Early weaning paying off

Early weaning was the topic hot on producers' lips at last week's Paul and Jill O'Meehan's Butterfield Beef field day at Borden last Thursday.

More than 60 producers, from Esperance to Pemberton to Kojonup, learnt about world economy and its impact on beef, calving management and genetic progress.

Ears pricked up when Rick White from Livestock Central explained the financial benefits of weaning calves at three to four months of age.

"Early weaning may cost $20 in supplementary feeding costs, but calves can get an extra 20kg heavier than a traditionally weaned calf," Mr White said.

"And there is a feed saving because a dry cow and weaned calf consumes 40 per cent less feed."

While many producers steer clear from early weaning, saying calves lose condition and become stressed, Mr White said the aim of early weaning was to ensure good rumen development through supplementary feeding.

The benefits list is long - early weaned calves grow out at a higher rate so there is a greater percentage of heifers reaching joining weight at the right time.

"So you have more heifers to select from so you can make faster genetic gain," Mr White said.

With the extra feed available, producers can increase stocking rates, instead of fearing their cattle will get fat.

If calves are late weaned, it can limit stocking rates, inflate supplementary feed costs and impact on reproductive efficiency.

To help during weaning, Mr White said introducing calves to feed from troughs and understanding the social dynamics of competing for feed by learning from cows were important.

He also offered valuable information for producers leading up to feedlotting, which could make a difference to feed efficiency in the feedlot and respiratory disease rates.

Producers should vaccinate cattle before going into the feedlot so their immunity was maximised and then run cattle in large groups so they co-mingle and share diseases before going into the feedlot.

Other things that help include having even weight ranges in pens, providing plenty of trough space and repeat handling.

"Feedlotters will preferentially purchase cattle from producers doing the backgrounding phase and some feedlotters will also contribute to the cost and the cost of pre-vaccination," Mr White said.

And for producers not looking to background or send cattle to feedlots, Mr White said there was still a significant economic return.

"The increased efficiencies of early weaning rather than late weaning frees up opportunities to run more breeding units, run the same number of breeding units or conserve more feed for other times of the year.

"The feed surplus created by an early weaning program can be utilised in a variety of ways."

Livestock Central run a certification program for early weaned cattle called Red Star which were equipped to adapt to feed rapidly, avoid early setbacks and reach turnoff weights earlier.

Producers can also use Elders Livestock Management System, which is similar and delivers increased weight gain, fertility and production regardless of the location.

Among those attending the field day was NSW cattle producer Ross Gibson.

He first heard Rick White speak about early weaning six years ago has been weaning his Devon Hereford cross calves at four months of age for the past five years.

"I am now running 15 per cent more cows, and they carry extra condition into winter," Mr Gibson said.

"And the calves are less stressed than previously and we don't suffer any loss at weaning and in the east we are finding buyers are looking for yard weaned calves."