Got an ol cow operating on only 3 quarters now. Her calves seem fine and it doesn't bother her. Anyone know if the other 3 quarters kick up milk production to offset the one blown quarter or if milk production is just off by 25% or whatever?
one quarter down
- Thread starter angus9259
- Start date
The other quarters do seem to increase production to an extent, esp the quarter on the opposite diagonal from the 'dead' quarter. She won't milk as heavy as she did before, but she'll still do a good job. Maybe 90% of what her production previously was.
I've got a cow here that was feeding 7 calves on 3 quarters when she was fresh (May). Used to milk enough for 8 or so calves when she still had 4 quarters.
I've got a cow here that was feeding 7 calves on 3 quarters when she was fresh (May). Used to milk enough for 8 or so calves when she still had 4 quarters.
bigbull338
Well-known member
yes she can raise her calf just fine on 3 teats.an sometimes those teats produce more milk.
Cowdirt
Well-known member
angus9259":1q5b2zma said:
The proof is in the calves she raises. If you choose to replace her; her replacement might have four good quarters and still not milk as well as she.
randiliana
Well-known member
We have a cow here that lost a quarter as a 3 year old. She is now 10. She still raised some darn good calves. We have no idea what happened to her, but it has never caused another problem for her.
At one if the dairys I used to test there was one cow that at about 4 lost one quarter then at about 6 lost another one. The dairman kept saying he wouldn;t keep a goat and she should be on the next truck out. Problem was, as a 2 titter she only was about 10% down from what she milked as a full 4 quarter cow. As the 3 titter she milked within a pound or 2 of what she had as a full 4 quarter cow. She may have been the exception, but some of them seem to be able to pretty well make up for a loss of a quarter.
