age to wean calves
Although calves are usually weaned at 8 weeks or older, many producers use early weaning programs to lower the costs of feed and labor. Calves tend to scour less when consuming solid feeds compared with liquid feeds. As a result, health costs may decrease. The following table illustrates the difference in the cost of feed and labor for weaning a calf at 5 or 8 weeks of age. This example represents estimated prices for a good quality milk replacer and calf starter. Under these circumstances, weaning a calf at 5 weeks instead of 8 weeks saves $26.89 per calf.