The First of the Greenies

We have installed the first edition of the green weaners for this year.

These plastic nose pieces allow the calves to be weaned as they stay with their mothers in the herd.

By keeping the mothers and babies together during the weaning process, there is less trauma to both since they can bond and remain close, yet the baby cannot nurse. The calf can still eat since the weaner can wiggle out of the way when the animal reaches down to the ground for grass or hay.

After 2 or 3 days the baby is removed from the herd and the greenie is taken out of the nose.  Away from the herd, the baby is given all the grass, hay, water and sometimes grass seed pellets that it wants to keep a full belly.

So far, we have only weaned the 2 calves that will be going to the fair with us since we do not plan on taking their mothers. After fair, we will begin more rounds of weaning.