Couple of cow and calf pictures

[milkmaid]

Three-eleven and the four foster calves (angus x holstein). I believe the one broadside (nursing) was born 5/13/05.

Angus/holstein cross heifer. DOB 4/22/05. Milk all over her muzzle. She's also the one on the right in the pic above.

The new nurse cow, 162 - wish she'd just give in and accept these calves. Same two as the ones in my avatar.

Twins again.

The heifer calf I brought home -same one I've discussed before on the health & nutrition board- joint has been shaved so the swelling is more pronounced.

 

[bigbull338]

those are some nice looking nurse cows.the calvves are growing as well.the new nurse cow will be ok if you keep working with her.scott

 

[msscamp]

Very nice 'family' you have there, Milkmaid. :nod: How's the new heifer doing? Better, I hope.

 

[Susie David]

Nice looking calves....makes me not remember my boyhood experience with Holsteins...had that joint gotten any smaller?
DMc

 

[Beefy]

a boy named Sue?

 

[flaboy]

Now I understand your handle. :lol:

 

[Arnold Ziffle]

milkmain, naming calves seems to be verboten, but based on the way she's standing in the picture I'd say that "Tripod" might be a good name for your newest heifer. :lol:

 

[milkmaid]

Tripod- LOL. It does look that way, doesn't it?

Cows and steers have tag #s, but I both tag and name the heifers. (I know, I know, lol.) Haven't come up with anything for that new heifer yet - usually wait until I'm sure they're going to make it.

That joint is about the same. It feels like it *might* open and drain, but with the heavy load of antibiotics she's on I don't think it's going to do that. I'd probably have to take her off antibiotics to get it to burst...which I don't really want to do. Prolly end up taking her back to the vets and have him work it over. She's racking up a big vet bill pretty quick.

Otherwise she's doing great. Drank her bottle down in a matter of seconds this morning.

Those nurse cows...some days I really dislike 311 and the way she's so hard to keep in, but when I look at how well she's raising those four calves - just look at the age and size on that one nursing - I just deal with her quirks. At least she's paying her way.

As a side note, I am not posting a sideview of 162 anytime soon. 311 is put together very nicely; comparing 162 with 311 is like comparing a 1904 Ford with a 2006 Cadillac. :lol: 162 has a chronic abcess in one rear hoof, causing her to walk abnormally and she's built up a massive front end. Like I said, not a beautiful animal but that front view hides some of her flaws. Then again, she might end up looking OK after she's been wormed a few times and had her feet trimmed up. Who knows.

162 milks about 3 gallons/day - plenty enough for those two twins and she doesn't eat much. Along those same lines, I'm amazed by how much 311 eats. I give 162 a couple flakes and it lasts her all day. Toss 311 a half-bale and she's done by noon. Then again, 311's producing 6-8 gallons/day so I guess I shouldn't be too surprised.

 

[Beefy]

if i have to bottlefeed a calf they always wind up getting the same names. if its a boy his name is "Peckerhead" and if its a girl her name is "Peanut"

Now i have a dairy cow question. i see these dairy cows at salebarns all the time. most of them are the ones with a blown out ligament that have their bag dragging the ground. but fairly often you will see a pretty good looking dairy cow with a moderate sized udder come through with no visible flaws. is she just there b/c she doesnt milk enough? these are usually fairly young cows that look decent body conditionwise for a dairy cow. what gives?

 

[milkmaid]

Repro problems or low milk production.

Boss sent a young cow to the auction last week. First calf last September, calf born dead, cow seen in heat over and over, never bred back, finally got to the point that she wasn't milking heavy enough to pay her way. (I suggested she be culled 6 months ago.) Had an udder on her that I think you beef folks would like, or maybe not. So small if you dried her off I think she would have passed for a heifer.

Usually if they have an udder that small they're there because they don't milk well enough...and where a dairy cow is supposed to "look like she's milking herself to death", as one fellow put it, if she's in decent body condition she obviously ISN'T.

 

[Beefy]

one that didnt milk her self to death and stayed in good enough condition to breed back would make a pretty good momma cow for a commercial herd.

 

[milkmaid]

That they would.

I've seen several herds around me that have a holstein cow among the sea of black angus so it must work for some folks.

I've found the older dairy cows that have had a few calves are much more likely to accept strange calves. Brought the herd in from pasture the other day with the four-wheeler, had a calf in front of me and four cows about ready to climb on too. Obviously the calf only belonged to one cow...I suppose the others have had their calves taken away so many times they're about ready to claim anything. Nice trait in a nurse cow.

 

[Dee]

My turn for the "dumb" dairy cow question. I always seem to end up with two or three bottle calves every year. I see ads in the paper for Holstiens, saying "would make good nurse cow". So, I just bring home this dairy cow, and put it in a pen with 2 or 3 calves, and every one is fine? Or is that senerio a dream? Sorry, but I am totally uneducated as to how the "nurse cow" thing works. I assumed I fed one cow, and she in turn took care of a few calves for me? Asked a couple neighbors, and they seemed to think I had to put the nurse cow in the head gate twice a day. Which doesn't seem like a great solution to bottle feeding to me.

 

[milkmaid]

If you haven't done it before I wouldn't go with a cow that's listed as "would make good nurse cow". That's like the ads for a 6 month old colt that "would make good kids horse". LOL. Yes he would - in 5 years or more with tons of work.

When I brought 311 home she was hobbling around on 3 legs from footrot and she still fought and kicked every time I put the calves on for about 2 solid weeks. I had her snubbed, put an anti-kicking device on her, and then I had to stand right there and lean against her so she'd stay put. And she was mad - hated every second of it.

Those black calves are the third set she's had on, and yes, she's good now, but back then - wow.

162 still hasn't accepted those twins. It's been almost 2 weeks now and I usually still have to rope her, or like tonight, she stood on one side of the pen while the calves nursed while I stood on the other with a handful of rocks and made all sorts of threats about what I'd do if she kicked those calves. LOL!

The nurse cows that I've had were cull cows from the dairy. They take a LOT of work, and yes, once they accept the calves I've been able to turn them out together for months and simply grain the cow - which to me is a good alternative to bottle feeding. Calf gets milk for however long I want to leave him on and I don't have to mess with them.

The good nurse cows that are halter-broke, tame, easy to work around and accept calves easily are going to cost you at least $1500. If I had more time and a little less sense I would take on a few cull cows at $500 a head, spend a month or two working with them, and resell. However, I don't have that kind of time for taming down 1600lbs of mad cow that I won't be keeping. The only ones I've taken on were ones I had long-term plans for.

As far as feeding goes...basically I figure I put $$$ into the cow (hay, pasture, grain, whatever), and then divide that cost by the number of calves she's raising at the moment. Calves cost approx $6/week in milk replacer, cow raising 4 calves can't be fed more than $24/week herself or she's costing me (and it would be cheaper to bottle-feed). Up to $24 and the cow is "free", calves cost so much per head per week. To be honest though, it's hard to put $24 worth of feed per week into a cow. Usually runs about $18/week for 311 during the winter so she has to support at least 3 calves or she isn't paying her way. Make sense? 162 gets less grain and cheaper hay because she only has two calves - I can't feed her more than $12/week.

 

[bigbull338]

you have tobe very careful buying nurse cows.they can sometimes be not what the selling says they are.nurse cows take alot of work an time.but on a good cow you can raise 9 to 12 calves a yr on the cow.as for cull dairy cows at the sale barn.they are there for low milk production.being a non breder.health probs.or being a kicking cow.scott

 

[milkmaid]

Yep...I wouldn't buy a cow through the auction. No way no how. I've watched my boss send too many cows through to know that you can't always see the problems they have. All the ones I've gotten were straight from my boss - and I've had several years worth of history on them. Can't say as I'd be comfortable buying from just anyone. This way I've already dealt with the cows for a long time in the milking barn and I know most of their quirks and problems.