Weaning and mother's love

[cddexter]

You might try making a small pen or separate area away from the cow (so she and the calf can see each other but it can't nurse) and wean the calf that way. Saves everyone (you, cow, calf, and us) from having to listen to it ;D c.

[marion]

Last year I weaned two, on the truck. A five month steer and a four month bull calf. It could not be left longer, due to distance and the approach of bad weather, and I had decided that the calves needed the milk right to their last day here. The steer's dam, a more experienced mother, did the usual three days of not too intense searching and mooing, but the bull calf's first calf dam, made herself ill with panic and grief, so much so that I called the vet. I vowed to NEVER again wean on the truck. Others I have weaned over a gate, where the dam can see her calf and know that it is safe, as she detaches from the nursing connection.
Last years' first calver did eventually settle down (and I, eventually, forgave myself)...and I milked her from October til April, when she decided to 'wean' me..marion
(modified for spelling)

[otf]

My concern would be that the calf has been moved to a new environment (new germs) and is under double stress - no more milk shakes AND new germs. Weaning is tough on calves, even tougher on me, but I try to minimize the stress as much as possible.

Gale

[littlecowfl]

I'm a big fan of fenceline weaning, too. Sometimes, you just don't get the chance. Don't be too hard on yourself, Gene, I'm sure she'll have a new calf to love soon enough.

One of mine lost a calf last year and had a really hard time. I will use her as a calf babysitter if I ever need one in the future because she really does a great job with the calves. Those good old mama cows can be very useful even after they've had their last calf. The big ranches I worked on out west always had some old cows to babysit weanlings. Even some of the big feedlots use them in the pens to help calm the steers straight off the range and teach them how to use the automatic waterer. Many of those range calves out in Colorado have never drank from anything other than a mountain stream.

[cddexter]

In almost 30 years and hundreds of Dexters, I've had three calves die. The first time I removed the calf, and the cow was inconsolable, checking everywhere to see where it had gone. I learned a good lesson from that, and the next time (and the time after) I simply left the dead calf right where it was. She'd moon over it a bit, leave and eat, come back and try to get it to move, leave for a drink, hang around, and try to get it to move....took about 24 hours, no noise, and she figured out it wasn't going to get up (probably started to smell different by then, too), and the next thing you knew, it was all over. I could remove the calf and there was no stress.

I know this thread started out about weaning, but I thought this info might be useful, anyway. c.

[littlecowfl]

Yes, I believe that is true about a mother's love (as I cuddle our sleeping 2 year old and type one handed). ;D

[cjsfarm]

We just pulled 25 four month old calves from their mother's this week. Calves are here at the ranch in the corral where we live, bawling until they are hoarse. The mothers are at our other ranch bawling. It's always a challenge this time of year, but we like to see the cow's build up before winter comes. After a few days, all will be quiet.

[cjsfarm]

I just go out and sit in the middle of them and bawl along!

[Star Creek Dexters]

Oh, I can just see that =) I would be right there with you! =)