Success StoryWeaning for Profits
Weaning for Profits
Author: Tad Campbell
Planning Unit: Entomology
Major Program: Beef
Plan of Work: Livestock Production
Outcome: Long-Term Outcome
With cattle profits tightening over the last couple of years for feeder calves, producers are looking for ways to maximize profits for cattle operations. The University of Kentucky Beef Specialist and Beef IRM Coordinator hosted multiple fence-line weaning demonstrations across the state. The demonstrations were organized to allow nose to nose contact with cows and calves during the initial weaning time and also input cost was evaluated in layouts of the demonstrations. Mason County had two beef producers participate in the state demonstration during weaning calf crops in the fall. Both producers felt the demonstration was effective from a stress limiting factor for calves during the initial part of weaning. Calves were separated from cows using electric tape and polywire with plastic and fiberglass posts while having plenty of pasture for both cows and calves. A solar charger energized the fence and reels were used to run fence lengths to allow for a time savings factor for the study. Weights from one location were taken on the day calves were separated from cows and then weighed seven days later. The producer’s calf crop averaged a 7 pound loss over the first week of weaning but quickly regained and showed over 2 pounds per day per calf average at a three week weaning weight. From the data collected it is thought that lowering stress at weaning can lessen pounds lost during the initial first week allowing gains to rebound faster to have more salable pounds of beef during a set window. Plans are in place to continue to test to see if those gains can be significant, however, lowering stress at weaning on the calves can have a positive affect for lower illness and decrease time for calves to adjust to feeding bunks and waterers with neither location utilized creep feeding as a practice on the operation. Producers indicated calves were quicker to respond to them being in the pen while feeding and seemed calmer as a whole. As we move into a time when the market it putting more emphasis on weaned calves, producers with limited space can utilize the demonstration layout to offer a weaning area when dedicated space is not available.
Stories by Tad Campbell
Tobacco GAP
According to the 2022 Agriculture Bulletin, Mason County ranks 15 in the state for tobacco productio... Read More
Agronomy Day
With a 2022 estimate of about 78,000 acres of cropland and pasture, Mason County agriculture product... Read More
Stories by Entomology
Providing Science base Information to Banana Growers of the Dominican Republic on an New Invasive Pest in the Caribbean Region
The Dominican Republic was the first producer of organic bananas during past years but in 2023 it wa... Read More
Building the Impact of the Kentucky Crop Health Conference 2nd year: 2024
The University of Kentucky Grain Crops Integrated Pest Management group continued to build on the su... Read More
© 2024 University of Kentucky, Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment