[r82230]

I have been fence line weaning for the last maybe 10 years, (use to just wean on the way to the truck/trailer before).

I move calves to a pen about 1/2 acre in size, fence is 4 2x6s on 8 foot center (4x4 posts), with one strand of electric on calf side. Two days it is rather noisy, by 3rd day mom's start heading off to graze. Also, calves have been on a creep feeder before separation (along with RB feeder with mom), that they were use to me (or someone else), putting new feed in every night and morning. Heck, the calves would come up from the pasture to eat without mom's most of the time, with the creep feeder.

Larry

 

[r82230]

I had one heifer that I had this problem with, put a ring in her nose until it worn off (and she had her own calf). Other cows were dry when I took the remaining part out of her nose. Next year she was back to stealing (nursing), while raising her own calf, put another ring in her nose. She didn't get the chance to wear this one out, sent her down the road at calf weaning time. Seems some are just hard wired on nursing perhaps.

Larry

 

[r82230]

I wouldn't put them back together for at least a couple of weeks or a month. I wait much longer than that, but I can do so easily enough. Mine have been off momma for 3 weeks now and still have a couple of mom's, hanging around the calves, even crying once in a while.

if I'd seen your question yesterday, I could have ask a friend/neighbor, how long he waits too. But he doesn't do fence line. He moves his calves across the road, they can't even see one another. But can hear each other easily enough. I just had a thought, maybe he doesn't like his son & DIL, their house would be smack dab in the middle of that singing.

Larry

 

[r82230]

I've been intrigued with some newer research on 'quiet weaning' method of weaning of calves. Just don't know if with my small herd, my age and having the labor available it is feasible in my case. But I wouldn't mind the lack of 'bawling' close to my house. Maybe I could get a couple of better night sleep every year. I suppose I could move, that would also be a solution. Here are a couple articles on the subject.

https://www.americancattlemen.com/articles/quietwean-low-stress-way-wean-calves

https://www.canadiancattlemen.ca/features/low-stress-weaning-for-calves/

Larry

PS as Chevy, mentions sometimes one will still go back to nursing, especially it seems if the cow enjoys it for some odd reason. Then I use the spiked tooth anti-sucking devices, but even had one that started nursing again, months later after she wore the points off the device (she's hamburger now).