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For more information, please contact the FeedLine on
01278 444829 or email info@molevalleyfarmers.com.

Weaning Management

Timing of Weaning

Nature designed a calf to consume milk from the cow on a “little and often” basis for the first few months of life. Reared calves are fed less frequently using formulated milk replacers and solid starter diets. This helps condition the digestive system to accept the bulk of its nutritional requirements from solid rather than liquid feed at an earlier time than would happen naturally. As a result, we are able to consider removing milk from the diet after a period of weeks rather than months. Rather than weaning at a fixed time, it is best done when the calf consumes a minimum daily target of 1kg of solid feed for 3 consecutive days. Some calves achieve this at around 5 weeks, whilst others will take almost 8 weeks to consume this amount. Remember that your calf is designed to function on milk for at least this length of time and that many of our best calf rearers will not even consider parting the calf from its milk before this point.

No two units are ever alike, so consider all options, allowing for your particular circumstances and overall objectives, when deciding upon a particular weaning policy.


Contact us at MVF if you need more help >>

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