Calf nose thorn

Calf's nose thorn simply hangs from the calf’s nose! They are made of lightweight plastic and are non-invasive (there is no piercing of the nasal septum to keep flaps in place).

The nose thorn acts as a physical barrier preventing calves from getting a teat into their mouth.

It's recommended nose thorn be worn for 4-7 days. Research on calves 6-7 months of age has shown the same benefits whether calf weaning nose thorn are worn for 4 days or 14 days so we recommend the former. We have found that cows are quieter after separation when nose-flaps were worn for 8 days compared to if it was worn for 4 days. The calf’s nostrils may eventually become irritated if the nose-flaps are left on a very long time.

Early weaning may be used in beef cattle production to improve reproduction rates in range conditions. However, weaning causes a stress response in cows, which may be especially strong in early weaning management, as the bond between the cow and the calf is still strong. We hypothesized that weaning calves in two steps, with the aid of anti-sucking devices would reduce the behavioural stress response in the cows separated from their calves 2 months after parturition.