Weaning Tips

Weaning can be a stressful and sometimes noisy time on the ranch. University of Idaho Extension Beef Specialist Dr. Benton Glaze says that when it is time to wean calves, ranchers need to consider ways to limit the stress on your calves.
Glaze: “I think we can make sure that we minimize stress as we handle them. We want to always make sure that our facilities are designed and work well so that we can move animals through those facilities easily and without much interruption of their normal activities. Some other things to do is to make sure that we provide them with adequate nutrition. Some of that means to give them access to good clean water. So that once they are weaned, they can get that food in them as well as that water — that can help minimize stress as well.”
He mentions that there are some steps beef producers can take ahead of the actual weaning, to make the process less stressful and easier on the calves.
Glaze: “It is a good idea to provide waters that they can get to or that they are going to be using in the future. As well as some feeders and spread out some feed out there for them. That way those calves get use to drinking out of a certain type of water and eating feed out of a certain type of feeder. As they have that opportunity, that will just limit the stress when they are separated from their mothers.”