![Mark Duthie of GDL Dalby, Ben Otto and Tom Little of Dalby Rural Supplies and Peter Gaffney of Graneta Limousin and Angus, Bell. Mark Duthie of GDL Dalby, Ben Otto and Tom Little of Dalby Rural Supplies and Peter Gaffney of Graneta Limousin and Angus, Bell.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/XftCMkCcRPa3Vky3YfP3wJ/4d6f9a92-94fe-4c68-a72f-3c7773859d23.jpg/r0_410_4608_3001_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Cattle producers turned out in large numbers last week to learn more about weaner management techniques to help improve the productive potential of their herds at a series of field days across Queensland.
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ReproActive field days were held in the Darling Downs, Scenic Rim, South Burnett and North Burnett, with about 280 people attending overall.
Dr Paul Cusack of Australian Livestock Production Services covered early weaning and feed requirements while Zoetis Australia's Dr Lee Taylor spoke about bovine respiratory disease in weaners.
![Stewart Meatheringham of Zoetis and Corrine and Carl Winter, Arcadia Valley. Stewart Meatheringham of Zoetis and Corrine and Carl Winter, Arcadia Valley.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/XftCMkCcRPa3Vky3YfP3wJ/aab12023-03b6-445a-bc75-43df2d255c0e.jpg/r0_426_4560_2990_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Burenda Angus and Brangus hosted the Darling Downs field day and manager Jonathan Schmidt said about 80 people attended.
"Some people travelled for four to five hours to get there," he said.
"The guest speakers were great, they presented it all in a practical and simple way."
Dr Taylor said BRD could pose a risk to weaners but there are ways to manage it.
![Jemma Postle of Knox Vets, Ben Reid of Burenda Angus and Brangus and Andrew Postle. Jemma Postle of Knox Vets, Ben Reid of Burenda Angus and Brangus and Andrew Postle.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/XftCMkCcRPa3Vky3YfP3wJ/493114cd-02a2-48d8-a70e-7033305f09e4.jpg/r0_424_4548_2981_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"It's an important thing to consider when people start early weaning," he said.
"If you're not careful you can end up with respiratory disease so it was about providing some tools to people to help them take precautions.
"The dry, dusty conditions we've got at the moment are a potential contributor to BRD."
![Paul Cusack speaking at the ReproActive Darling Downs field day. Paul Cusack speaking at the ReproActive Darling Downs field day.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/XftCMkCcRPa3Vky3YfP3wJ/44a3b0c2-bd01-4cad-9ad9-45c0c69187a7.jpg/r236_0_4373_2322_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Dr Taylor said while the dry conditions meant more people were choosing to turn to early weaning, it wasn't the only factor.
"Early weaning has been something that has been practiced quite widely in Northern Australia for a long time," he said.