Early Weaning Can Provide Ranchers Another Management Tool

Early Weaning Can Provide Ranchers Another Management Tool

Some recent research has found that early weaning of spring-born calves improves body weight gain and condition of the cow herd, after the break we’ll learn more. I’m KayDee Gilkey with Open Range.
When environmental conditions such as drought jeopardize cattle production, early-weaning management strategies may offer some relief.
Agricultural Research Service Animal scientist Dr. Richard Waterman and his colleagues evaluated the early weaning of beef calves (weaning at 80 days rather than the traditional age of 215 days) and the impact it has on heifer and steer performance.

Waterman: “If they face a drought, tearly wean can be an option. That they can early wean and have a pretty good confidence that they can take care of those calves and develop them as replacements or finish them as steers and still get good value out of them.”
He adds early weaned steers heading to feedlot need to be identified and harvested at an earlier age than traditionally weaned calves to be sure they are not harvested too fat.

Dr. Waterman said their research also considered the impact to the mother cow. By reducing the demands of lactation, a cow can improve her body condition prior to winter.

Waterman: “Instead of lactation, those nutrients can go towards maintenance and preparing that cow. A cow going into winter in better condition means less harvested feeds that cow needs during that winter period especially rangelands of poor quality of forage.”

I’m KayDee Gilkey with Open Range on the Ag Information Network.