No milk

[Logan52]

I have had cows here where I live since 1972 and never had this problem before. Usually kept my own replacements from a milky line of cows.

This spring I bought a couple of 3 in 1 packages, gray charolais cross with smoke calves at side, said to be 1 to 3 months bred. Some age on them but in fair shape and they have picked up weight since I have lots of grass.
Sold big 700 pound calves off them about a month ago. This past week one of them calved with about a 60 pound heifer calf. The cow has a bag not much bigger than a softball. Most of my cows always have a large bag and almost drip milk at this stage.
The cow must have been 3 months bred when I bought her. Since I wanted to sell all the calves at the same time, ended up leaving the calf on her too long.
She claims the calf and it stayed hid a couple of days. It follows her everywhere now, It doesn't bawl but looks a little gaunt.
Will she come to her milk on good fall grass or do I have a problem?

 

[farmerjan]

If you have good grass, she may very well come to her milk. What did her bag look like with the previous calf? Have you looked at her mouth? You said some age.....maybe she is just getting too old or too much wear and tear. Do you have a chute to get her in? I would check to see if she has milk in all 4 quarters. She might not and that would account for some of the smaller sized udder. I would watch the calf real close. If the calf stays on her constantly, going from teat to teat, then it is not getting enough to drink. But if not looking too gaunt or acting overly hungry, it might just be that you are too used to the bigger rounder calves you just sold. However, she would be one that I would definitely put on the possible "sell list" if she doesn't come into more milk. Some cows just take a few days to udder up...

 

[76 Bar]

Will she come to her milk on good fall grass or do I have a problem?

A Pic of the pair would be helpful. Might be she's a one & done. Does she have any teeth? Suspect she & the calf need a lot of TLC/extra groceries. Udders can fool you but softball size on a newly freshened aged cow isn't encouraging. Good luck.

 

[Logan52]

These two cows came from the same owner and are obviously related. Haven't looked at their teeth but they are in good condition, I would call them fat. They both had 300 lb. heifers on them when I bought them for $1250.
Neither cow had much of a bag (small tits and tight bag held close to body) but had good calves so I presumed they were giving enough milk. Both heifer calves sold this fall in a group weighing 712 and were fleshy, only bringing $1.10 but I had a lot of comments on what a nice set of heifers they were to be right off the cow.
Really just bought them to help eat the grass this past summer. I expect to sell them by spring.
I tried posting pictures once but gave up. My eyes are weaker than they were then and I am no whiz on the computer.
Still, thanks for the replies.
I plan to move them to the barn on the far side of the place tomorrow where I load out. Youngest daughter has her wedding planned for the point of the big ridge where they are running now. Don't want too much fresh manure on the ground for the big wedding.

 

[bird dog]

I would say you might have a problem. Sounds like the calf may be premature. See the premature calf thread.

 

[MurraysMutts]

One thing u can try is to keep the calf off the cow for 12 or so hours and see what her bag looks like without the calf on her.

 

[Logan52]

The cow appears to be slowly coming to her milk. I think now the calf was a bit premature. It is now much fuller looking and has lots of vim and vigor.
Fingers still crossed.

 

[MurraysMutts]

Sounds like good news...