Keys to a successful weaning are reducing stress, supporting the calves’ immune systems and maintaining good nutrition.
Megan Van Emon, Montana State University Extension beef cattle specialist, shares these four nutritional strategies that are key to success at weaning:
- Help calves learn to eat from bunks and drink from troughs before weaning if possible.
- Provide high-quality feed immediately after weaning.
- Ensure fresh, clean water is available.
- Use palatable feeds to encourage calves to eat.
Jason Warner, Kansas State University Extension cow-calf specialist, says if producers are weaning calves and placing them in pens and are planning to deliver them a mixed ration, they need to remember that feed intake will be low initially but will gradually increase as calves transition and the initial stress due to the separation event subsides.
“When calves are first weaned, providing them with plenty of access to palatable, fresh, long-stem grass hay is always a good approach and gradually introducing them to a weaning ration over a period of several days,” Warner explains. “Feedstuffs low in starch and high in digestible fiber such as distillers grains or gluten feed are good choices to include in weaning and receiving diets.”
John Hall, University of Idaho Extension beef specialist, suggests a weaning diet of: 60% to 65% forage, 14% to 16% crude protein and around 65% total digestible nutrients (TDN)
“I prefer byproducts such as distillers grains, corn gluten feed, soy hulls — those kind of highly digestible fiber products — which don’t cause us big problems with acidosis and problems with rumen function that feeding straight corn or milo or something like that would cause,” Hall explains.
He emphasizes using high-quality forages and by-products to support rumen function and avoid digestive issues in newly weaned calves.
Hall also stresses a good mineral program is crucial for supporting immune function during the stressful weaning period. He encourages producers to focus on trace minerals — copper, selenium, zinc, manganese — and to use chelated or hydroxy mineral forms.
Hall shares these suggestions for producers to consider:
- Work with a nutrition expert or consultant when formulating rations.
- Use highly digestible fiber products.
- Avoid straight corn to prevent rumen issues.
- Supplement calves on pasture if possible.
- Introduce new feed sources gradually.
If early weaning, Hall says: “For these early weaned calves, diets that are fairly high in forages are very important in terms of rumen function and calf health, and then enough energy.”
Ron Lemenager, Purdue University beef specialist, says a key principle is maintaining consistency in the ration. He suggests using the same creep feed during preweaning as the initial weaning ration to reduce stress and digestive disruption. This approach helps calves transition smoothly from milk to solid feed.
“I like to include an ionophore in my creep and weaning rations to help stabilize rumen fermentation,” he says. “When using byproducts like distillers grains or corn gluten feed, make sure to check the calcium to phosphorus ratio of the feed to prevent urinary calculi.”
Lemenager explains that the time around weaning is a critical “marbling window” between weaning and 9 to 10 months of age when strategic starch feeding can enhance meat quality. For replacement heifers, he recommends maintaining a high-fiber diet, while steers and market heifers should transition to more corn-based rations to develop intramuscular fat.
He stresses a weaning nutrition program isn’t one size fits all. Producers should consider individual herd characteristics, calf age and intended market endpoint when designing weaning nutrition strategies.
“The overarching goal is to support calf health, minimize stress, maintain growth performance and potentially improve future meat quality through strategic nutritional management during the critical weaning period,” Lemenager summarizes.
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