Low Stress Weaning - Happier, Healthier Calves

Most farmers and ranchers use traditional methods to wean their calves. In most instances, when calves are about 6 months old, they are taken away from their mothers and immediately loaded onto cattle liners. They are then shipped to an auction market where they are unloaded and put through a very loud auction ring and sold. From there they are sorted, loaded back onto a truck and shipped usually to a feedlot. This stress often causes what is called “shipping fever” and results in mass medication of the calves upon arrival to their destination to prevent death loss and the spread of infection.

On TK Ranch we want to decrease animal stress as much as possible. Prior to weaning we ensure the calves are adjusted to feed and water in addition to their mother's milk. For many years we weaned our calves across a fence so they could at least be close to and talk to their mothers until the weaning process was finished. In 2002 we were introduced to weaning tags - this is simply a 10 cm square plastic tag that snaps into the septum of a calf's nose without harming it. This prevents the calf from nursing, but leaves it in the company of its mother until weaning is complete. This dramatically decreases the stress these calves experience. As a result, our herd stays healthy throughout weaning and rarely requires medication.