Department of Animal Science
Date of this Version
December 2003
Abstract
The reason I have been invited to speak today is because of our success with our early weaning program at Maddux Cattle Company for the last several years. I grew up in the western Sand Hills around Alliance, Nebraska. In the Sand Hills, the tradition was to wean in November. Once or twice I can remember us weaning early so we weaned in October. I left there 25 years ago and came to Maddux Cattle Company in southwestern Nebraska owned by Jack Maddux. I came on the job the 15th of September and the calves were already weaned. I shook my head and thought to myself, cattle must be different down here. I sure hope the calves don’t get sick and die from being weaned too early. Well this is the beginning of a long story but I will try to cut it short. Every year we just keep weaning a little earlier. Every year at calving time the standing question is “Jack, can we let the calves have a little colostrum before we wean??’’
Comments
Published for Proceedings, The Range Beef Cow Symposium XVIII December 9, 10, and 11, 2003, Mitchell, Nebraska.