immature calves, up to pneumonia – one of the most popular health disorders after weaning children from their mothers.
- Training. Before separating the cow and calf, a number of preparatory measures are carried out. During this period, the baby is taught to eat from the feeder and drink from the trough. These skills will become a priority when he independently fights for a place near the drinker with assertive and adult cows.
Calves should be fed with the following useful preparatory products:
- cereal silage – corn, wheat, oats or sorghum;
- legumes;
- concentrated protein.
When buying a protein supplement, you need to carefully study its composition. It must not contain any products of animal origin. They can cause signs of mad cow disease in maturing calves, especially those that will be used for milk production. You also need to be careful about the cleanliness of the food. It should not contain impurities of dirt, which can easily provoke inflammation of the respiratory tract in the animal.
An important stage in the preparation of the calf is vaccination and revaccination. The first injections are given to animals when they are still accustomed to mother’s milk. The order and frequency of revaccination is determined individually by veterinarians.
How to wean a calf from suckling a cow
After completing all the necessary measures to prepare for the stressful process, they proceed directly to the weaning itself. Depending on the conditions of detention and the capabilities of the farmer, the following methods are used:
- traditional;
- natural;
- “through the fence”;
- with a nose ring.
Separately, the method of weaning during artificial feeding should be studied, which can be psychologically difficult for the animal.
The traditional method
The traditional method of weaning implies:
- Choosing the right day. It is desirable that it be quiet, warm and sunny weather. Such conditions for animals will be more comfortable than wind, rain and cold.
- Placement of feed in a place accessible to cows.
- Gradual transfer of cows to other pens for a comfortable weaning process. For a large pen, you can move 1-2 animals per day.
- Closing the gate when the required number of cows leave the pen so that the calves remain inside. Here a huge role is played by the calmness and naturalness of the methods used. This way, the calves will not scatter, as in most cases the cows leave the gate first and only then do their calves follow.
natural method
The natural method is entirely based on the instincts and nature of cows. This method does not involve human intervention, because in the wild, on unfenced pastures or on farms where extensive farming practices are practiced, the cow pushes her already adult child on her own. The process of natural alienation occurs just before a cow calves a new calf.
The method has its advantages and disadvantages. The main plus is less stress, which in any case will be caused by human intervention in natural processes. The calf is not separated from the herd and stays with his family in a comfortable environment for him. The other pen members help him socialize, show him how to eat silage, drink water and be independent from his mother.
The main disadvantage of the natural method is the health complications in the cow, which does not receive a sufficient break between lactations and calf feeds. Ideally, she needs a significant period of time to restore the shape and condition of the body before the next calving. It is noted that cows that are separated from the calf before the natural moment, show the best milk yield and gain weight faster.
Excommunication “Through the fence”
To implement this method, first, calves and their mothers must be prepared in accordance with veterinary programs, and then follow the recommendations from the “traditional” method. Here it is necessary to take into account one important feature – the pens must be adjacent, so that the cow and calf are in the zone of access to each other, up to the point that they can sniff each other, but the calf does not have the opportunity to kiss the udder.
After that, you need to wait a few days. As a rule, after 4-5 days, the animals begin to lose interest in each other. After their final separation, the cows can be placed in separate pens.
With a nose ring
Another method involves the installation of special rings in the nose of the calf. You can do this yourself with a screwdriver or wrench to align and secure the spiked earring.
Similar nose rings are also inserted into bulls. But unlike calves, they walk with him all the time, and the cubs are removed 1-2 weeks after they completely wean themselves from milk feeding.
The cow herself pushes the calf away when he tries to take the udder, as the sharp spikes stab painfully. At the same time, with the ring, the animal can comfortably drink water, eat grass and stay close to its mother.
Artificial feeding method
Artificial feeding is a forced measure when the calf cannot feed on mother’s milk. Weaning from artificial feeding occurs according to the following algorithm:
- Psychological preparation of the farmer. With prolonged manual feeding, a strong emotional bond is formed between the worker and the animal, even at the subconscious level.
- A weaning procedure is carried out for calves whose nutrition was “from the bottle” at the age of 3-4 months.
- Gradually it is necessary to dilute the milk provided with water, repeating the processes of natural deterioration of the cow’s milk quality that occurs over time. The second option is more traumatic and requires a reduction in the number of servings per day, which can adversely affect the condition of the animal.
During the weaning process, it is necessary to ensure that the calf has a constant supply of clean water, food and mineral supplements. It is also advisable to move it to a well-groomed pasture where there is a lot of grass.
Veterinary advice
Veterinarians advise the following:
- maintain cleanliness in the pens where animals are kept;
- constantly monitor the weight of calves – the main indicator of their physical health;
- when weaning, it is necessary to take care of a good barrier that will prevent communication between the cow and the calf;
- the first 3-5 days, the cow will desperately strive to return back to the calf, especially the primipara;
- minimize stressors to make weaning more comfortable.
Conclusion
You can wean a calf from a cow by following the advice of veterinarians. The main stage of weaning is the preparation of animals. To avoid negative consequences, it is necessary to prevent the occurrence of stress factors in every possible way, taking care of the welfare of animals.
