Weanling health can be affected by numerous management and environmental factors but planning is key to ensure weaning goes off smoothly. Here, William Conlon looks at ten steps for successful weaning of young calves:
1. Dose calves regularly
The stress of weaning can often leave the weanling open to respiratory illness. In order to avoid this, and reduce the risk of poor liveweight gain, it is essential that calves are dosed when required during the summer. Weanlings should not be weaned and dosed at the same time. Best practice is to dose two to three weeks prior to weaning.
If there are lung worms present, this will provide an adequate length of time for them to be killed and coughed up prior to weaning, thus reducing stress at, and directly after weaning. It is good practice to take faecal samples and have them analysed to show the extent of the worm burden and if there is need for further dosing against fluke.
2. Forward creep-grazing
Forward creep-grazing should be carried out from now on in spring-calving herds, and particularly where milk supply is low. Forward creep-grazing can be easily carried out by raising the electric fence and enticing the calves to creep forward under the fence using concentrates. Creep gates can also be used.
By forward creep-grazing calves you will ensure that calves have access to the best-quality grass on the farm at all times, while the cows who are naturally decreasing in milk yield anyway can be used to graze out paddocks. It also acts as a natural method of breaking the cow-calf bond prior to full weaning. Both the cow and the calf will get used to spending less time near each other, which will help to reduce the stress that can be caused by abrupt weaning.
3. Supplement the calves
The energy content of grass naturally declines from 1.03UFV in spring to approximately 0.92UFV in autumn. This and the possibility of lower dry matter content can reduce the overall energy intake of cattle in the autumn. In order to maximise liveweight gains, it is often essential that weanlings are supplemented during periods of wet weather, or where grass supply or quality is poor.
In addition, it is best practice to supplement calves with 1-2kg of concentrates for a month before and after weaning. This level of supplementation will help to keep calves settled reducing stress and respiratory illness.
4. Wean on a warm, dry day
Both the weanling and the cow will experience stress on the day, and the days subsequent to weaning. Stressed animals are more susceptible to illness. For that reason it is essential that weaning is carried out in good weather so as to avoid causing additional stress to the cow or calf.
5. Minimise stress
Stress needs to be kept to a minimum in the week prior to and after weaning. Doses and vaccinations should be administered well in advance and penning and handling of livestock should be avoided where possible during this time. Castration should not coincide with weaning. Abrupt weaning should be avoided also to minimise stress.
6. Vaccinate
The stress caused around weaning time can often weaken the animals’ defences and result in viruses and disease being able to thrive quickly. IBR (Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis) is a virus that can often set in. Weanlings that are bought and mixed, or mixed at sales, are at the most risk of developing respiratory disease as a result of an IBR infection.
There are a variety of different vaccines available to protect against IBR and the onset of immunity will vary depending on the product used.
7. Feed cows correctly
The diet of suckler cows should be managed correctly at weaning, especially where the cow is milky in nature or is still producing a good volume of milk per day. Drying off the cow correctly is essential in avoiding mastitis. Where forward creep-grazing of weanlings is being carried out in the weeks prior to weaning, this will allow farmers to restrict grass intake to cows and reduce milk yield gradually, which is more desirable than abrupt weaning and housing of cows on hay or dry silage.
Where farmers opt to restrict cows on to hay or poor-quality dry silage to aid the drying process for a few days, then mineral supplementation will be required in order to avoid cases of tetany or even milk fever.
8. Avoid mastitis
The risk of mastitis in cows peaks at weaning, along with reducing feed intake to decrease milk yield, care should be taken to reduce the risk of mastitis. Some farmers use dry cow tubes on certain milky cows. However, this is not common.
Fly activity can spread mastitis quickly through a herd, so it is essential that fly activity be deterred. Applying Stockholm Tar to the udders of dry cows will ward off flies, which will help to reduce the risk and spread of mastitis.
9. Wean gradually
Studies have shown that least stress occurs with gradual weaning. Calves should be maintained in current groups and forward creep-grazed where possible. Weaning should take place gradually and cows removed in at least two separate groups. This will reduce the stress on calves considerably.
10. Graze calves on quality grass
Post-weaning, weanlings should continue to be grazed on the best-quality grass available on the farm in order to maintain high liveweight gains. Planning is essential; you should ensure that you have three to four weeks of good-quality grass ahead of stock after weaning, and they should be grazed in a rotation where possible.
Key points
Dose weanlings two to three weeks before weaning.Forward creep-grazing helps to break the cow-calf bond.Supplementation prior to weaning will reduce stress and maintain good liveweight gains.Calves should be weaned on a warm, dry day to reduce the risk of getting chills and respiratory disease.Weanlings should not be castrated or handled near weaning.Vaccinations should be given well in advance of weaning.Cows should be supplemented and fed accordingly after weaning.Stockholm tar will reduce the risk of mastitis.Gradual weaning will help to reduce stress.Ensure calves remain on top-quality grass post-weaning to maintain good growth rates. Read more
Listen: Pushing beef farms to reach their potential at Beef 2016
Adding fresh dimensions to a simple suckler system
Weanling health can be affected by numerous management and environmental factors but planning is key to ensure weaning goes off smoothly. Here, William Conlon looks at ten steps for successful weaning of young calves:
1. Dose calves regularly
The stress of weaning can often leave the weanling open to respiratory illness. In order to avoid this, and reduce the risk of poor liveweight gain, it is essential that calves are dosed when required during the summer. Weanlings should not be weaned and dosed at the same time. Best practice is to dose two to three weeks prior to weaning.
If there are lung worms present, this will provide an adequate length of time for them to be killed and coughed up prior to weaning, thus reducing stress at, and directly after weaning. It is good practice to take faecal samples and have them analysed to show the extent of the worm burden and if there is need for further dosing against fluke.
2. Forward creep-grazing
Forward creep-grazing should be carried out from now on in spring-calving herds, and particularly where milk supply is low. Forward creep-grazing can be easily carried out by raising the electric fence and enticing the calves to creep forward under the fence using concentrates. Creep gates can also be used.
By forward creep-grazing calves you will ensure that calves have access to the best-quality grass on the farm at all times, while the cows who are naturally decreasing in milk yield anyway can be used to graze out paddocks. It also acts as a natural method of breaking the cow-calf bond prior to full weaning. Both the cow and the calf will get used to spending less time near each other, which will help to reduce the stress that can be caused by abrupt weaning.
3. Supplement the calves
The energy content of grass naturally declines from 1.03UFV in spring to approximately 0.92UFV in autumn. This and the possibility of lower dry matter content can reduce the overall energy intake of cattle in the autumn. In order to maximise liveweight gains, it is often essential that weanlings are supplemented during periods of wet weather, or where grass supply or quality is poor.
In addition, it is best practice to supplement calves with 1-2kg of concentrates for a month before and after weaning. This level of supplementation will help to keep calves settled reducing stress and respiratory illness.
4. Wean on a warm, dry day
Both the weanling and the cow will experience stress on the day, and the days subsequent to weaning. Stressed animals are more susceptible to illness. For that reason it is essential that weaning is carried out in good weather so as to avoid causing additional stress to the cow or calf.
5. Minimise stress
Stress needs to be kept to a minimum in the week prior to and after weaning. Doses and vaccinations should be administered well in advance and penning and handling of livestock should be avoided where possible during this time. Castration should not coincide with weaning. Abrupt weaning should be avoided also to minimise stress.
6. Vaccinate
The stress caused around weaning time can often weaken the animals’ defences and result in viruses and disease being able to thrive quickly. IBR (Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis) is a virus that can often set in. Weanlings that are bought and mixed, or mixed at sales, are at the most risk of developing respiratory disease as a result of an IBR infection.
There are a variety of different vaccines available to protect against IBR and the onset of immunity will vary depending on the product used.
7. Feed cows correctly
The diet of suckler cows should be managed correctly at weaning, especially where the cow is milky in nature or is still producing a good volume of milk per day. Drying off the cow correctly is essential in avoiding mastitis. Where forward creep-grazing of weanlings is being carried out in the weeks prior to weaning, this will allow farmers to restrict grass intake to cows and reduce milk yield gradually, which is more desirable than abrupt weaning and housing of cows on hay or dry silage.
Where farmers opt to restrict cows on to hay or poor-quality dry silage to aid the drying process for a few days, then mineral supplementation will be required in order to avoid cases of tetany or even milk fever.
8. Avoid mastitis
The risk of mastitis in cows peaks at weaning, along with reducing feed intake to decrease milk yield, care should be taken to reduce the risk of mastitis. Some farmers use dry cow tubes on certain milky cows. However, this is not common.
Fly activity can spread mastitis quickly through a herd, so it is essential that fly activity be deterred. Applying Stockholm Tar to the udders of dry cows will ward off flies, which will help to reduce the risk and spread of mastitis.
9. Wean gradually
Studies have shown that least stress occurs with gradual weaning. Calves should be maintained in current groups and forward creep-grazed where possible. Weaning should take place gradually and cows removed in at least two separate groups. This will reduce the stress on calves considerably.
10. Graze calves on quality grass
Post-weaning, weanlings should continue to be grazed on the best-quality grass available on the farm in order to maintain high liveweight gains. Planning is essential; you should ensure that you have three to four weeks of good-quality grass ahead of stock after weaning, and they should be grazed in a rotation where possible.
Key points
Dose weanlings two to three weeks before weaning.Forward creep-grazing helps to break the cow-calf bond.Supplementation prior to weaning will reduce stress and maintain good liveweight gains.Calves should be weaned on a warm, dry day to reduce the risk of getting chills and respiratory disease.Weanlings should not be castrated or handled near weaning.Vaccinations should be given well in advance of weaning.Cows should be supplemented and fed accordingly after weaning.Stockholm tar will reduce the risk of mastitis.Gradual weaning will help to reduce stress.Ensure calves remain on top-quality grass post-weaning to maintain good growth rates. Read more
Listen: Pushing beef farms to reach their potential at Beef 2016
Adding fresh dimensions to a simple suckler system
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