Page 11 - MWC 8-11-2022s

Managing Early Weaned Beef Calves The Midwest Cattleman · August 11, 2022 · P11

By Karla H. Wilke
One option for beef produc- ing a protein source that is
ers facing ongoing drought is not easily digested by the mi-
early weaning. That practice crobes and is then available at
is typically defined as wean- the tissue level can help sup-
ing before calves are 150 days port gain without the calves
of age. In extreme cases beef depositing fat instead of lean
calves may be weaned at 45 growth. Distillers grains, a
days of age, but more com- by-product of the ethanol in-
monly early weaned calves are dustry is an example of a pro-
over 90 days of age. tein supplement that is a good
Early weaning may be source of rumen undegradable
advantageous in times of protein for the young growing
drought, when cows are in a calf.
confinement system, or as a An example diet for a 300-
body condition management pound calf that would support
tool for very young or old 2.0 pounds/day gain would be
cows. Once weaning has oc- 2.5-3 pounds of dried distill- and bunk line will effectively clean pen can also help pre-
curred, the cow, now without ers and 7 pounds of a 50:50 contain bawling, pacing light- vent post-weaning illness. Pro-
the demands of lactation, can blend of oat hay and alfalfa or weight calves before weaning ducers may want to visit with
be maintained on poor quali- high-quality meadow hay. Zinc will alleviate some headaches their local veterinarian about
ty forage and little to no sup- and copper are very important later. A pen that traditionally vaccination schedules and
plement. Higher quality feed, minerals for boosting immuni- holds 500-700 pound calves protocols that would be most
which may be in limited sup- ty so providing a good vitamin may not contain a 300-pound effective for the early weaned
ply, can be reserved for the and trace mineral package calf as well. Fenceline wean- calf as well as developing a
rapidly growing calf. free choice or in a total mixed ing, where cows are on one protocol for treating illness if
it occurs, well before weaning
Nutrition ration is important to the side, and calves on the other, takes place.
young calf as well. Water is may also be a bit more chal-
Milk is a great source of nu- also important for the health lenging with the smaller calf
trition for the young calf. With and wellbeing of the calf and who may be able to crawl Marketing
the removal of milk in the should be clean and accessible through the fence. Even with a price slide
diet through weaning, anoth- Space to spread out in a
er source of high-quality nu- at all times. Fermented feeds continued on page 22
such as silage should be ini-
trition needs to be provided if
the same level of daily gain is tially avoided at weaning if
it is unfamiliar to the calves.
desired. Although young beef
calves begin eating solid food Wet feeds can spoil quickly if
intake is low and can prevent
by 30 days of age, the rumen
is still small in the young calf. calves from eating as much
as they need to. However, if
Therefore, a nutrient dense,
highly digestible diet with a calves have been introduced
to silage and wetter feeds such
fast passage rate will allow
the calf to consume, digest, as wet distillers grains while
still nursing the cow, they will
and absorb the nutrients
needed. Diets containing resi- readily consume it.
dues or low-quality hay which Management
are often poorly digested, slow Providing at least 12 inches
the rate of passage through of bunk or feeding space per
the digestive tract and there- calf allows all the calves access
fore, limit intake, which in to feed without overcrowding.
turn can limit gain. A mature The early weaned calf is like-
cow has a large rumen and ly smaller than traditionally
has the potential to consume weaned calves, so making sure
enough low-quality feed to the calf can reach the feed in
meet her needs in most cases. the bunk is critical. This is also
A young calf needs to be able true of the water tank. Making
to eat small frequent meals, as sure the tank is banked well,
the rumen is so much smaller. and the tank fills to the edge
Because milk bypasses the quickly so calves always have
rumen and goes straight to reachable water is critically
the abomasum via closure of important. After weaning, the
the esophageal groove, it is a goal is to increase feed intake
very digestible source of pro- as quickly as possible. Howev-
tein and energy, available to er, without adequate water ac-
the animal for bone and mus- cess, this process is delayed, as
cle growth, as opposed to being is nutrient intake, which can
available as a nitrogen source lead to depressed immunity
for the microbial population and growth.
in the rumen. Supplement- Determining that the pen