Can I just wean her now?

[cjb]

My heifer is really chewing on Violet's teat and it is getting bloody.

I have them separated most of the time but let Violet stay with her a few hours a day to nurse. The calf is 11 weeks old and is eating grass, hay and grain just fine.

Is it too early to wean her? I would like to keep her separate from her mother, tame her down better and keep all the milk to myself.

[cjb]

Bumping for input. Just wondering when I can wean the heifer.

[Cheryl aka JM]

I don't know about a heifer raised on the cow~ but my bottle babies (jersey holstien cross) got weaned around 10-11 weeks because one of them knocked me down and made it impossible for me to walk out to get them for the feedings. They seem to be doing fine now~ close to 16 weeks and they are definitely growing. But I give them grain twice a day to make up for the extra nutrients they are not getting from Milk.

[Lazy J]

Go ahead and wean her now, that will give you time to get some condition back on the cow before slaughter. That extra fat will help make better hamburger, typically a just weaned cow does not have enough fat for decent hamburger.

[cjb]

Lazy J - hee hee. Are you insisting that I eat her now?

I am going to milk her for awhile and then decide what to do.

[ozark_jewels]

Figuring she is quite a fast grower as most dam-raised Jersey calves are, she should easily be able to be weaned now if it is convenient. From the pictures I have seen, I'm sure she will be fine.

[cjb]

Yeah, she's actually pretty big and quite meaty. Maybe I'll just eat her

[Lazy J]

Butcher the one titted wonder, then you can get a cow that milks on all four tits and not have to worry about mastitis.

Jim

[cjb]

Lazy J, I'm not really clear on your opinion about Violet. Could you clarify, please? I'm not really getting whether we should eat her or keep her as a pet.

Thank you
Cliff

[Lazy J]

Ah heck, keep her as a pet. Those dark brown Jersey eyes are too hard to resist.

[copperhead46]

Cows are rather costly pets, I think I'd pump the feed to her and then butcher.
P.J.

[Ross]

I was telling my city friends about milking my Holstein. They asked "What was I going to do with her when she couldn't breed back for next years milk? I told them, "it's funny but dairy cows are made of beef" You can imagine the reaction!!

[cjb]

Yeah well... she'll be beef someday, no doubt. Just not sure exactly when.

Now back to my original question..... CAN I WEAN HER? The calf, that is. You guys are obsessed with my one teat wonder.

[DJ in WA]

It would solve all your problems to just have the teats removed.

I often wonder about people mentioning their calf biting the cow's teats. Cattle don't have upper incisors. So if they have their tongue covering the lower teeth, and just gums on top, how are they biting or "chewing"? Did you watch her walk up and just start chewing on teats like gum?

I wonder if instead, there isn't often cracked teats from getting wet alot, from washing, or sucking. My brother had a nurse cow with small calves and her teats looked like hamburger.

I weaned my last calf at 10 months (he was my backup milker) and he wasn't biting - though she had cracked teats in the winter. Just started applying bag balm liberally.

[Ross]

Now back to my original question..... CAN I WEAN HER?

Yes, you might want to up her grain suppliment a bit to compensate and watch her water intake. Doesn't sound like you have much choice.

[LibertyWool]

If you can wean a bottle calf at 50 days, then I see no reason you can't wean a normal calf at 77 days. You said she is eating grass, hay and grain, so she should have good rumen development.

[ozark_jewels]

Originally Posted by DJ in WA

I often wonder about people mentioning their calf biting the cow's teats. Cattle don't have upper incisors. So if they have their tongue covering the lower teeth, and just gums on top, how are they biting or "chewing"? Did you watch her walk up and just start chewing on teats like gum?

I wonder if instead, there isn't often cracked teats from getting wet alot, from washing, or sucking. My brother had a nurse cow with small calves and her teats looked like hamburger.

Yes, sometimes it is cracked teats from constantly being wet, but sometimes it *is* bites. They do not literally bite, but when the teat is clamped tight between tongue/teeth and upper gums by suction and the calf bucks? Oh yes, instant gash. It happens to human fingers also.

Yes, CJB, you can wean her now!

[Mrs. Homesteader]

THe calf is plenty old to be weaned!!!

[Madsaw]

Originally Posted by DJ in WA

It would solve all your problems to just have the teats removed.

I often wonder about people mentioning their calf biting the cow's teats. Cattle don't have upper incisors. So if they have their tongue covering the lower teeth, and just gums on top, how are they biting or "chewing"? Did you watch her walk up and just start chewing on teats like gum?

I wonder if instead, there isn't often cracked teats from getting wet alot, from washing, or sucking. My brother had a nurse cow with small calves and her teats looked like hamburger.

I weaned my last calf at 10 months (he was my backup milker) and he wasn't biting - though she had cracked teats in the winter. Just started applying bag balm liberally.

If you like I can post some pics of my knuckles from yrs of feeding calves. They don't bite, but its the bunting is when the teeth act as razor blades. With cows its not as bad due to teh teat being soft and pliable. But, knuckles are a differnt story when your holding a bottle for its pen mates. You never know it happens till your done and see teh blood dripping.


CJB
Yes you can wean her know. Also if you keep Violet around as a pet. You can look at it this way. Cows are less likey to kick you in the head and are much lower maintence then horses. Plus a small jersey will take less of your time and eat a whole lot less then a normal saddle horse.
Bob
Bob