regolith
Well-known member
got enough cows calved to start supplying milk for the new season... just need to wait for the colostrum to clear up, so about four days from now.
at milking tonight
- Thread starter regolith
- Start date
got enough cows calved to start supplying milk for the new season... just need to wait for the colostrum to clear up, so about four days from now.
bigbull338
Well-known member
what are the calves doing in the milk shed.
OP
OP
regolith
Well-known member
bigbull338":2o8pqvt6 said:
The cows won't come in for milking without them.
I leave the calves with the cows for the first four days... or at the start of calving, until I've got enough cows calved to split off a group of milking cows for supply. Most of those calves are just a day or two old.
bigbull338
Well-known member
they are nice size calves.
toughntender
Well-known member
What do you do with the calves after four days? Do you use nurse cows or feed them replacer on bottles?
I like the look of your parlor, but doesn't it get kind of messy not having a butt pan?
Thanks
I like the look of your parlor, but doesn't it get kind of messy not having a butt pan?
Thanks
OP
OP
regolith
Well-known member
Heifer replacements I'll train them to drink off a feeder and they get whole milk and surplus colostrum till weaning at about ten weeks. Bulls and any heifers I don't want for replacements get picked up off farm between four days and 2 weeks old as 'bobbies'.
I've occasionally put a few calves on a nurse cow - usually a cow who is lame or otherwise unfit to stay with the herd. Sometimes it works well and sometimes it can become a nightmare - I had an old high SCC cow last year that would only let the calves feed if she was hobbled, even though she'd been a nurse cow as a three year old.
I don't even know what a butt pan is. If the cows are calm they don't make too much mess. If they do, it gets hosed off asap and I'll spray the walls with chlorine about once a month to remove any that's dried on... and try not to take clear photos when it's needing done. Seen some sheds that are just spotless but my priorities lie elsewhere - those guys are physically wiping down the rails and walls every milking. Or their cows just don't poop.
I've occasionally put a few calves on a nurse cow - usually a cow who is lame or otherwise unfit to stay with the herd. Sometimes it works well and sometimes it can become a nightmare - I had an old high SCC cow last year that would only let the calves feed if she was hobbled, even though she'd been a nurse cow as a three year old.
I don't even know what a butt pan is. If the cows are calm they don't make too much mess. If they do, it gets hosed off asap and I'll spray the walls with chlorine about once a month to remove any that's dried on... and try not to take clear photos when it's needing done. Seen some sheds that are just spotless but my priorities lie elsewhere - those guys are physically wiping down the rails and walls every milking. Or their cows just don't poop.
bigbull338
Well-known member
well its a splash/butt pan.that keeps the cows from messing and peeing on you and the milking equipment so bad.
toughntender
Well-known member
What breeds are you using? The cow looks to be Holstein, but what are the calves? Jersey? Beef cross? Sorry for all of the questions, but I have always been intrigued by how you New Zealanders dairy.
OP
OP
regolith
Well-known member
Pretty much all the calves are Jersey-sired so far... got an Ayrshire sired heifer born this morning with a white face and big brown goggles.
The cow is Holstein-Friesian sired, Jersey dam (Frostman over a Fjord). The herd is crossbred/mixed breed - mostly HolsteinJersey but I've also used some Brown Swiss and Ayrshire in recent years.
The cow is Holstein-Friesian sired, Jersey dam (Frostman over a Fjord). The herd is crossbred/mixed breed - mostly HolsteinJersey but I've also used some Brown Swiss and Ayrshire in recent years.
