Low Stress Calf Weaning

Weaning is a time of extreme stress for both dam and calf.  In most commercial operations, calves are completely separated from dams. Often placed directly on a truck to a feedlot or into “backgrounding” pens, they are then conditioned to eat from a feed bunker and water trough.  Unfamiliar feed, the stress of weaning, and the manure-laden dust found in feedlots causes disease, requiring antibiotic treatment, and sometimes the loss of the calf.

It is our belief that there is a better way, and we have experimented with how to minimize stress during weaning.  In our low stress calf weaning system we separate dams from calves with a two-strand electric fence.  Calves and dams can sniff noses through the fence, which seems to satisfy both that the other is OK.  Pasture management is critical to the system.  Calves go directly to the short, thick grass that we have managed through the second half of the growing season as “calf grass.”  This high quality feed is relished by the calves.  We observed that when we wean on lower quality grass, the calves spend more time along the fence line bawling for their mothers than they do eating. By managing calf grass, the period of separation anxiety (bawling, pacing) for both dams and calves is reduced to a few days.

It’s always interesting when reseach backs up what you know is true from experience.  This abstract from the 2002 regional meetings of the American Society of Animal Science describes how weaning calves using the low-stress techniques we’ve applied to our animals improves post-weaning weight gain. (In our opinion, this is primarily because the calves continue eating and rarely get sick if they can touch noses with their dams).

Fenceline contact of beef calves with their dams at weaning reduces the negative effects of separation
on behavior and growth rate. E.O. Price*1, J.E. Harris1, S.M. Mongold1, R.E. Borgwardt1, M.I. Sween1, and J.M. Connor2, 1University of California, Davis, CA, 2University of California Sierra Foothill Research & Extension Center, Browns Valley, CA.

One-hundred Angus/Hereford-cross calves in each of three years were assigned to receive treatments for seven days to determine the effects of different weaning techniques on their behavior and subsequent growth. Treatments were: 1) fenceline separation from dams – on pasture; 2) total separation from dams – on pasture; 3) total separation from dams – in drylot – preconditioned to hay; 4) total separation from dams – in drylot – not preconditioned to hay; 5) non-weaned controls – on pasture.

At the end of the seven-day treatment period, all calves were placed on pasture in large groups. Calf behaviors were monitored for five days following. Weaning and body weights were obtained weekly for 10 weeks. Fenceline calves and cows spent approximately 60% and 40% of their time, respectively, within 3 m of the fence separating them during the first two days post-weaning. For the first three days, fenceline calves vocalized less and spent more time eating and lying down and less time walking (pacing) than calves in the three totally-separated treatments.

Treatment differences in behavior were greatly reduced on days fourand five. At two weeks post-weaning, fenceline calves had gained 95% more body weight than calves in the three totally-separated treatments (21.4 vs. 11.0 kg, respectively). At 10 weeks post-weaning, fenceline calves had gained 31% more weight than the average calf in the totally separated groups (50.0 vs. 38.2 kg, respectively). A follow-up study demonstrated similar advantages of fenceline contact when calves were weaned under drylot conditions and their dams had access to pasture. It was concluded that fenceline contact between beef calves and their dams at weaning reduces the negative effects of separation on calf behavior and growth.