Dairy Cows Raiseing Extra Calves?

[FutureFarmer]

Ok, i was thinking today, while working at the ranch....

I do not know if it is possible, so i would like to get others veiw on it along with me researching it somemore...

Anyways, Ok a dairy cow should give milk 9months out of the year... (aftering calveing? correct?) What if i got a holstein with a big bag, bred her, and then right after she calved, pick up 1 or 2 "orphaned calves" at a auction, and let her raise them along with her baby. I do not mean keeping them on her 24/7 but letting them out 3-4 times a day for a meal, and then locking the calfs back up. Then after 3 months wean the calves and get 2 more to put on her, ext.

Would This Work Has anyone tryed this

I am open to everything, as long as it is not rude.....

Thanks, Devon

[FutureFarmer]

Oops, sorry i did not double check what i typed...

in the title it says "Raiseing", it suppose to be "Raising"

Sorry i am not perfect !

Thanks, Devon

[dun]

Would This Work Has anyone tryed this

I am open to everything, as long as it is not rude.....

Thanks, Devon

Yes it works. Thde only difference was we used F1 Holstein Angus and Hereford cows to do it with. And we left it's 3 calves with it all the time till weaning, then those came off and 3 newbies went on. But a lot of it depends on the cow. To graft a new calf all we did was pull the older ones and put in the younger ones and the cows took them.

[tertiary02]

The gal that runs the horse stable at our place a few years back had a holstein cow with four drop calves plus her own and she still had to be milked out some days. I had never seen a cow produce so much milk, all the calves were fat and happy, mostly beef breeds.

[bigbull338]

Ok, i was thinking today, while working at the ranch....

I do not know if it is possible, so i would like to get others veiw on it along with me researching it somemore...

Anyways, Ok a dairy cow should give milk 9months out of the year... (aftering calveing? correct?) What if i got a holstein with a big bag, bred her, and then right after she calved, pick up 1 or 2 "orphaned calves" at a auction, and let her raise them along with her baby. I do not mean keeping them on her 24/7 but letting them out 3-4 times a day for a meal, and then locking the calfs back up. Then after 3 months wean the calves and get 2 more to put on her, ext.

Would This Work Has anyone tryed this

I am open to everything, as long as it is not rude.....

Thanks, Devon

yes you can use a holstein or a jersey for a nurse cow.an prolly raise 9 calves on that cow in 9 months.but you have to feed the cow grain everyday.or she will pull down feeding those calves on nothing but grass.

[FutureFarmer]

Wow, thats great! I am thinking about getting one just for that purpose,.... I am going to check around and see what the prices of dairy cow's are at the moment...

Thanks for the wonderful reply's!


Devon

[trin]

i would like to make a nurse cow with a brown swiss. how many calfs can you put on a good nurse cow? how long before you can turn them out in the field together? also how long before you can wean these calfs and put other calfs on her?

[kenny thomas]

A good nurse cow should be able to take care of 3 with some feed, wean those add 2 next time if you want to turn out. As mentioned if you do not give some extra feed most of them will loose condition. When we were younger we kept 5 nurse cows and lots of calves. It is very hard to find baby calves now here so be sure there is a supply. I would love to have a brown swiss if you know somewhere I could get one. Send me PM if you know where.

[piedmontese]

any decent holstein should be able to handle 4 or more calves with ease.for real i wouldnt hesitate to put 5 or 6 calves on a holstein.i got a jersey x angus right now with 4 on her and shes doing fine.i do give her 10 lbs of cubes per day.when these are weaned i will put 3 back on her and then finish her with 2.she is 3/4 jersey and 1/4 angus.she was bred to a piedmontese bull and has a solid black calf that shows no dairy so far.

[FarmerShell]

I'd just got a holstein calf, she was a sweetheart too. She was super healthy when I got her, when she just went down and down hill fast. I took her to the vet, he said she was going in and out of a coma...he could try to save her but the out come honestly he didn't think he could. Best thing would be a bullet to the head. Just part of it I guess. Anyhoo! The guy we brought her did that with his jersey cow. Great ! Good luck!

[suzorse]

I do nurse cows also and milk them, dairy cows are not like beef cows , when they calve they still have to be milked 2X aday, till the calves start taking it all, and you have to know what she is producing , to know how many calves to put on at a time, I have a Brown Swiss cow with 2 4 month old calves on her now both angus Xs, I could not get her to take Bug ,to go with Stink her own calf
and she would not let down good for me because of Stink, so Stink got pulled and I milked her 2Xs a day and raised 6 calves from the milk , I needed to put the calves on her one day so turned Bug in the corral first, and she took Bug then I turned in Stink, and now they are both hers, not all dairy cows will take extra calves, my Jersey will not as she never got to keep her calf before, so we will see when she freshens in Dec , I have had them take any at any time, and a few that if it was'ent
her own forget it , you need to check udders every few days for any problems like cut up teats, heat or swealling (sp?) indicating mastitis, they also, like was said before need good hay, pasture and depending on condition may need grained , good luck with your endever (sp?)
Suzanne

[FarmerShell]

Thanks for the info Suzorse I didn't know that. How long you been farming? I been farming 3 months and 5 days, don't know much about it. Sure not a pro, but I get out there and do what I can. That's all I can do. Unlike trying to grow any plants or trees so for (knock on wood) my mooo-cows are still kicking. Durhurhur!