Early weaning: an efficient and effective technological alternative for calf rearing corrals in grassland cattle systems in Latin America

Resumen

The effect of early weaning in beef cattle is reviewed. Data on the impact of early weaning for restarting the post-calving sexual activity and consequently, on pregnancy percentage, are offered. Also the interaction of early weaning with the nutritional status of the cow, which was assessed by the body condition before mating, is underlined. Information on the nutritional management alternatives of the early weaned calf is presented classified according to grassland or confinement conditions. The nutritional management of the early weaned calf under grazing conditions is characterized by the management based on concentrate supplementation (18 % crude protein), at a rate of 1 % of the animal live weight. This strategy allowed attaining similar performances to those in which the calf remain with the cow. The nutritional management of the early weaned calf and managed under confinement is suggested as a strategy allowing higher profits than those attained under grazing with
feed conversion around 3.5 kg of feed/kg live weight of calf produced. It is concluded that early weaning is an efficient and effective technological alternative for improving the productivity of the calf rearing corral and that there are different ways of realizing it that are adaptable to the cattle production system in question.

Key words: cattle, suckling, growth, calf, efficiency