How do we wean calves from liquid milk or calf milk replacer (CMR)? For each and every calf weaning set up, there’s no doubt a broad range of different ways to wean calves - and no two systems will be the same!

In this our latest Rumen Room Podcast, we explore some of the different approaches to weaning dairy calves (heifer replacements and dairy beef) off milk or CMR. The sudden stopping of milk feeding isn’t an option – being way too stressful on the calf! What’re some ways to reduce the stress on the calf associated with the weaning from liquid feeds? There should be something for everyone in this, our latest podcast – enjoy!

All the hard work has been done, your four day old calves have grown well and it’s time to think about weaning the calves from milk or calf milk replacer (CMR). Our latest Rumen Room Podcast steps through the range of factors that collectively give us guidance to when a calf is ready to wean. There're many factors to think about, including the age and liveweight of the calf, daily liveweight gain, perhaps the wither height of the calf as well as rumen capacity and rumen function. Topped up of course by a healthy dose of your very own “gut feel” and intuition around if a calf is ready to wean or not.

Keep an eye (ear?) out for part two of this weaning-themed calf podcast - this will follow shortly, focusing on the different approaches that we can take to the weaning process itself.

With winter just around the corner for New Zealanders, our latest topic focuses on the effects of cold temperatures and frost on forage plants. We investigate how frosts damage our plants during the freeze-thaw cycles, “messing” with a plants wellbeing. Thankfully – and given time for plants to adjust to the cold - Mother Nature steps in and helps a plant develop some degree of resilience to cold and frosty weather. Despite this, frosts can damage pasture plants, causing a drop / fall in pasture mass (kgDM/ha) through the winter - as well as reducing the nutritive value of pasture during long cold winter months. Rug up warm and tune in for this, our latest podcast!!

If you’ve enjoyed this podcast, tune in to some of our earlier winter-themed podcasts:

4. Checklist for success – wintering sheep and cattle on winter crops and pastures

35. Rumen bloat (“frost bloat”) in cattle that eat frozen winter pastures and forage crops

51. Wild winter weather. Cattle outside, how can we help – Part One

52. Wild winter weather – Part Two. Farm-level practical concepts