Artificial early weaning in mammals is typically accompanied by physical separation of mother and young, termination of milk feeding, and often a change in solid feeds and living environment. These changes can result in both behavioral and physiological indices of distress in cattle. The purpose of this study was to examine the hypothesis that fenceline contact between beef calves and cows at weaning reduces indices of behavioral distress and associated temporary reductions in weight gain. One hundred Angus/Hereford-cross calves were randomly assigned to five treatments for 7 d in each of 3 yr to determine the effect of different weaning techniques on their behavior and subsequent growth. Treatments were 1) fenceline separation from dams on pasture (F-P), 2) total separation from dams on pasture (S-P), 3) total separation from dams in a drylot (corral) preconditioned to hay (S-D-P), 4) total separation from dams in a drylot not preconditioned to hay (S-D-NP), 5) nonweaned controls on pasture (Control). At the end of the 7-d postweaning period, all calves were placed on pasture in large groups. Calves were weighed weekly for 10 wk. In the days following weaning, F-P and Control calves spent more time eating than other calves. The F-P calves vocalized less than S-P and S-D-NP calves. The S-P calves spent less time lying down than F-P, Control and S-D-P calves. The F-P calves spent approximately 60% of their time within 3 m of the fence separating them from their dams during the first 2 d following weaning, whereas F-P cows spent about 40% of their time within 3 m of the fence during this period. Postweaning cumulative body weight gains of the F-P calves were greater than the gains recorded for the calves in the three totally separated treatments. The F-P calves gained 95% more weight than the average calf in the three totally separated treatements in the first 2 wk and were still heavier at 10 wk. It was concluded that providing fenceline contact between beef calves and cows for 7 d following weaning reduces behavioral indices of distress seen in the totally separated calves. In addition, fenceline contact with dams at weaning minimizes losses in weight gain in the days following separation. Totally separated calves did not compensate for these early losses in weight gain even after 10 wk.