This is a little off topic but interesting I think.
I breed horses and from what I understand there are two schools of thought when weaning foals.
The "old" method is to take the foal (hopefully with a friend) to a place (either stable or paddock) that is out of sight and sound of the mare and just separate them both. I have seen this done and there is much whinnying and lots fence walking and general stressed behaviour.
The other system (incidently the one I use) is to put the mare in a yard (that she has previously used) with plenty of good feed and water and leave the foal in the paddock that is around the yard with it's "friend". If the mre wants to feed the foal she can stand at the fence of the yard and let the foal feed and if the foal wants to feed it usually has to leave it's "friend" and convince the mum to come to it at the yard side.
This second system is initially started for just a few hours a day and gradually the mare is kept in the yard for longer periods. Once the foal loses interest in it's mum (which takes from a few days to a week or so, sometimes I pop foal in yard and mum in paddock so she gets a bit more exercise) then the mare is put in a paddock nearby where the foal can see her but not drink during the day and mare is back in yard at night............generally it's a very gentle weaning process and it also means once done properly the mare can go back into the foals paddock and the foal won't try and drink again.
My point is that it is less traumatic if both members of the feeding system have some choice. The system I use requires co-operation from both parties for feeding. It gives the mare choice not to feed and the foal choice too...................mostly in the beginning the mare calls to the foal to come back. She quickly realises the freedom of having no foal is pretty good then starts to reject the foal who generally only wants food when their "friend" is getting a bit boring!
I am sure people who have breast fed successfully and weaned gently can understand the mares side of things :-)