Weaning Calves

Fall Ranch Work

Weaning Calves from their Momma Cows

A day in the life of a ranch wife doing fall weaning work.

What a gloriously beautiful day to wean!  We started gathering the cows and calves early in the morning. They were spread out all over the meadow pasture enjoying the good fall grass. The cattle just came off the range a couple of weeks ago and they look great--nice and fat and very healthy. The calves are big, healthy, and happy.

But their happiness is about to change.

To wean the calves from their mommas, we round them up, gather the cattle to the corral where we--on horseback, sort off the cows and let them back out onto the pasture to continue grazing for another month (or two--snow permitting). 

If the calves aren't weaned, both the cows and calves don't have a chance to fatten up and get ready for winter. Both the calves and cows stay runty and scrawny if not weaned. 

The calves are then hauled back home on multiple semi-loads--it's a 15-20 minute drive. The calves go into a corral where they have free access to water, hay, straw, silage, and a mineral/vitamin lick in a molasses base (think sticky-sweet vitamins--they love it). The calves weigh about 600-750 pounds.

Even with all these comforts, they continue to cry for their mommas for a few days. 

Imagine the sound of hundreds of bawling calves for three days. . . .At the end of fourth day, peace and quiet is restored to the ranch and the calves are happy and completely independent.

We actually have two crews sorting--the cowboys and I on horseback in the main pen of cows and calves, sorting on horses, and the foot soldiers who gather a small batch, push them into the alley way, and then peel off the calves and stick them in the pen while the cows run out the gate and to the pasture.

Sorting does take most of the day, with this large of a herd, even with two crews sorting.

Grandma brought us hot potato soup, bread, and pumpkin cake for lunch--much needed and welcomed on the chilly day. 

The last load of calves had to run into their corral in the dark--so it really did take us all day. But it was a great day. I enjoyed riding and sorting all day. The kids, after they rode all morning, played "fort" with their cousins.

For now the calves are hanging out in their corral. We are about to turn them back out onto a bigger pasture where we will continue to monitor their health and wellness.

The cows get over their sadness much quicker, and after a day of wandering the pasture, they just carry on with their cow-ness of eating and napping all day long.

Now that the calves are all weaned, some of the winter feeding begins to supplement their diet of pasture. Herd monitoring for sick calves allows us to saddle a horse daily--even in the chilly November days. They cows stay out on their meadows for another month, and life is quiet and peacefully busy here on the ranch in the fall.

Until next time, happy November!
Charlotte Reid