# Weaning - how long does it take?



## amysflock (Jul 1, 2009)

I feel for my neighbors right now...I started weaning T-Bone and Annabel last night using the fenceline method, and this morning they are LOUD!!!!! Annabel has twice jumped the 4' field fence into our backyard and been led back - thank God I decided to halter break her first!!

How long does it take for mamas' milk to dry up? How long for calves to get over the separation?

(Next year I really want to try weaning rings, but this year it didn't work out.)

Gads, she just jumped again, I heard her feet hit! I'll be back! 

(I'm back. She found the one spot between the pumphouse and the fence with no hotwire...about 3 feet and, I thought, blocked by dense shrubs. Ha. I have a kennel panel wired in to block her access now. I shouldn't be doing this stuff in my pjs!)


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## Farmer Kitty (Jul 1, 2009)

I'd remove them for several weeks. Not sure of your setup but, if you can totally remove them from where their moms are it might be better. Hopefully, they will quit calling for their moms within a couple of days.

BTW-If you are talking about the gizmos one puts in their nose to keep them from sucking, we haven't had any luck with them. We had suckers we've tried them on and they still sucked. That is why I pail train my calves so early as it helped prevent that. Beef people I know here just move the calves to a separate pasture/pen.


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## laughingllama75 (Jul 1, 2009)

it only last a few days.....the bellowing, that is. At least with ours. And yep, I think the neighbors wanted steak during that time. LOL.
Good luck,


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## wynedot55 (Jul 1, 2009)

they will quit bawling in a week or less.so things should quieten down soon.it takes atlest a month to completely wean them.


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## amysflock (Jul 1, 2009)

Mission aborted, for now. :| I connected two more ground rods and the electric fence is still not electrified. It's fine coming out of the energizer from what I can tell, but the hotwire is not hot. Looks like DH didn't read the instructions when he set up the ground...for our rocky, fast draining soil and drier conditions, we should have a middle ground wire, or at the VERY least SIX ground rods, not 2 (or the 4 we now have connected...2 more were there but not connected). Annabel escaped while I was at the hardware store and was back nursing on her mama, and I just let T-Bone back in with the herd since it's only a matter of time before he or someone else figures out the fence issue.

Wah!!!


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## Farmer Kitty (Jul 1, 2009)

Make sure the wire isn't grounding out somewhere. Remember weeds and tree branches will ground an electric fence too.


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## amysflock (Jul 1, 2009)

Ok, now that the fence is fixed , I'm wondering when to try weaning again.

What would you do?

1) Separate the calves again tonight and let them bawl, even though it might disrupt the next door neighbor's sleep (she'll work tomorrow but not Friday)

OR

2) Wait until tomorrow to separate them, let them bawl Thursday through the weekend (presuming they stop by then!), because heck, it's a four-day holiday weekend, no one nearby has to work, and if we get annoyed, oh well, it's vacation time?

OR

3) It doesn't matter, someone in the neighborhood will be annoyed with all the ruckus, but it'll be over soon.

Thoughts??


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## Thewife (Jul 1, 2009)

Pass out ear plugs to all your neighbors and separate them!


I would tell you to haul them over here, but then I would have to listen to it! And I just cleaned my barn, it's so clean and pretty! I don't think I am going to let my own cows in there ever again!


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## amysflock (Jul 1, 2009)

Wow, I remember you cleaning your barn last year, and it was a big job! Very cool that it's only July 1 and you're finished!!!


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## Farmer Kitty (Jul 1, 2009)

thewife said:
			
		

> Pass out ear plugs to all your neighbors and separate them!
> AGREED! It has to be done sometime and no matter when you do it they won't be happy. Might as well get it done and over with.
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> I would tell you to haul them over here, but then I would have to listen to it! And I just cleaned my barn, it's so clean and pretty! I don't think I am going to let my own cows in there ever again!
> You have been wanting everyone else's cattle. What's the matter, is amysflock to close to you and you're afraid she just might bring them over for the weaning?


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## amysflock (Jul 1, 2009)

Farmer Kitty said:
			
		

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If I had a truck and trailer, I'd consider it, but it's too far to walk two unruly calves, and they won't fit in my Subaru. thewife, you're safe! 

Two votes for starting weaning again tonight...sounds like a majority so far (and at least the neighbor would know why they're bawling since we talked about it this a.m.). I'll go work on that now!


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## Farmer Kitty (Jul 1, 2009)

amysflock said:
			
		

> Farmer Kitty said:
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## Thewife (Jul 1, 2009)

Farmer Kitty said:
			
		

> thewife said:
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I've seen Amys cows, they are hairy and have little tiny ears! I am sure that is communicable! If she gets desparate enough to find a way to haul them, we could put them in one of my clean stalls. Right now neither one of my corrals are useable!
Now if some one with floppy eared cattle needed some where to wean, I might just find a way to go pick them up!
(then they would not know where I've taken them)


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## amysflock (Jul 1, 2009)

Okee dokee, fence is still hot (or hot again, I should say, went out once more thanks to the bull), Annabel is back with her brother for about the sixth time (little monster escapee). Fingers crossed they all stay where they ought to and aren't too terribly loud tonight!

(I know, I know, wishful thinking!)


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## Farmer Kitty (Jul 2, 2009)

How are things going today?


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## wynedot55 (Jul 2, 2009)

yes how is the weaning going.


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## amysflock (Jul 2, 2009)

Well, after a very quiet night and getting up to let the dogs potty at 4:36 a.m. and verifying both calves were both where they were supposed to be, two hours later Annabel was out again. Grrr! She's apparently diving through a 12" space between two hotwires, and those wires are HOT HOT HOT! I touched with my bare hand and got a major shock, and my hand is still a little tingly over an hour later!

She's very brave and determined and making me ever so slightly nuts. I slid the corner joint (around a post with an insulator) down a couple inches or so, and we'll see if that does anything. I think my husband's jump wire between the two is too tight. I might have to redo that to get the spacing right, and if THAT doesn't keep her in, then I don't know what will!

T-Bone hasn't gotten out yet (except when I let him out); he's just way too big to get through the fence. This morning after I got Annabel back in with him they went to the corner, and she started casing the joint, and her shoved her HARD out of the way and got into the corner himself, almost as saying, "Sissy, PLEASE stop leaving me in here by myself!"


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## Farmer Kitty (Jul 2, 2009)

Just keep T-bone on your side!


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## wynedot55 (Jul 2, 2009)

weaning calves can be 1 big headache.esp when 1 keeps getting back with momma.


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## she-earl (Jul 2, 2009)

Do you have pen in a barn that you could put her until she has gotten over the worst of the "withdrawal"?  It sounds like she is willing to put up with momentary pain to get what she wants.


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## amysflock (Jul 2, 2009)

I don't. The only thing I could do is move the calves to the paddock and lock them in, provided I lock the cows and bull out. I'd need to figure out water for the others, then, as our hose doesn't reach that far. (I barely make it to the trough in the front pasture (where the calves are) and the paddock to the main trough.)

I ran to the feed store to get more minerals and came back to find Annabel out AGAIN. At Kitty's suggestion I walked her back in and made her touch her nose on the fence. She flinched a bit, so I did it again. I didn't get a great reaction, not what I was hoping for. I took some pliers and made slight bends in all three hotwires in the wider space she's getting through, and adjusted the height on both ends of that 8' section of fence to see if that'll be enough of a height difference to deter her.

If not, maybe my DH will have some ideas when he gets home tonight. My patience is about out.


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## Farmer Kitty (Jul 2, 2009)

If she keeps going through the one spot, do you have some snow fence or something you could put up there on the other side of the fence?


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## laughingllama75 (Jul 2, 2009)

Ok, how about tieing her to the barn/in a stall, etc. (with a short lead so she can't get tangled) until she settles down?
Also, dont want to break it to you, but highlands only stay in the fence cuz they want to, not cuz the fence affects them at all. Been there, done that. Mumma Snuff would come to see me all the time, just becuase she could. If I yessed at her, she would go right back in on her own. We had another yearling that would get out all the time, she went in the freezer as we were sick of chasing her down the road.


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## Thewife (Jul 2, 2009)

If one of our cows finds a spot it can get through, it usually ends up getting shipped out! Seems like no matter what you do the that one spot, they keep working it until they get through!


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