advice/weaning

[brian mcf]

hello,i have had a few cows now for 18 months.every thing is going good.we were successful on having a calf. the calf is now 9 months old.i seperated her from the other two cows today.i just divided the inside of the barn with 2 gates,about three feet apart,calf on one side two cows on the otherside.my question is : how long should I keep them separated - I've read on here 8 weeks was long enough?? that seemed a long time to me. What do you suggest??

Thank you
Brian

[mtman]

21 days will do it
after that if the calf still wants to suck the momma will kick her of

[doodles]

That has not been my experience. I just had a 7 month old heifer that had been off her momma for 6 weeks jump the fence and the first thing that she did was clean out every drop of milk. We caught her within hours and separated them by 2 pastures. Cow is bellering and calf bawling alll over again. This was a grafted calf onto a first freshening heifer that had a still born calf go Figure!!

[Christiaan]

I've only had to wean once, Beth usually does it all by herself around six months but she had a very big calf that was just taking too much out of a pregnant cow. I locked the calf up for 5 days. Beth stayed near the pen for two days, then went and grazed her pasture like usual. Neither one bellowed, just looked a little wistful. Let the calf out on the fifth day and it never even tried to nurse.
I do love Highlands!

[Ronney]

Brian, unfortunately that is a bit like asking how long is a bit of string. It will vary from cow to cow and calf to calf and you are going to have to test the waters with it. I've had calves that have been weaned for almost a year and put them back in the same paddock as their mothers and they are straight into that udder. On the other hand, I've also had calves that have been weaned for a matter of weeks and it doesn't matter at all.

Cheers,
Ronnie

[john in la]

Put it on the calf and walk away. Once the mother kicks it a few times the calf will get the idea.