Menu
Forums
New posts
Search forums
What's new
New posts
New media
New media comments
New profile posts
Latest activity
Media
New media
New comments
Search media
Members
Current visitors
New profile posts
Search profile posts
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles and first posts only
Search titles only
By:
New posts
Search forums
Menu
Log in
Register
Forums
Cattle Boards
Beginners Board
Question for new cow mama
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Help Support CattleToday:
Message
<blockquote data-quote="farmerjan" data-source="post: 1401437" data-attributes="member: 25884"><p>Okay, that's great since you know her background. Probably not that big a milker, but they will produce more the 2-3-4th lactations than the first. My first suggestion is to get a second calf for the simple reason that you can beef one and sell the other to pay for most of the grain, and it will help her udder and to use the extra milk. But that is entirely up to you. It sounds like he did have her to raise the two calves so she is experienced with that. Believe me, a nurse cow that will take calves is a TREASURE.....</p><p>The thing is to see how much milk she is making and adjust the milking(s) to make sure she gets milked out completely at least once a day. If she seems to be making alot, it the calf starts to scour, then you need to milk her twice a day for awhile. That is also why I suggested a 2nd calf. </p><p>Also, you may find that if you leave the calf with her all the time, she may very well not let her milk down for you and that will not only shortchange you for milk, but can inadvertantly cause her to lessen her production and/or cause mastitis. Believe me, they will do things like not letting their milk down so that their baby gets it...Nature's way, but can cause some problems down the road. Been there, done that. So that is why I will keep a calf/calves away from a cow when I want to milk, then let them back with her. She needs to learn that coming into her stall/stanchion or where ever you are going to milk, that that is what she is there for. And they will learn the routine quickly and be glad to get a break from the calves as they get older. I think the feed sounds fine. </p><p>The limi cross calf ought to make a nice beef for you.</p><p></p><p>If you see that she is dripping milk or anything that makes you think the calf isn't using it all, then I would milk twice a day for awhile. Just watch the calf, if it scours and is on the cow all the time, you may not notice it right off and they can dehydrate real quick. That is another reason why I like to separate them so that when they are in the barn lot, I can check them out real good and watch when they go back on the cow to make sure that they are enthusiastic. A calf that gets scours will get real weak too, wobbley and even if it wants to nurse won't have the energy.</p><p> </p><p>This is not to scare you. Really, 98% of the time it works just fine. But the hol x cows just produce alot of milk and you want to keep on top of it. Figure that a calf will drink about 1 gal a day for the first 1-2 weeks - in little bits of a pint or so at a time. Then they will get up to about 2 to even 3 gal a day as they get bigger. So you just don't want them to get too much in the beginning.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="farmerjan, post: 1401437, member: 25884"] Okay, that's great since you know her background. Probably not that big a milker, but they will produce more the 2-3-4th lactations than the first. My first suggestion is to get a second calf for the simple reason that you can beef one and sell the other to pay for most of the grain, and it will help her udder and to use the extra milk. But that is entirely up to you. It sounds like he did have her to raise the two calves so she is experienced with that. Believe me, a nurse cow that will take calves is a TREASURE..... The thing is to see how much milk she is making and adjust the milking(s) to make sure she gets milked out completely at least once a day. If she seems to be making alot, it the calf starts to scour, then you need to milk her twice a day for awhile. That is also why I suggested a 2nd calf. Also, you may find that if you leave the calf with her all the time, she may very well not let her milk down for you and that will not only shortchange you for milk, but can inadvertantly cause her to lessen her production and/or cause mastitis. Believe me, they will do things like not letting their milk down so that their baby gets it...Nature's way, but can cause some problems down the road. Been there, done that. So that is why I will keep a calf/calves away from a cow when I want to milk, then let them back with her. She needs to learn that coming into her stall/stanchion or where ever you are going to milk, that that is what she is there for. And they will learn the routine quickly and be glad to get a break from the calves as they get older. I think the feed sounds fine. The limi cross calf ought to make a nice beef for you. If you see that she is dripping milk or anything that makes you think the calf isn't using it all, then I would milk twice a day for awhile. Just watch the calf, if it scours and is on the cow all the time, you may not notice it right off and they can dehydrate real quick. That is another reason why I like to separate them so that when they are in the barn lot, I can check them out real good and watch when they go back on the cow to make sure that they are enthusiastic. A calf that gets scours will get real weak too, wobbley and even if it wants to nurse won't have the energy. This is not to scare you. Really, 98% of the time it works just fine. But the hol x cows just produce alot of milk and you want to keep on top of it. Figure that a calf will drink about 1 gal a day for the first 1-2 weeks - in little bits of a pint or so at a time. Then they will get up to about 2 to even 3 gal a day as they get bigger. So you just don't want them to get too much in the beginning. [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Forums
Cattle Boards
Beginners Board
Question for new cow mama
Top