Calf weaning

[Anonymous]

I'm hoping to get some advice. I have a small herd of cattle that are 4-h projects. Earlier this year I got my first bred and owned calf. My grandparents used to have beef cattle when I was younger but they can't answer my question. This calf is almost 6 months old. She is Plenty big and healthy. And mama has slowed down on producing milk. We have had the calf seperated for a day or two and the cow's bag filled up with milk. I remeber milking some cows a few times after weaning their calves. but the problem is. I wanted to send this cow to another farm to be bred. I won't be able to check on her while she is out there and I know this farmer doesn't have to time to watch her (and she certinly won't let him milk her). Should I worry about her filling up with milk. I remeber talk of milk fever if they didn't get the milk out. I really appreciate any suggestions you have.<br>Thanks Jen
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[Anonymous]

Go ahead and send your cow to be bred when you are ready to do so. <p>Anytime a calf is weaned & not nursing, the mother's bag is going to fill up with milk. She will be uncomfortable for a couple of days, then she will take another week or so to dry up. This won't cause her any health problems. <p>If you milk her while you are weaning the calf, she will just continue to produce milk. A cow will produce as much milk as is being used. <p>Milk fever is something entirely different, and happens to some cows when their calf is born and they first fill up with milk. I believe it is a calcium and/or magnesium imbalance in the system of a heavy-milking cow. Perhaps someone else can explain milk fever better than I can. <p>We usually wean our calves at 205 days and they do fine. Some people wean at a younger age. If your calf is healthy and eating well, you can wean whenever you are ready. <p>Did you know you can breed your cow much sooner tan 6 months after she calves? 45 days after calving is about the minimum length of time to wait before breeding the cow back. And, at that stage, if the cow has a heifer calf by her side, the heifer won't be old enough to worry about the bull breeding her, too.
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[Anonymous]

Thank you for the input. We're all a little rusty. We didn't think we'd get anywhere by milking her, but at the same time were concerned about her health. I'm trying to learn more about health problems for cattle, so I understand what's going on better.<br>I knew I could breed her earlier, I just wanted to wait until December to try for a september calf. Septembers thru December can be shown two show seasons in a row without having a calf by their side.<p>Thanks again<br>Jen<br>
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[Anonymous]

: I'm hoping to get some advice. I have a small herd of cattle that are 4-h projects. Earlier this year I got my first bred and owned calf. My grandparents used to have beef cattle when I was younger but they can't answer my question. This calf is almost 6 months old. She is Plenty big and healthy. And mama has slowed down on producing milk. We have had the calf seperated for a day or two and the cow's bag filled up with milk. I remeber milking some cows a few times after weaning their calves. but the problem is. I wanted to send this cow to another farm to be bred. I won't be able to check on her while she is out there and I know this farmer doesn't have to time to watch her (and she certinly won't let him milk her). Should I worry about her filling up with milk. I remeber talk of milk fever if they didn't get the milk out. I really appreciate any suggestions you have.<br>: Thanks Jen<p>

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[Anonymous]

Milk fever is something that rarely occurs in beef cows, is a Calcium deficiency that occurs in dairy cows around calving. In beef cows, phosphorus or magnesium deficiency is much more common. What you're worried about is MASTITIS, which is an infection of the mammary gland--bacteria love growing in milk and if the cow is dripping milk, bacteria can get in and whammo! If the calf is 6 months old, the cow is not likely to be producing so much milk that she'll be uncomfortable unless she develops mastitis. As for the breeding at six months.....I hope this is a one time thing, she'll have a LONG break between calves, decreasing her profit return, increasing liklihood she'll be fat at calving....<br>Good Luck, ask questions if you like!<br>V
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