RURAL VIEWS: Weaning calves in autumn

JOYCE WYLLIE

Calves born in spring are now nearly seven months old and autumn is the time to wean them.

As I often point out, every farm has different management, breeds, stock numbers, policies, goals, budgets, business, and resources. Meaning there is no “right way” of doing things and I can only explain what we do.

We run Angus cattle at Kaihoka, partly because they suit our country, have a calm temperament, and handle well. Also, because I originate from Gisborne (which is an Angus breeding stronghold), I think that black cows on green hills look great.

At weaning time, mobs of cows and calves are mustered into the yards and drafted up. The cows are returned to their paddock and we “yard wean” the calves. That means they stay in the yards overnight, and during the day are let into a small paddock with grass and baleage to eat, before returning to the yards in the evening. We have found that calves settle and are quieter when taken to a paddock after a few days, rather than if they are let out into a large area straight after weaning. The calves are big now and not drinking much milk by this age, but it is still a noisy time with melodious “moos” from both sides for a few days.

Heifer calves are separated from steers, and they stay on the farm to grow up to become replacement breeding stock in the herd. We sell weaner steers rather than keeping them to fatten, so they are sold and trucked to another farm to grow. This year, with reasonable beef prices and plenty of grass around the country, there has been good demand and good returns for well-grown weaners. We deal with a stock agent and sell on farm, rather than sending animals to be auctioned in sale yards.

All cattle have a National Animal Identification Tag (NAIT) in their ear, so any movements can be traced right back to the farm of origin. A wand can read the tag number just like a scanner reads the barcodes on groceries at the supermarket. Information is recorded as part of a nationwide scheme for animal surveillance and disease management.

This year, because the buyer didn’t travel to see the calves, an agent came. We have had women vets, Health and Safety inspectors, and TB technicians, but this was the first time we have had a woman stock agent in our yards. Abby McLeod, from Livestock Connections, is based in Canterbury and came to this role after training as an AI technician, working in vet clinics and pregnancy scanning cows. We definitely warmed to her when she told us that ours were wonderful calves, “the best line of beef weaners I have seen this season”. They were 260kg beautiful black beasts. A few weeks ago, GBHS students attended a session promoting careers in agriculture, and here is another example of a job with a great outdoor “office”, on farm, working with animals and people.

Now all is quiet again after the steers have gone and the cattle left have settled. Separating classes of stock gives the ability to manage different feed demands. The weaned heifers are in paddocks with good grass, while the adult cows don’t need high quality pasture and will be cleaning up rougher grass. Gestation length of bovine is nine months, the same as humans, and cows have now been pregnancy tested. A percentage are “dry” or “empty” with no calf on board and will be culled.

All going well, the rest will calve next spring, when another cycle of seasons starts again.