Raising calf on a holstein

[farmerjan]

I would either go angus, or a good black limousin bull. There are easy calving limi's around. Even a black simmental, but calving problems could be a consideration for something with dairy in it for first calf heifers.
Yeah, we are in a "black cattle" area too and the reds get docked. Don't mind when we get a red heifer born as we just usually keep them for replacements.
I have a vet dehorn any older cows. Uses a nerve block so it isn't as painful, uses a big pair of dehorners, does the bleeders and stuffs cotton in the holes. Shot of antibiotic. We watch for possible infection for a few days and they seem to do fine. When the animals all have horns, they tend to respect each other better, but I've got one that became a raging witch with her horns and she got a real comeuppance when they were taken off and she didn't have them to use anymore.

Have a longhorn heifer that I left the horns on. Never had used then as more than a shake of the head, "don't get too close" thing. I often see her going head to head, literally, with several heifers she grew up with in playing pushing contests, and when they are done, never tries to hook them. She has taken a dislike to one of my hol x cows and will try to corner her in a tight space, but doesn't bother her in the field. Gets along with all the angus and she is my "lawn ornament". She does not like dogs in the field though and that is fine with me.

 

[Hardin Farms]

I'll probably stick with Angus since I've got a pretty good source for good stock at my fathers farm. I'll definitely check into the Limousin and Lim Flex bulls, i know a couple guys running them.

I'll check prices to de-horn them. We have done it ourselves on my dads farm, so it may be something we do if i can purchase the anesthetic. They haven't bothered us yet, but they do better at the sale barn without horns as well.

We have a problem with coyotes around here. We have thinned them down a good bit, but occasionally youll here them pretty close. I don't think we've ever had a calf taken by one, but have thought about putting a jack in the pasture to help protect the cattle.

 

[farmerjan]

If you feel comfortable doing the horns than go to it. I hate it. And get literally very sick on the disbudding/dehorning with the hot iron.
Hornless cattle sell better here too except for any that go in the kill pen. Then they tend not to care as much.

Have run both donkeys and llamas. The llamas seem to be better at protecting the calves, often being the "babysitter" for them. The llamas do good with the sheep too. But I have seen pictures where a donkey will literally stomp a coyote to death. We had one that was great, another that was so-so. Love to hear them though.

 

[Hardin Farms]

Little update on baby "Gina". She'll be 3 weeks old tomorrow. What do you guys see in her so far? She's not as "framey" as i ecpected her to be..
https://photos.app.goo.gl/GMUCSVEwNRt3QSG77

Her dams bag is full, but not problematic...

Million dolla question....... any tips on putting some weight on momma cow while the calf is nursing? She got really pulled down a week prior to calving and the first week after, but she seems to be moderating her body now. She has plenty of grass to eat, any supplement recommended? By the looks of her dung, shes getting adequate protein.

 

[alisonb]

Gina is filling out nicely. Is it just the photo or is her navel swollen?

If you know that mother is getting enough grass then supplement with a multi-nutrient block...will be good for all the cows. Have they been dewormed?

 

[Hardin Farms]

I think its mostly the picture.. It doesn't look like that in person... Or at least it didn't last night when we went to check on the cows.

We started using this mineral that is sold locally..

X-TREME Livestock Minerals
16:8 BEEF MINERAL
VITAMIN-MINERAL SUPPLEMENT FOR CATTLE

Guaranteed Analysis
Calcium, Min....................................16.00%
Calcium, Max...................................18.00%
Phosphorous, Min..............................8.00%
Salt, Min...........................................15.00%
Salt, Max..........................................17.00%
Magnesium, Min.................................3.50%
Sulfur, Min..........................................0.50%
Cobalt, Min........................................10 ppm
Copper, Min...................................1250 ppm
Manganese, Min............................3300 ppm
Iodine, Min.........................................40 ppm
Selenium, Min....................................26 ppm
Zinc, Min........................................2700 ppm
Vitamin A, Min........................100,000 IU/LB
Vitamin D3 , Min.......................25,000 IU/LB
Vitamin E, Min................................50 IU/LB

May be just me, but it seems they spend more time grazing than before we were using it.

 

[Buck Randall]

Dairy cows need grain in order to maintain or gain weight in early lactation. There just isn't enough energy in grass to support them while they're milking.

 

[Son of Butch]

Dairy cows need grain to reach peak milking potential. Without it their milk production will drop,
so adding grain for a dairy cow raising 1 calf will only compound the too much milk problem.

 

[CG1]

I've done the same in the past with Holsteins from a local dairy. I bred them to an angus bull. They are raising their calves just fine in the field. I do not milk them but they have so much milk pouring out of them that there are literally puddles all over the field. The dogs are enjoying that.

I also in the past got 2 jerseys from a dairy that were about to calf, both heifers. They calved and I picked up 2 more 3 day old bottle calves to give the excess milk to. I learned a couple things. Its hard to train a cow to be a nurse cow so I quickly gave up after almost breaking my ankle getting kicked too much. I then tried milking them which I quickly realized with 2 cows is really hard work so I just fed the bottle calves milk replacer...failed on that project.

I have also found that the feed has to be different when im feeding my Holsteins or my jerseys. They seem to get skinny faster when they have calves. I give them about twice as much grain as I give my pure bred angus mamas. They just seem to need it more. But they have all given me really big jet black calves when bred to our angus bull.

 

[backhoeboogie]

I still keep a nurse cow. They can be a pain. I buy beef splits from the sale barn and graft them onto the nurse cows. One of mine accepted every calf I ever gave her, except one. She would not accept one and I had to bottle feed it.

 

[snoopdog]

If you'll cross the heifers with a gert bull, you'll have some fine cattle to build from. Then add angus/hereford.

 

[Hardin Farms]

If you'll cross the heifers with a gert bull, you'll have some fine cattle to build from. Then add angus/hereford.

My only concern with the gert influence is adding more milking ability to the mix. All the gerts I've been around were pretty heavy milkers. Also, i hoped the angus and hereford would make them a little more moderately sized. I would like the length added by the gert though. It is definitely something to look at. My swiss cows did come from some good stock. They are very sound cows so i plan to keep them for a while and try some different breeds with them to see how they work.

 

[Hardin Farms]

Just a little update on the holstein cross. The pictures of the red calf are at 6 weeks. Shes not all leg and bone so far. Really happy with the way shes turning out. You can see in the rear picture that she does have a little bit of meat back there.

The bull picture is a young bull we are using to breed with currently. I really like his disposition and he was sire by a Boyd New Day son, so hopefully he'll be a good maternal bull for a couple years to keep some crosses.

The Brown Swiss pictured is one of our favorite cows on the place. She is a pet!

Pardon the flies.. they have been remedied since taking the picture. Also the pasture is full of weeds, but thats a work in progress. My bush hog is down and progress has been quite slow on it. Hopefully will get it going by the end of the week.

 

[farmerjan]

Glad to see that the cows are working out for you. It is nice to see someone being able to take some sad young cows and help them become something much more productive.
Not a bad looking young bull, ought to get some decent calves out of the cross.
Weeds are everywhere here too. Can't seem to get to bush hogging as fast or as often as we should. Has been quite hot and some areas real dry here lately too.
You take it as it comes and do the best you can.
I think you have done good with the cows. They sure look alot better than the first few pictures. They are dairy so will never be fat and round..... but they look like cows and not like ribs. Calf looks pretty decent too. Congrats.

 

[Hardin Farms]

And finally the second one that was bred had a calf....... yesterday around 2 oclock

 

[farmerjan]

Calf looks good. Momma looks good too for a holstein on just pasture. That is probably a blessing because she will not make too much milk on just pasture. She looks even better as she has grown some too. Again, you did real good buying them for next to nothing, and being able to turn them around condition wise, and get a couple calves out of the bargain. I think this is going to be a real good investment for you in the next couple of years because I think prices will uptick a bit in 21 and 22. You will have more calves to sell in the end of 20 or early 21.
Glad to see the update.

 

[Hardin Farms]

Calf looks good. Momma looks good too for a holstein on just pasture. That is probably a blessing because she will not make too much milk on just pasture. She looks even better as she has grown some too. Again, you did real good buying them for next to nothing, and being able to turn them around condition wise, and get a couple calves out of the bargain. I think this is going to be a real good investment for you in the next couple of years because I think prices will uptick a bit in 21 and 22. You will have more calves to sell in the end of 20 or early 21.
Glad to see the update.

It has been a blessing. Neither cow has "overproduced milk. I think the combination of them being heifers and the fact that they are on pasture only has helped moderate milk production. I am pleased with everything so far. I have a winter pasture that we are probably going to turn them over in to within the next month or so. Dry conditions really hurt my summer pasture, but we are still getting a little growth on our fescue. I'm excited to see what kind of calves the Brown Swiss Cows bring. I have mulled over the idea of using them as recip cows in a couple years after seeing how they raise a calf. Any way i go, they'll pay off. Just trying to decide which way i want to go with them.