Calf Weaning Dirty 4-Letter Word or Necessary Evil

1
Calf WeaningDirty 4-Letter Word or Necessary
Evil

• John F Currin

2
Come to the meeting we have donuts
3
(No Transcript)
4
Weaning Dogma

• It takes calves 45 days to put back on the
  weight they lose at weaning

5
Weaning the old way

• Calves weaned in October
• Calves put into bottom of bank barn
• Calves fed hay
• Calves fed water in cut barrell
• Calves kept in barn for 2 weeks

6
Two-Year Average Performance from Steeles Tavern
Studies
Hay Grain Pasture Grain Pasture Only
Start Weight 532 537 539
Ending Weight 621 636 614
42 day Gain 89 99 75
Average Daily Gain 2.12 2.36 1.79
Grain consumed/Hd. 186 186 - -
Avg. daily grain intake 4.43 4.43 - -
Hay consumed/Hd. 387 - - - -
Calves right off the cow, beginning in
mid-October. Grain was Corn-Soy mixture with 13
protein. (1997 and 1998)
7
Data Collection Project

• 5 farms in Virginia
• 40-500 cows
• Wide range of facilities and management styles
• Weigh calves at weaning and 2 weeks later
• 14-27 days

8
Farm A

• 40 steers and heifers
• Weaned on Oct 1
• Average weight 560 pounds

9
Farm A

• Pre-weaning Management
• Nutrition
• Pasture and Milk
• Herd Health
• Pyramid 5 Presponse, Alpha 7 July 22
• Ivermectin Aug 22

10
Farm A

• Weaning Management
• Calves kept in lot for 5 days
• Calves fed 5 Distillers and 15 Corn Sialge per
  day
• Highly palatable grain top dressed for first few
  days
• Free Choice alfalfa hay
• Calves turned onto stockpiled grass after 5 days

11
Farm A

• Weaning Challenges
• 2 calves treated for BRDC Oct 25th
• All calves started on 2 grams CTC per head per
  day for 5 days

12
Farm A Weight Gain
13
Farm B

• 214 Calves
• Weaned 9/29
• Average weight 540 pounds

14
Farm B

• Pre-weaning Management
• Nutrition
• Creep feed (free choice corn gluten) for 80 days
• Herd Health
• Pyramid 5 Presponse, Vision 7 Sept 1
• Cydectin Sept 29th

15
Farm B

• Weaning Management
• Calves kept up in dry lot
• Calves fed 6 corn gluten
• Calves fed free choice clover/grass hay

16
Calf PerformanceFirst 14 Days Post Weaning2.13
ADG
No weight Gain 5 calves 2.3
Weight Loss 12 calves 5.6
17
Farm C

• 254 Calves
• 48 weaned for 27 days
• Weaned on 9/23
• Average Weight 590 lbs
• 110 Weaned for 21 Days
• Weaned on 9/29
• Average weight 667 lbs
• 96 Weaned for 20 days
• Weaned on 9/30
• Average Weight 613

18
Farm C

• Pre-weaning Management
• Nutrition
• Pasture and milk
• Herd Health
• Pyramid 5 Presponse, Vision 7 Sept 1
• Cydectin Sept 29th

19
Farm C

• Weaning Management
• Calves weaned into dry lot
• Calves fed 3-4 corn/soybean meal alfalfa hay

20
Farm C
21
Farm D

• 135 Calves
• Weaned 9/29
• Average weight 540 pounds

22
Farm D

• Pre-weaning Management
• Nutrition
• Pasture and milk
• Herd Health
• Pyramid 5 Presponse, Vision 7 July
• Cydectin July

23
Farm D

• Steer Weaning Management

• Heifer Weaning Management

• Calves weaned into barn
• Calves fed brewers grain/corn silage/haylage mix
• Calves fed 2 grams CTC per day for 5 days

• Calves weaned in dry lot
• Calves fed brewers grain/corn silage/haylage mix
• Calves fed 2 grams per day CTC for 5 days

24
(No Transcript)
25
Farm D
63 Heifers weaned 14 days
72 Steers weaned 22 days
26
Farm E

• 36 Calves
• Weaned 11/12/2008
• Average weight 499 pounds

27
Farm E

• Pre-weaning Management
• Nutrition
• Pasture and milk
• Herd Health
• Pyramid 5 Presponse, Alpha 7 Sept 24
• Cydectin/Panacur

28
Farm E

• Weaning Management
• Calves weaned in field
• Calves fed free-choice corn gluten and stockpiled
  grass / Hay

29
Farm E
30
FALL Calf weaning
31
Bland

• 147 calves
• Dry Lot, Corn Silage, mixed legume grass hay, and
  grain
• ADG 1st 12 days
• 2.64
• ADG 1st 29 days
• 1.19

32
Baskersville

• 69 calves
• ADG 1st 15 days
• -0.27
• ADG 1st 25 days
• -0.44

33
Pamunkey

• 70 calves
• Self feeder, some grass and hay
• ADG 1st 14 days
• 2.55
• ADG 1st 37 days
• 1.31

34
Nottoway

• 101 calves
• ADG 1st 14 days
• -0.03
• ADG 1st 24 days
• 0.65

35
What did I learn from all this?

• Properly weaned calves can gain weight during the
  first 2 weeks post-weaning
• There are lots of different ways to wean calves
• If you want calves to gain weight from the start
  they need 5 pounds of grain per day or corn
  silage based rations

36
What are the best ways to wean calves

• Have to fit weaning system to farm facilities
• Feed calves some of the ingredients pre-weaning
  that you will feed them post-weaning
• Give calves as much space as possible
  post-weaning
• Preferably wean calves on pasture
• Vaccinate calves for BRDC pre-weaning

37
Weaning scorecard
Category Good Needs improvement Challenge
Weaning environment
Nutrition Pre-weaning
Nutrition Post Weaning
Vaccination Program
Weather