House milk from a beef cow?

[djinwa]

I had a jersey/lowline angus cross cow I milked, but since the kids are gone, I don't need much milk and sold her.

Was wondering if I could just get a beef cow and if I kept her milked out, would she keep production up to give me a couple quarts a day? Might need some extra feed.

 

[angie1]

You could do that, and she would give you the milk you are wanting plus some ~ depending on what kind you get, or the genetics, you might end up getting more than your previous milk cow gave you. I don't know that she would need extra feed, momma cows are not grained when they are nursing calves. She will need to be re-bred just like a dairy cow to keep her in milk ~ she will not milk indefinately, but I am thinking you have done this before and know that.

You would keep her by herself? Have never been a big fan of having only one of a herd animal....

 

[djinwa]

You could do that, and she would give you the milk you are wanting plus some ~ depending on what kind you get, or the genetics, you might end up getting more than your previous milk cow gave you. I don't know that she would need extra feed, momma cows are not grained when they are nursing calves. She will need to be re-bred just like a dairy cow to keep her in milk ~ she will not milk indefinately, but I am thinking you have done this before and know that.

You would keep her by herself? Have never been a big fan of having only one of a herd animal....

Yes, I would get a couple, especially when they're young. My last cow ended up alone + calf and did okay, but more is better.

I was assuming she would need more feed than with just nursing a calf because with a calf she might drop production the first few months when the calf isn't taking much. If I kept her drained, seems she'd keep up production?