Guidelines to yard weaning calves
Industry best practice has proven that yard weaning is a simple and effective procedure that has implications for lifting cattle productivity.
Cattle that are yard weaned are more familiar with stock yards, water troughs, feeding routines and people. By exploiting the fact that weaning is a critical learning time, young cattle can be well prepared for a productive future. Yard weaned groups of cattle also have the major advantage of having stronger social bonds between individuals. While training cattle during yard weaning, their individual temperament (confidence) can be assessed, and flighty (shy) cattle can be identified for removal or special treatment.
The benefits of yard weaning are fully realised if cattle later go on to feedlots. In the feedlot, a healthy and productive feeder steer has to:
• Accept confinement and go on to concentrate feed and water quickly;
• Adapt easily to the initial social/psychological and metabolic stress involved;
• Achieve high feed conversion rates and weight gain through good adaptation individually and as a feeding group;
• Have strong resistance to respiratory disease, partly as a result of social compliance and group cohesion; and
• Accept the presence of people, vehicles and horses at close quarters.
Guide to yard weaning
The following requirements must be met to implement yard weaning as a management tool:
• Well built, weaner proof yards with solid opaque pen sides (rubber belting 1.2m wide is ideal);
• A reasonably sloped, well drained, non-bog surface;
• Pen stocking density of 4m2/head for 180–260kg calves; and 2.5m2/head for 100–170kg early-weaned calves;
• Weaners kept in the yards for 5–10 days (with the aim to have the majority back onto high quality pastures as quickly as possible);
• Cattle fed daily with high quality hay or silage (at least 11.5 MJ ME /kg DM and 15 % crude protein) – the feed does not need to be supplied in a bunk or trough and can be successfully fed through a round bale feeder;
• Good quality drinking water supplied in a trough;
• Shy feeders removed and managed as a separate group to prevent rapid and excessive weight loss;
• Routine human contact each day, for example walking quietly through the yard at least two or three times each day;
• In general, keep dogs away from the weaning yard.
Handling at weaning
Weaned calves should be encouraged to approach humans with a memory of positive associations. Grouping calves in a small area at weaning with regular handling boosts socialisation between animals and with humans, and reduces subsequent stress associated with handling and transport. Well-behaved stock will generally create fewer management and occupational health and safety problems.
Negative or insufficient positive contact between humans and calves at weaning can result in the animals remaining frightened of human activity. This can cause increased stress during handling and transport, high pH and dark-cutting meat. Insufficient contact with humans can also lead to cattle not adapting well to more intensive feeding such as in droughts or feedlots.
Weaner pastures
Depending on the month and seasonal conditions at weaning, the liveweight of weaner cattle may be maintained until feed conditions improve or they can be weaned onto high quality pasture for rapid growth rate. As a guide for best liveweight gain weaner pastures should be of a nutritional quality of at least 11.5 MJ ME/kg DM and 15% crude protein. If high quality pastures are not available at weaning and weight gain is desired, consider providing a feed supplement to boost the nutritional quality of the pasture, but ensure that the cost of a supplementary feeding option does not exceed the benefits.
Weaning needs to be carefully managed to avoid any check in post-weaning growth and productive performance of calves. Special attention needs to be paid to pasture quality (at least 11.5 MJ ME) and calf management to ensure that the transition to a pasture or pasture plus supplement-based diet is successful.
What to measure and when
Measure the nutritional (energy and protein) content of post-weaning feed for three months after weaning. Monitor pastures at least weekly, and more often if seasonal conditions are deteriorating.
