When to wean beef calves

There are ways to prevent or cure most cucurbit diseases, but there's no known way to cure a virus once it has infected the plant, warns Bill Kerr.

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The main aim of beef production is to produce as many calves as possible. If you wean your calves properly, your cows should be able to calve every year.

A calf should be weaned when it is seven to eight months old. But the exact time of weaning should depend on the condition of the cow, not the age of the calf.

If you wean a calf before the cow's condition score falls below 2,5, the cow is likely to maintain her condition.

Winter feed has to be adequate, however.

If possible, wean the calf before the cow's condition score falls below 3,0.

During times of drought and poor feed supply, wean the calf early (about six months) to enable the cow to recover before winter. It is important for the cow to recover properly before her next calf is born.

In the eastern parts of the country, a calf born during spring can be weaned early in May at the age of seven to eight months. In the western parts, a calf can be weaned late in May or early June at seven to eight months, as the breeding season tends to be later in these regions.