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Raising calf on a holstein
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<blockquote data-quote="farmerjan" data-source="post: 1592854" data-attributes="member: 25884"><p>Sad that they were in such poor shape, but good for you. It sounds like you can do okay with them since some decent feed is getting them already turned around. Since they have been "hungry" it is unlikely they will come into very heavy production. The swiss usually have a bigger frame, stouter bone structure. They can be a bit stubborn, and thick headed but usually are pretty gentle. Most make good mothers. I think after reading more of your explanation, that you ought to do just fine letting them raise their calves, as it is unlikely they will milk way too much. Perhaps on the second calf you will have some problems if they get back into good shape. If you are getting started, I would let them calve, hopefully no one will have a problem. Any that aren't pregnant, will fatten up and make a good cull to sell. </p><p>Braunvieh are a "beefy swiss" in actuality. I know 2 guys here who actually took a couple swiss cross cows off a dairy that just weren't big producers, to breed with his braunvieh, and was hoping for a bull calf to use down the road to put a little more milk in the braunviehs through retaining heifers out of the 1/2 swiss 1/2 braunvieh cross bull. He also used a swiss bull on some braunvieh heifers to get the milk production up in subsequent generations. </p><p>There are alot of things you can do with the cross calves. They won't hit the top of the market, but with so little in the cows, using them as a pasture cleanup is cheap gain. The heifer calves might make nice ones to keep. Usually the bigger problem in a beef/dairy is the holstein x hereford. They tend to have too much udder and the ligaments don't hold up for only a few lactations. But they tend to have more "beefiness" than many holstein x angus in the first generation. Holsteins have been bred to be very "dairy" or angular nowadays. The holstein fresian of the european countries is much beefier. The hol x beef cows will stay thinner as they just put more into their milk than on their bodies. The next generation 3/4 beef 1/4 hol will be meatier and put more beef on the calves and yet will still milk better due to the dairy influence. I think the swiss will stay a bit beefier for you and do a decent job of raising their calves. </p><p></p><p>I use several jersey and jersey x cows as nurse cows. I like the jerseys for the higher butterfat, and I don't have alot of trouble getting them to take calves as nurse cows. They will produce a decent angus cross calf, but it will show the finer bone of the jersey. The 2nd generation cows make good beef cows (3/4 angus 1/4 jersey). They will get a bit thin on pasture if it is not real good grass. The calf takes alot out and they milk to take care of it. </p><p></p><p>What have you got to loose? It sounds like you have a good way to make some money from several different directions. </p><p>Best of luck.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="farmerjan, post: 1592854, member: 25884"] Sad that they were in such poor shape, but good for you. It sounds like you can do okay with them since some decent feed is getting them already turned around. Since they have been "hungry" it is unlikely they will come into very heavy production. The swiss usually have a bigger frame, stouter bone structure. They can be a bit stubborn, and thick headed but usually are pretty gentle. Most make good mothers. I think after reading more of your explanation, that you ought to do just fine letting them raise their calves, as it is unlikely they will milk way too much. Perhaps on the second calf you will have some problems if they get back into good shape. If you are getting started, I would let them calve, hopefully no one will have a problem. Any that aren't pregnant, will fatten up and make a good cull to sell. Braunvieh are a "beefy swiss" in actuality. I know 2 guys here who actually took a couple swiss cross cows off a dairy that just weren't big producers, to breed with his braunvieh, and was hoping for a bull calf to use down the road to put a little more milk in the braunviehs through retaining heifers out of the 1/2 swiss 1/2 braunvieh cross bull. He also used a swiss bull on some braunvieh heifers to get the milk production up in subsequent generations. There are alot of things you can do with the cross calves. They won't hit the top of the market, but with so little in the cows, using them as a pasture cleanup is cheap gain. The heifer calves might make nice ones to keep. Usually the bigger problem in a beef/dairy is the holstein x hereford. They tend to have too much udder and the ligaments don't hold up for only a few lactations. But they tend to have more "beefiness" than many holstein x angus in the first generation. Holsteins have been bred to be very "dairy" or angular nowadays. The holstein fresian of the european countries is much beefier. The hol x beef cows will stay thinner as they just put more into their milk than on their bodies. The next generation 3/4 beef 1/4 hol will be meatier and put more beef on the calves and yet will still milk better due to the dairy influence. I think the swiss will stay a bit beefier for you and do a decent job of raising their calves. I use several jersey and jersey x cows as nurse cows. I like the jerseys for the higher butterfat, and I don't have alot of trouble getting them to take calves as nurse cows. They will produce a decent angus cross calf, but it will show the finer bone of the jersey. The 2nd generation cows make good beef cows (3/4 angus 1/4 jersey). They will get a bit thin on pasture if it is not real good grass. The calf takes alot out and they milk to take care of it. What have you got to loose? It sounds like you have a good way to make some money from several different directions. Best of luck. [/QUOTE]
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