Little Cow
Well-known member
Fiona is our son's pet cow. She has given us some great beef over the years (she has a bad udder). However, when we wean her steer calf for 30 days+, she dries up for awhile, then starts producing milk again! We have played the separate-her-from-her-calf game several times now, with the same result. She does this with every calf, but it has never been this bad. Kept him separate for two months this last time, still, she's back into milk. He's a yearling, btw, so too soon to slaughter. The worst part is that 1) she loses too much condition, and 2) he is old enough to damage her already cone shaped udders. She is locked up now, but it is not feasible for us to separate and feed one of them hay until he is old enough for slaughter next spring. I have a plastic nose ring with spikes on it I am considering trying. I have no idea if that will work.