Solutions for lack of milk production in nursing cows

[cdnvanguard]

Hey gang,

My question is this. With some of my heifers and some of my better calvers. I've noticed a poor turnout in milk production. Small udder etc etc.

Is there any product/drug out there that you can either feed or inject into a heifer/cow to increase their milk production?

This has been a pretty bad year for low milk output in a couple of animals, which in turn is making sicker and smaller calves. I know this is sometimes the case with heifers, but I am still wondering if their is a way to help them increase milk production.

Thanks for all your help

Cdnvanguard
Manitoba, Canada

 

[cowvet]

can you post some pictures?

 

[rockridgecattle]

i would like to know too. got the same problem in a heifer who comes from a long line of good milkers.

 

[Beefy]

sometimes heifers dont milk well on their first lactation, particularly it seems if they had their calf a little early. they usually milk better for the second calf assuming that the problem isnt mastitis related, bad genetics, udder fat, or poor nutrition.

with older cows it tends to usually be mastitis related however ive had a few mystery cases where the cows just never came into their milk like they should.

 

[randiliana]

What is your feed/feeding situation like? Cows that aren't getting enough energy and/or protien don't milk well. Thin cows if it is due to lack of feed will not milk well. And heifers have an even harder time producing milk if they aren't getting the feed that they need. After all, you have to remember, they are growing, they have to clean themselves up from calving, and then on top of that they have to milk enough for the calf to grow.

Other than that, as cows get older their milk production will usually decrease at some point. Some cows will last longer than others. As for heifers, sometimes they just don't milk, regardless of parentage. We have gone through the same thing. As the saying goes, breed the best to the best, and hope for the best.....

 

[msscamp]

Is there any product/drug out there that you can either feed or inject into a heifer/cow to increase their milk production?

Thanks for all your help

Cdnvanguard
Manitoba, Canada

Assuming adequate nutrition, and management - no. Their milk production might increase a little as 2 year olds - keyword here being MIGHT - but it isn't worth the expense of keeping them another year to find out. Milking is an inherited trait, and poor milking is not a trait I would want in my herd. I would cull them.

 

[mnmtranching]

Cows not milking properly is usually due to genetics or feed quantity and quality.

 

[Bez>]

Hey gang,

My question is this. With some of my heifers and some of my better calvers. I've noticed a poor turnout in milk production. Small udder etc etc.

Is there any product/drug out there that you can either feed or inject into a heifer/cow to increase their milk production?

This has been a pretty bad year for low milk output in a couple of animals, which in turn is making sicker and smaller calves. I know this is sometimes the case with heifers, but I am still wondering if their is a way to help them increase milk production.

Thanks for all your help

Cdnvanguard
Manitoba, Canada

I answered this question from you on another thread.

All things being equal with health and food not an issue - it is genetics, genetics, genetics.

Cull every poor performer - even if you like the animal - it costs you money to not cull.

Bez>

 

[cdnvanguard]

Hey gang,

My question is this. With some of my heifers and some of my better calvers. I've noticed a poor turnout in milk production. Small udder etc etc.

Is there any product/drug out there that you can either feed or inject into a heifer/cow to increase their milk production?

This has been a pretty bad year for low milk output in a couple of animals, which in turn is making sicker and smaller calves. I know this is sometimes the case with heifers, but I am still wondering if their is a way to help them increase milk production.

Thanks for all your help

Cdnvanguard
Manitoba, Canada

I answered this question from you on another thread.

All things being equal with health and food not an issue - it is genetics, genetics, genetics.

Cull every poor performer - even if you like the animal - it costs you money to not cull.

Bez>

Yes sorry about the duplicate posts. Was hoping against hope that their was a "miracle" drug out there that you could just inject to get more milk. Unfortunately that just doesn't seem to be the case. Well, now I have the decision to cull some of the low performers. Which is a shame because there is a couple of very quiet animals that are easy to deal with, that just aren't making the grade this year.

If anyone has anymore suggestions, feel free to post

 

[cdnvanguard]

can you post some pictures?

I have no pictures on me, but I don't think it is mastitis, but then again I am not too familiar with it. What do you look for and how do you treat it?

 

[cowvet]

can you post some pictures?

I have no pictures on me, but I don't think it is mastitis, but then again I am not too familiar with it. What do you look for and how do you treat it?

I was wanting to see the feed and body condition in the pictures!

 

[Bez>]

Hey gang,

My question is this. With some of my heifers and some of my better calvers. I've noticed a poor turnout in milk production. Small udder etc etc.

Is there any product/drug out there that you can either feed or inject into a heifer/cow to increase their milk production?

This has been a pretty bad year for low milk output in a couple of animals, which in turn is making sicker and smaller calves. I know this is sometimes the case with heifers, but I am still wondering if their is a way to help them increase milk production.

Thanks for all your help

Cdnvanguard
Manitoba, Canada

I answered this question from you on another thread.

All things being equal with health and food not an issue - it is genetics, genetics, genetics.

Cull every poor performer - even if you like the animal - it costs you money to not cull.

Bez>

Well, now I have the decision to cull some of the low performers. ???????Which is a shame because there is a couple of very quiet animals that are easy to deal with, that just aren't making the grade this year.

If anyone has anymore suggestions, feel free to post

Yup. Here is my suggestion.

You never cull SOME of the poor performers. You cull them ALL.

I do not care how quiet they are. They still are worthless as anything other than burger.

Make money - or spend money. Your choice.

Bez>

 

[msscamp]

Hey gang,

My question is this. With some of my heifers and some of my better calvers. I've noticed a poor turnout in milk production. Small udder etc etc.

Is there any product/drug out there that you can either feed or inject into a heifer/cow to increase their milk production?

This has been a pretty bad year for low milk output in a couple of animals, which in turn is making sicker and smaller calves. I know this is sometimes the case with heifers, but I am still wondering if their is a way to help them increase milk production.

Thanks for all your help

Cdnvanguard
Manitoba, Canada

I answered this question from you on another thread.

All things being equal with health and food not an issue - it is genetics, genetics, genetics.

Cull every poor performer - even if you like the animal - it costs you money to not cull.

Bez>

Well, now I have the decision to cull some of the low performers. Which is a shame because there is a couple of very quiet animals that are easy to deal with, that just aren't making the grade this year.

If anyone has anymore suggestions, feel free to post

It doesn't make a whit of difference how calm or easy to deal with they are - poor performers are poor performers, no matter how you slice it. Why are you only culling some of them? Get of all of them, replace them with good performers who can do what you're looking for, and you will have a much better herd that can achieve the goals you set out.