Animal Sciences Commons^™

Influence Of Weaning Strategy On Animal Welfare In Beef Calves, Lindsey B. Krebs

Undergraduate Research Conference

Alternative strategies can affect the amount of stress that calves encounter at weaning. The strategies being evaluated in this study are fenceline, two-stage, and traditional abrupt. Fenceline weaning involves placing the calves in a pasture adjacent to their cows so they can have contact with each other through the fence. Two-stage weaning utilizes anti-suckling devices that clip into the calves noses and prevent them from suckling their cows. The calves remain with the cows for a short amount of time, then they are weaned and separated from their cows. This allows the stressors of weaning to be faced in two …