It’s been two days since we removed the nose clips from the calves. Our pastures are quiet.

I wasn’t sure that just putting clips in would truly complete the weaning process. I’m quite sensitive actually, so I was more concerned about whether the clips were hurting the calves in any way. I watched them, but none of them seemed bothered by them at all. Behavior was calm during the ten days they were kept in place.

When we removed the clips, we separated the calves from their mothers. The momma cows lingered near the gate for a short time, but the only mother that balled was the mom of the calf whose clip fell out.

This was the easiest weaning we’ve had.

We used these clips on a small group of cattle. In this group of twenty pairs, we had one loose its clip early on and still ball. Another one lost its clip prior to us removing them, but I’m assuming it lost it after several days because this calf doesn’t seem to be vocal about weaning like the other pair.

Overall, ten percent of our group lost their clips early. The rest of the group remained calm and content. They went out to pasture like nothing had ever happened.

While this method worked well for us, we did it with a small group. I believe the biggest downfall would be the labor involved in placing clips in a large group of calves.

As with other things, it seems it is best to evaluate your needs with your cattle and choose what works best for you. Happy Trails!