We weaned the Spring calves from their mothers last week. Typically the calves born in the Spring should be weaned before Thanksgiving. However it can be difficult to stick to that schedule depending on the weather and holiday activities.

The process included feeding the herd closer to the area where we needed them to congregate for several weeks before moving them to the cattle yard and pasture up the road last weekend.

On Sunday morning we moved the herd with the help of our family. The process involved leading them through the area where they were being fed for the past couple of weeks with the tractor and feed. We didn’t drop the feed in the normal location but instead we led them across the pasture, up the road and into the yard where we then fed them. They followed the IH 656 and Schuler without much fuss. We did have three calves escape back down the road and into the pasture but we later moved them in with the rest of the calves.

Once they were all in the yard we began the sorting process, moving about 12 cows through the ring and into the chute each time. When they go through the chute we apply Cydectin which is a pour on treatment for parasites. They also receive several vaccinations to insure they are up to date on protection from disease. The heifer’s had their old tags taken out and replaced with new tags that help in identifying the cattle that have not had calves yet come spring.

Once we had worked all of the cattle through the chute only the calves remain in the feed yard. The cows are then let out with the heifers and the bull in the pasture adjacent to the feed lot. For the next couple of days the calves and cows will call and bawl back and forth as they go through the process of weaning. We continued to feed both calves and cows morning and night and also put out several “stress mineral tubs” for the calves as they are adjusting to life on their own.

By about day 3-4 they were content in their places where they will be fed twice a day. The calves will get worked through the chute when the vet comes in a couple of weeks. We will continue to feed them on the lot, preparing for eventually sorting the heifers from the bulls mid-Summer.