Table 4.
Information given by farmer participants regarding weaning practices.
| Farm | Water | Solid Feed | Weaning Process | Calf Weight Recording |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F1 | From birth | Rearing pellets from birth | Gradual when calve weighs 80 kg and consume 1 kg starter | Weekly from birth using weigh-crate. Aim for 0.8–0.9 kg/d growth |
| F2 | From birth | Corn and straw from birth | Decrease to one daily milk feed at 7–8 weeks. Weaned when consuming 2 kg starter | At turn-out (6–7 months). Plan to improve weigh system |
| F3 | From birth | Rearing pellets from birth | Group housed at 6 weeks to begin weaning by decreasing volume or concentration of milk | No. lacks time. Mental record of intakes and growth |
| F4 | Not stated | Straw and concentrates from a week old | Gradual decrease in milk concentration between 6–10 weeks depending on availability of milk and intakes of concentrates | No. Judge by end product (target AFC 24 months) |
| F5 | Not stated | Corn | Decrease to one daily milk feed at 6 weeks, weaned at 8 weeks depending on availability of milk and intakes of concentrates | No. Judge by end product (target AFC 24 months) |
| F6 2 | Not stated | Rearing nuts, oats, straw from birth | Gradual decrease in volume of milk at each feed. Weaned at 12 weeks (organic standard) | At movements between accommodation and vaccinations. Aim for 0.8 kg/d growth. |
| F7 | From birth | Rearing pellets (18% CP) from birth | Decrease volume of milk according to intakes of dry starter feed not based on age. Weaned when consuming 2 kg starter for one week | Used to. Established regime that achieved desired growth rates. Aim for >850 g liveweight gain by calving (target AFC 24 months) |
| F8 1 | Not stated | Rearing pellets, home mix (barley, distillers grains, soya, rape meal and minerals), straw | Automated feeders programmed to decrease volume of milk allowance | No. Intends to start |
| F9 | From birth | Rearing pellets from birth and straw from three weeks | Weaned at 8–10 weeks, later if calf is small | No. Labour intensive. Plan to incorporate automated weigh system |
| F10 | From birth | Rearing pellets and straw from birth | Weaned over the course of a week at 7–8 weeks when calf weighs 80–85 kg | Girth measurements at birth and before weaning at 7 weeks. Aim to double birth weight by weaning |
| F11 | Not stated | Concentrates, home mix | Automated feeders programmed to reduce milk allowance by 0.2 L/d day 40–65 | Girth measurement at birth Weigh scale output manually recorded periodically. Aim to double birth weight by weaning. |
| F12 | Not stated | Minimal concentrates, grass | Weaned at about 12 weeks when calf weighs 100 kg | Weighed when approaching weaning and about a month after weaning. Compare annual average values. |
| F13 | Not stated | Minimal concentrates, barley, grass | “we probably keep them on milk a little bit longer than we need to” | No. New employee to take groups of calves over local weighbridge |
| F14 2 | First week | Rearing pellets | Decrease milk from 7–12 weeks | Monthly weights taken to calculate growth rate |
| F15 | First week | Rearing pellets, barley straw or hay | Decrease to one daily milk feed at 6–7 weeks for one week | Not stated (Targed AFC > 24 months) |
| F16 2 | Four weeks | Straw, grass, no concentrates | Decrease to one daily milk feed of decreasing volume to wean at 12 weeks | Not stated |
| F17 1 | From arrival | Concentrates, straw | Start weaning when calf weighs about 80 kg | Weighed on arrival and departure over local weighbridge |
| F18 | From birth | Rearing nuts, barley straw | Decrease to one daily milk feed at 6–7 weeks for one week before weaning at 7–8 weeks, depending how calf is doing | No. Intends to start |
| F19 | From birth | Concentrates and straw first week | Weaned at 12 weeks | Girth measurements taken throughout rearing period |
| F20 | From birth | Rearing pellets, chopped wheat straw | Weaned at 8–9 weeks | No. Wants a simple, easy system to use |
| F21 | Not stated | Rearing pellets, straw | Automated feeders programmed to reduce milk allowance by 0.6 L/d day 49–59 | Periodically. Would like vet-tech service to reduce labour cost |
| F22 | Four weeks | Rearing nuts, hay | Not stated | No. Does not seem feasible or small farms |
| F23 2 | Three weeks | Rearing pellets, straw | Weaned at 12 weeks | No. Would like to start but can judge by eye |
| F24 | Not stated | Concentrates | Weaned at 8–10 weeks | No. Intends to start |
| F25 2 | Not stated | Rearing pellets | Decrease to one daily milk feed from 10–12 weeks | Regular use of weigh-crate |
| F26 | From birth | Concentrates, straw | Weaned at 7–9 weeks. Automated feeders programmed to decrease volume of milk allowance. | Not stated |
Abbreviations: age at first calving (AFC), crude protein (CP). 1 Rears dairy bull or beef cross calves. 2 Organic. Since no quantitative survey of farm practices was conducted, some details were not included in the interviews—this does not necessarily indicate that calves were not provided with components e.g., straw, water. Straw is stated where it is provided as a feed substrate rather than as bedding.