If calves are weaned in a
Each day we feed a little farther from the fence.
corral or a dry lot, it is recom- mended that the calves be held in the pen for a short period of time. Normally this requires a minimum of 3 to 5 days or as much as 10 days after weaning. “A high quality precondi-
tioning ration should be offered twice daily and cool, fresh, clean water should be continually available,” continues Machen. “It is common to arrange feed bunks perpendicular to the fence so calves walking the fence will fi nd the feed. This is one way to stop them from walking the fence. Dry-lot weaning can be easily done, but requires a com- mitment and attention to the calves for the fi rst day in par- ticular.” “If calves are weaned in a dry lot, they should go through an
acclimation process to reduce stress,” adds Gill. “Ac- climation requires someone to stop the walking and allow calves an opportunity to calm the frenzy that occurs when calves are separated from their dams. This simple process requires someone to walk with the calves and use the corner of the corral to stop movement of the leaders. It will take a few trips back and forth and around the pen to stop movement, but the objective is to walk along the side and in the same direction as the calves until they are willing to stop and stand. “Once that is achieved, it is best to place the calves
at the feed bunk,” Gill says. “This is a different process than driving them to the feed trough. Driving calves to feed often results in them going to the trough and then walking past or turning to come back. Placing them on feed involves starting movement in the cattle and then letting them take themselves to the feed trough.”
Successes “We adopted fence-line weaning as a management
practice because we get better weight gains on our calves and see less stress on the cows and calves,” re- ports Spitzer. “Calves calm down more quickly since we began fence-line weaning and they quit bawling
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August 2014 The Cattleman 83
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