Is this jersey cow close to calving?

[MurraysMutts]

Underbite! Hilarious! Do you think mine will brindle with age? I'm thinking about keeping him as a herd sire and split off my heifers to a separate location. What do you think? I may need to wait and see how he grows off.

Yours is cute as a button with those teefies showing!

Hard to say on the brindle. But he just might!
There a whole thread on using crossbred bulls going on right now. Pretty hot topic. I say go for it! Unless you want take your herd in a different direction. Most would say get a nice black angus bull for breeding. All depends how ya wanna proceed.

 

[MurraysMutts]

O!

And have you located a second calf for the mama?
Are you milking her?

You just might be surprised how easily she would take a second or third calf now that she has calved....

 

[NewMoo]

O!

And have you located a second calf for the mama?
Are you milking her?

You just might be surprised how easily she would take a second or third calf now that she has calved....

I'm eagerly awaiting this girl's calf's arrival! I definitely plan to milk the jersey to supplement for the polled Hereford's calf as she probably won't have much milk being a heifer. Maybe they can share?

One question— can I freeze fresh cow's milk the same as colostrum?

 

[NewMoo]

I'm eagerly awaiting this girl's calf's arrival! I definitely plan to milk the jersey to supplement for the polled Hereford's calf as she probably won't have much milk being a heifer. Maybe they can share?

One question— can I freeze fresh cow's milk the same as colostrum?

Here's an "aerial" view of the "widette." Fairly certain she'll need assistance.

 

[MurraysMutts]

I've no experience freezing cows milk. Sorry.

But just because your hereford is a heifer doesn't mean she won't make milk. I've had plenty of heifers, young and older, make great milk!

Is she starting to bag up yet?

 

[Buck Randall]

Milk can be frozen just like colostrum.

 

[farmerjan]

At 25 months there is no reason to think she won't make enough milk for her own calf even if she is smaller stature. You do not want to over feed the calf or you will wind up with scours. And giving it milk not from it's own momma may make her less interested to take as good care of it. Besides, the more it goes on her udder, the more stimulation for her to produce a greater amount of milk. I would not attempt to do any supplementing until you see how the heifer does with the calf, how often the calf seems to be going to her to suck, how rounded out the calf looks after a few days.... If the heifer is friendly and you can touch and work with her, after the calf is born, and has had a few times on the udder, you could try milking her a little to make sure she is producing in all 4 quarters.... if the calf nurses and goes and lays down and seems content, then it is getting enough. If it is following her around and not seeming to get full, then it is time to worry.
Too many times people interfere with something that is perfectly fine. Give her a chance before you try to fix something that might not need fixing.

The calf on the jersey is nice. Glad she had it with no problems and all seems to be going well for you. Are you milking her now?

 

[NewMoo]

I've no experience freezing cows milk. Sorry.

But just because your hereford is a heifer doesn't mean she won't make milk. I've had plenty of heifers, young and older, make great milk!

Is she starting to bag up yet?

Yes, just yesterday, her bag started to fill. About 1/3 fillled.

 

[MurraysMutts]

Yes, just yesterday, her bag started to fill. About 1/3 fillled.

I bet she does fine. Do you have facilities if she needs assistance? Like a chute to pull the calf if needed?
I hope she does a good job for ya! Excited to see pictures of that one also!

 

[NewMoo]

I bet she does fine. Do you have facilities if she needs assistance? Like a chute to pull the calf if needed?
I hope she does a good job for ya! Excited to see pictures of that one also!

I hope you're right! We do have facilities if she needs assistance.

I sent a video to my vet a couple of weeks ago. (She had an emergency surgery and couldn't make our appointment.) I gave her the full 360° tour of the heifer. She feels she may need assistance based on her size.

Many thanks! I have a feeling this one will be a bull. We're getting lots of bull babies this season!

 

[farmerjan]

Bull calves means money in the bank or meat in the freezer.... it is too tempting to keep the heifers....
Just do not over feed the heifer up to calving. The calf puts on the most size in the last 60 days of the pregnancy. Keeping her well fed but not getting too much or getting fat will help to keep the calf size down a little too. I have seen many small heifers have small calves... nature tends to help to take care of that.... but yes there are exceptions... I am hoping that the heifer will do fine for you. If she starts into labor and you see both feet and the nose, do not be afraid to give her a little help.... a few easy tugs to make the labor a little easier is not bad.... sometimes you will have to pull more on one leg than the other to help ease the shoulders through the pelvis... you know, the difference between going through a door square and easing through one shoulder at a time... but my hope she will just up and surprise you like the cow did....
Again, if there is only one foot, or she seems to be in labor with no progress..... call the vet.... better a bill than a dead calf... safe rather than sorry. Since you have facilities I think you are in as good a shape as you can be to do fine with her...

 

[NewMoo]

Bull calves means money in the bank or meat in the freezer.... it is too tempting to keep the heifers....
Just do not over feed the heifer up to calving. The calf puts on the most size in the last 60 days of the pregnancy. Keeping her well fed but not getting too much or getting fat will help to keep the calf size down a little too. I have seen many small heifers have small calves... nature tends to help to take care of that.... but yes there are exceptions... I am hoping that the heifer will do fine for you. If she starts into labor and you see both feet and the nose, do not be afraid to give her a little help.... a few easy tugs to make the labor a little easier is not bad.... sometimes you will have to pull more on one leg than the other to help ease the shoulders through the pelvis... you know, the difference between going through a door square and easing through one shoulder at a time... but my hope she will just up and surprise you like the cow did....
Again, if there is only one foot, or she seems to be in labor with no progress..... call the vet.... better a bill than a dead calf... safe rather than sorry. Since you have facilities I think you are in as good a shape as you can be to do fine with her...

I appreciate the tip on pulling one leg at a time. The doorway reference was perfect. I appreciate all of your advice, actually!

Many thanks!

Susan

 

[NewMoo]

At 25 months there is no reason to think she won't make enough milk for her own calf even if she is smaller stature. You do not want to over feed the calf or you will wind up with scours. And giving it milk not from it's own momma may make her less interested to take as good care of it. Besides, the more it goes on her udder, the more stimulation for her to produce a greater amount of milk. I would not attempt to do any supplementing until you see how the heifer does with the calf, how often the calf seems to be going to her to suck, how rounded out the calf looks after a few days.... If the heifer is friendly and you can touch and work with her, after the calf is born, and has had a few times on the udder, you could try milking her a little to make sure she is producing in all 4 quarters.... if the calf nurses and goes and lays down and seems content, then it is getting enough. If it is following her around and not seeming to get full, then it is time to worry.
Too many times people interfere with something that is perfectly fine. Give her a chance before you try to fix something that might not need fixing.

The calf on the jersey is nice. Glad she had it with no problems and all seems to be going well for you. Are you milking her now?

Wow! Thank you, once again. I'll try not to interfere, no matter how strong the urge to solve every issue is with me.

I am not milking her yet. I'm a little nervous to be honest.

 

[kenny thomas]

Wow! Thank you, once again. I'll try not to interfere, no matter how strong the urge to solve every issue is with me.

I am not milking her yet. I'm a little nervous to be honest.

Until she calves you shouldn't be milking her any. After calving you can milk if she should need it.

 

[farmerjan]

If you are going to milk the jersey, you need to get going on it sooner rather than later. She will be less inclined to allow it once she gets accustomed to only the calf, and if you don't want her to get mastitis in a quarter, you need to get her milked out. She is a dairy cow, one calf can in no way utilize half the milk she is going to make. That was why it was suggested to get at least one more calf to put on her, if you were not going to milk her. It will ruin her udder to not get her milked out. A dairy animal just produces way more than their own calf can use. She will either get mastitis or she will dry up in the quarters that the calf is not sucking... and calves will have preferred teats/quarters and will neglect the other ones until they want more milk and by then it can often be too late for a dairy cow's udder. If you have never hand milked before, do you know anyone who id experienced to come and help you? She really needs to get milked.

 

[kenny thomas]

If you are going to milk the jersey, you need to get going on it sooner rather than later. She will be less inclined to allow it once she gets accustomed to only the calf, and if you don't want her to get mastitis in a quarter, you need to get her milked out. She is a dairy cow, one calf can in no way utilize half the milk she is going to make. That was why it was suggested to get at least one more calf to put on her, if you were not going to milk her. It will ruin her udder to not get her milked out. A dairy animal just produces way more than their own calf can use. She will either get mastitis or she will dry up in the quarters that the calf is not sucking... and calves will have preferred teats/quarters and will neglect the other ones until they want more milk and by then it can often be too late for a dairy cow's udder. If you have never hand milked before, do you know anyone who id experienced to come and help you? She really needs to get milked.

But unless I missed it Jan, the jersey hasn't calved yet. You will agree not to milk her until after she calves.

 

[farmerjan]

@kenny thomas ; The jersey has the bull calf in the picture....post #55 .... unless I am totally mistaken... maybe I read it wrong....

The hereford is the one that she is worried about her size with having the calf....

Yes, I totally agree to not milk a cow before she calves in 99.9% of the cases...

 

[kenny thomas]

@kenny thomas ; The jersey has the bull calf in the picture....post #55 .... unless I am totally mistaken... maybe I read it wrong....

The hereford is the one that she is worried about her size with having the calf....

Yes, I totally agree to not milk a cow before she calves in 99.9% of the cases...

Then yes you are correct. I need to read back

 

[MurraysMutts]

If you are going to milk the jersey, you need to get going on it sooner rather than later. She will be less inclined to allow it once she gets accustomed to only the calf, and if you don't want her to get mastitis in a quarter, you need to get her milked out. She is a dairy cow, one calf can in no way utilize half the milk she is going to make. That was why it was suggested to get at least one more calf to put on her, if you were not going to milk her. It will ruin her udder to not get her milked out. A dairy animal just produces way more than their own calf can use. She will either get mastitis or she will dry up in the quarters that the calf is not sucking... and calves will have preferred teats/quarters and will neglect the other ones until they want more milk and by then it can often be too late for a dairy cow's udder. If you have never hand milked before, do you know anyone who id experienced to come and help you? She really needs to get milked.

Yep! Keep a close eye on that jersey and listen to Jan!
My Bessie was making so much milk she was dripping/squirting milk just standing there. Had I not put another calf on her, I'd have to milk her. Otherwise I'm sure there would've been udder issues...

 

[NewMoo]

I've no experience freezing cows milk. Sorry.

But just because your hereford is a heifer doesn't mean she won't make milk. I've had plenty of heifers, young and older, make great milk!

Is she starting to bag up yet?

It is currently 4:03 AM. I am sitting in 43 degree weather (hate anything below 60). She is in stage one of labor. Lies down and grunts for a while, then goes to have hay. Has thick discharge and is very swollen and springing. She has bagged up in the past 4 days. Eagerly awaiting a water bag. Going on 7 hours of this pattern. Have been in contact with my vet and brother is standing by to assist if necessary.