EasyWean®: Gentle weaning, stronger returns

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Benine Ackermann

It began with a simple question in the dry grazing zones of South Africa: How do we make weaning less stressful for both animals and farmers? That seed, planted in 1997, grew into EasyWean^®’s NoseRing^®/NeusRing^®.

Developed by farmers, for farmers, right here in Southern Africa’s toughest grazing conditions, and today trusted globally and used by thousands of farmers to benefit millions of calves and lambs. Designed to reduce stress, improve production, and increase profitability, the EasyWean^® NoseRing^® allows producers to wean calves without separating them from their mothers.

With no separation stress, calves retain their weight better and cow condition is maintained, resulting in higher conception rates in the following season. Even herd planning becomes simpler. Because calves remain with the cows, farmers can reduce the number of herds or run a single herd together. Grazing becomes more flexible, with more paddocks available for rest and regrowth.

Extraordinary results

After excellent rains in many parts of the country over the last couple of years, many farmers are retaining replacement heifers. EasyWean^® supports this by enabling weaning in-herd, which lightens the load on the cow while maintaining growth in the heifer. In trials conducted in the Northern Cape, heifers that weaned next to their mothers were 30 kg heavier at bulling than those conventionally weaned.

As Gordon Waring from Blouhuis Farm, Riversdale, puts it: “Your NoseRings are simply the best method ever invented for cost-effective and humane weaning of calves.”

With 28 years of on-farm results and global adoption, EasyWean^® has proven its value across climates, herd sizes and farming systems. It’s a flexible tool for modern challenges – from early weaning in bad years to rebuilding herds in good years, and even in times of movement restrictions due to foot-and-mouth disease, EasyWean^® lets you adapt without stress. Calves stay in the herd, growth continues, and planning remains under your control.