Life Sciences Commons^™

Early Weaning Reduces Rangeland Herbage Disappearance, Patricia Johnson, Kenneth C. Olson, Roger N. Gates, Hubert H. Patterson, Mindy Hubert, Douglas Landbloom, Janna J. Kincheloe, Heather A. Richter, Allison V. Grove

Natural Resource Management Faculty Publications

Early weaning of beef calves reduces nutrient and forage demand in a cow–calf enterprise, potentially contributing to reduction in forage utilization on the pasture from which calves are removed by a nonlactating cow vs. a cow–calf pair. Research was conducted to evaluate weaning beef calves 90 days early (EW) vs. normal weaning (NW) on pasture herbage disappearance in mixed-grass prairie pastures in the northern Great Plains. Spring-calving cows (n = 48) were utilized in each study year (2003, 2004, and 2006) from the date of early weaning (August) until the date of normal weaning (November). Cow–calf pairs were randomly …