Think she will make milk?

[MurraysMutts]

O my, how time gets away from us! Bessie was a 5 yr old five years ago. She has a nice lil black heifer calf this year. I'm gonna give her some rest and let her just raise hers this time. She's got milk and probly enough for 2, but with her age she's just gonna be a cow this time. I hate having to make responsible adult decisions!! I don't think there will ever be another one like her.
She calved a couple days ago and didn't come up for feed today. Had to go on a walk. Sure enough. Her and 6 babies down in the valley enjoying the beautiful weather.

 

[farmerjan]

You might want to rethink letting her just raise one... she can get a type of milk fever from having too much milk and it not being milked... and she can easily get mastitis... I think my vet years ago called it low potassium milk fever... usually late lactation... but he said it was in part because she was making too much milk and it not getting "milked out" and her system just did not want to "slow down"....
The mastitis is more of a worry to me... and Bessie so loves being a momma... just 2 for a whole lactation will keep her balanced...
OF COURSE... there is a small thing like the COST of a baby calf... OUCH......Actually.... more like cutting your throat.
I have a new 1st calf jersey heifer with her OOPS black calf courtesy of a neighbor's black bull next to the farms' jersey heifer pasture... She will be getting a twin that was born to a beef cow today.... her calf is doing great but I have to milk her out some too... let the twin stay with the momma for a day or 2 at least to get the colostrum... then I will bring it to the barn and put it on this heifer... with her calf... We had 2 sets of twins last year and they did good on their own mommas... but that was a part of getting a nurse cow... got one that has some foot issues from one dairy... sweetheart disposition...put a bottle calf on her then a calf that the momma died so she has 2..... then this other 1st calf heifer came available with her calf and I went on and got her... she has been good to hand milk , and pretty good to work with now that she has gotten used to things here and the routines....

 

[farmerjan]

Of course, knowing Bessie... she will be mothering all the calves anyway...!!!!!!

 

[MurraysMutts]

I'm definitely keeping an eye on her @farmerjan

 

[farmerjan]

Can't believe you've had her 5 years... I remember the speculation when you got her and if she would make milk... and how rough she looked... and how fabulously she has done for you all these years.

 

[MurraysMutts]

Sweet Bessie gurl

And her a Dapples heifer calves. Didn't take a pic of Dapples today. They are both only raising their own calf this year.

 

[farmerjan]

Bessie looks really good... and obviously only raising her own has helped with her exceptional condition so you did make the right decision for her... Both her and Dapples calves look pretty good.

 

[TexasJerseyMilker]

Opps, an old post is what I looked at. never mind.

I AIed my milking Jersey to Angus this time. Because all the dairies have gone to beef on dairy and their purebred replacement heifers are not for sale. I, too, have gone to beef on diary. Maybe I can bum an extra beef on dairy calf or two to raise on the milk while I build up my herd of beef cross females.

 

[MurraysMutts]

Dapples.

Bessie
I'm gonna miss these two girls one day....

 

[MurraysMutts]

Bessies first born lim-long sired calf. (Momma, they call her)
I took Howie over to my old neighbor today to breed her and Cindy. He will be there til December.
I think she's holding condition pretty well too.

And her Son of Big Sexy sired bull calf! He's a dandy! (Yes, she bred by her own son!)

This cow is bigger than Howie the Bull.
He went right to work.....

 

[farmerjan]

I don't know @MurraysMutts .. you might have to supplement your cattle to get them "rounded out" a little bit......
;););););););););););)