Weaning suckler calves to reduce stress and optimise value

Early Spring-born suckler calves will be weaned over the coming weeks and months.

When weaning calves, reducing stress must be your priority. Stressed weanlings are much more prone to illness such as pneumonia.

Weanling sales are up and running around the country with the last autumn calves and the early spring calves from this year in the rings. As is always the case, good money is being paid for quality stock. The gap is widening as quality weanlings are getting scares for many reasons.

Grass growth continues to be very slow, and supplementation is required in many yards for both Dairy and beef stock. 1st and 2nd cuts have not yielded very strong this year and the prospect of making a decent 3rd cut are disappearing by the day as the weather is seriously depressing growth. Straw is not very plentiful around the country and if the grass shortage continues for much longer, demand will increase significantly as very little silage will be left to purchase.