Feeding a nurse cow

[cmf1]

I have Jersey nurse cow that I have grafted two calves on to. She has her calf as well. Never had a nurse cow or dairy cow before.
I have 12% sweet feed and good square bales for her.
How much feed should I be giving her twice a day on top of all the hay she wants.
I let her into the pen morning and evening to nurse until she has fully accepted the calves.
Probably 2-3 days more and I will turn them all into a rye grass paddock by themselves.
This morning she walked and stood for all three before I even got the rope on her so I just stood and watched.
After about 15-20 minutes of nursing, she hiked up at them a bit, but I'm thinking it was more about manners than rejecting. They started punching a bit more than she was up for.
She's a good cow and I don't want to overfeed but I want her to have all she needs. She's doing some serious good work for me.
Thanks.

 

[chippie]

It is better for the cow to keep her separate from the calves and have her come up twice daily to eat and nurse the calves. You don't want them banging on her udder all day long.

A dairy cow needs more protein than 12%. We feed an 18% percent pelleted dairy feed. Our Jersey cow gets 10 lbs twice daily. She has free choice grass hay and our grass is coming up.

If you can't find a dairy feed, I am sure that someone here can help you get your protein level up or suggest another type of feed.

One thing that you need to be careful about is to not use any medications, insecticides or dewormers that are not approved for dairy cattle. A person never knows if one should have to sell an animal and another person may want her to use her milk for themselves.

 

[pdfangus]

i would say it is more improtant to up the protein level of the feed.

a minimum of a 16% protein....unless the hay is good alfalfa.

spring grass will help but once it hardens the protein level will drop off again.

 

[cmf1]

Until I can find some higher proetein feed, would you up the ration of 12% ?

 

[pdfangus]

Until I can find some higher proetein feed, would you up the ration of 12% ?

you can simply add a quart of soybean meal daily to the 12% sweet feed. one half in each feeding....I m not going to try balancing a ration on line....but the cow needs more protein if you expect her to milk well and raise two calves.

If you don't change anything she won't die....but she may be slow to breed back and the growth of the calves may not be optimum.

 

[chippie]

No, she needs the protein to make milk, not the extra feed. You can add Calf Manna or soybean meal to increase the protein.
Follow the directions on calf manna about how much to feed. Soybean meal is 44% protein (I think). We would give 1/4 to 1 cup per feeding.

This is the website for calf manna. http://www.mannapro.com/products/calf-manna/cattle/

Check the coupon link. The coupons change and I have found ones for $10 off a bag of calf manna there.

ETA: she will be raising 3 calves, her own and 2 others if I read correctly.

 

[cmf1]

Yep, 3 calves.
Highest protein around here I can find is 14%, so I'm off to get the Manna or the soybean meal.

 

[backhoeboogie]

Yep, 3 calves.
Highest protein around here I can find is 14%, so I'm off to get the Manna or the soybean meal.

I mix 20 percent cubes in with my nurse cow's sweet feed. Ground cotten seed hull is even better when I can find it. My problem is in the summer. She'll simply quit eating feed so I go to an all grain dairy feed then. It is only about 9 percent. I no longer use a nurse cow in the summer.

 

[cmf1]

Got to the feed store and and asked one of the guys I normally deal with about 18% dairy and he asked how many I needed. The girl on the phone...oh well.
Anyway, all good now.
Here's the crew after the evening feed.
Momma's finishing feed outside the pen.
She started licking the heifer this morning.

 

[chippie]

Happy that you were able to find feed for her. The calves look good, the cow looks rough. Jerseys are naturally a bonier than a beef cow, but yours is not in very good condition. The higher protein feed will help her recover, plus if you can get her some alfalfa would be great. I certainly would not run the calves with her. They will wear her down and use her up.
How old are the calves? All of the Jersey cows that we have owned have been good mothers when we let them keep their calf. They do like their babies. : )
If you can, weigh your feed so that you are sure that you are feeding her enough.

 

[TexasBred]

Yep, 3 calves.
Highest protein around here I can find is 14%, so I'm off to get the Manna or the soybean meal.

Look at horse feeds. A good 16% textured horse feed would work fine. Or even a good 16-18% pig feed will work. You'll get the needed protein and energy in either. If you can't find it just do what Jim said and add soymeal to your 12% mix. Cottonseed meal could be used as well.

 

[cmf1]

Weighed out 10 pounds and fit it perfect in old granite bucket. That's Laverne's bucket now. Twice a day.
The Jersey bull calf and the grey heifer were both calved on 2/21. the grey bull was calved on 2/13.
Started the two on Laverne on 2/24.
Little bit of a learning curve on consumption dairy vs beef, but hopefully working it out now. I certainly want to do what's right by this girl cause I figure she's working hard.
You think I should up her feed a bit?
I'm all ears.

 

[backhoeboogie]

You think I should up her feed a bit?
I'm all ears.

If she has other forage or quality hay, you should be fine.

I hold costs to $1 a day per calf. That's $1.50 per feeding for the cow twice a day. Way cheaper than a bottle and it puts you in the black.

Calves look good. Get her in good shape and cycle three more calves on her in 90 days.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Lady at my church raises a pile of calves off a couple of Jersey girl's.
She has to pur the high quality feed to them but they sure turn out some nice calves.

 

[cmf1]

How bad is she from a full pic.?
I swear I thought she was mid range for a jersey.
Grading her BCS on the net, she looks to be a little better than a 2.
How hard is it to get them to a 3 while heavy nursing.
Will the 18% @ 20 lbs a day do it with decent forage and hay?
Thanks

 

[TexasBred]

You're not going to add much body condition to a hard working dairy breed especially when three calves are nursing her. She's always going to covert most everything to milk. You could top dress her feed with vegetable oil to increase caloric intake but it's pretty expensive. Just make sure she gets all the feed she needs to do the job you're asking her to do. Once she breeds back and you decide to dry her off she should put on body condition during the dry period.

 

[cmf1]

Thanks very much guys. I feel like I can get a handle on this now. :tiphat:

 

[Kscattle]

I'm just curious Texas bred but would the feed stay the same while she's drying up? Or would a lighter ration do? This is an interesting thread but I don't think I'm ready to buy a nurse cow just yet.

 

[TexasBred]

I'm just curious Texas bred but would the feed stay the same while she's drying up? Or would a lighter ration do? This is an interesting thread but I don't think I'm ready to buy a nurse cow just yet.

During the dry period there's no need to feed them anything other than grass or hay depending on the time of the year. You can begin to feed them some feed the last two weeks prior to calving IF you know when she's due to calve. Get her rumen adjusted and ready for the more concentrated diet when she begins to milk again.