Cooperative Extension System
Cattle Producer's Library
Cow-Calf Section CL1100
Cattlemen have always depended on the weather for
their livelihood. During drought, most producers are
looking at a few management alternatives that are available
to them.
Early weaning of calves is one possible option in
drought situations that may give the producer an opportunity
to reduce losses or avoid making forced sales of
good breeding stock that would otherwise have to be
sold on a low priced market. The early weaning program
will depend upon the condition of the cow and the age of
the calf.
Early weaning will permit more cows to be carried per
acre of pasture, reducing the number of cows that may
have otherwise had to be sold. In most cases, early
weaning will mean the calves have to be fed in dry lot,
therefore adding feed and overhead costs that would not
be incurred on later-weaned calves.
With proper feeding management, however, earlyweaned
calves can grow as rapidly as they would have
while in the nursing stage and in many cases will grow
faster if the drought is very severe.
Returns would not be expected to increase by early
weaning, so this system would only be used during times
of short feed supplies and drought conditions. Calves
that are weaned early should probably be classified into
age groups and managed differently, depending upon
their age. An adequate classification would be under 6
weeks, 6 weeks to 3 months, 3 to 6 months, and 6 months
and older. Calves under 6 weeks should probably not be
weaned unless absolutely necessary, since they need
mother's milk and the cost of supplying this by artificial
means is costly and risky to the life of the calf. Calves 3
to 6 months can be fed good quality hay and grain.
Calves older than 6 months will require no special
treatment other than the proper care and feeding. When
calves are weaned early, they should be started on feed
about 3 weeks before weaning to ensure that they will eat
after weaning.
Calves weaned from 3 to 6 months of age should be
fed rations containing at least 12 to 14 percent protein.
It may also be useful to add enough molasses to ensure
that the calves are eating at least 3 percent of their body
weight per day.
Calves older than 6 months should be fed good
quality hay and a small amount of grain - 2 to 4 pounds
per day. This should ensure that they are growing at a
rate equivalent to what they would be if they were still
nursing. The use of straws in growing calves has not
been successful because straw has little energy in relation
to the amount of bulk. It is also poor in palatability.
If it is necessary that some straw be used in a calf ration,
it should be only a small percentage of the ration.
Little or no green feed or carotene, which is converted
to vitamin A for calves or cows, may occur during
drought. Even though cattle can store vitamin A in their
liver and fat from 4 to 6 months, supplmenting vitamin
A either in the ration or through vitamin A and D
injections may be needed during drought.
Research has shown that early-weaned calves, with
proper management and feeding, can equal weight of
calves raised on their dam. In a study in Oklahoma,
early-weaned calves from thin 2-year-old cows reared in
dry lot weaned at about the same weight as calves raised
on dams. Early weaning improved the heifer conception
rates from 59 to 97 percent. Heifers with the earlyweaned
calves gained more in the fall than heifers that
had suckled their calves. Another study in Kansas evaluated
calves weaned at 50 days of age, with herd mates
receiving creep feed or just allowed to nurse their dams
in the dry lot without creep. The early-weaned calves
gained more than either the creep-fed calves or the
nursing-only calves during a trial period of 107 days.
During drought creep feeding is another alternative
that some producers may wish to consider to ensure
heavier calves at weaning. Under normal conditions,
creep feeding has been a marginal management practice
due to poor conversion rates of creep feed to increased
weaning weights. Under drought, conditions with poor
milking cows, gains may be less. Creep feed has been
more effective when cows are milking poorly because of
poor range or because cows are young and not producing
as much milk. Under most conditions grain can be used
as a creep feed, since milk will serve to keep protein up
to the level needed.
Issued in furtherance of cooperative extension work in agriculture and home economics, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, by the Cooperative
Extension Systems at the University of Arizona, University of California, Colorado State University, University of Hawaii, University of Idaho, Montana
State University, University of Nevada/Reno, New Mexico State University, Oregon State University, Utah State University, Washington State
University and University of Wyoming, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture cooperating. The Cooperative Extension System provides equal
opportunity in education and employment on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, age, disability, or status as a Vietnam-era
veteran, as required by state and federal laws. Second edition; January 2000 Reprint