First calf – share milking?
First calf
My plan is to milk Lula this summer since Della did not breed back – yet… . Of course, lots can go wrong with this “plan.” Lula is half Guernsey, half Hereford, and while her bag is not large, she raises huge calves every year. That leads me to believe she gives a fair amount of milk, at least enough to share a little with us. Probably not enough for me to make butter, and have extra milk, but at least enough to keep us in raw milk. I don’t foresee any of the high maintenance with her like a full dairy cow. This seems the easiest and most economical alternative for us. Good (healthy) dairy cows are hard to come by, and are expensive – so this is our frugal, getting by cow.
so far, so good...
She’s a gentle cow, so we will see how agreeable she is to this arrangement. She was due anytime in the next 10 days, and I checked her yesterday and thought I might get out of this for one more week. But, she had other plans – this is what greeted me this morning. As you can see, she was ready to come to the barn.
already wearing her studded collar
And the baby is bright and curious. She doesn’t know it yet, but she may be sharing her mom with us.
Food Renegade
Simple, Green, Frugal Co-op
Beautiful new addition!
I’ve never been around cows or calves but they sure look sweet, especially that baby. Happy milking!
Congratulations – such a beautiful way to start your day and a heifer to boot
Hope all works out as you want it to.
Awww! The calf is so beautiful! Congratulations!
what a beauty!!
We “shared” a cow all the time when we were milking. It’s easy to get a way if need be. The only thing is that somehow the calf seems to get all the cream. Mama’s don’t share that part all that much
awwww… ain’t she sweet!
I always moo out the window when I drive by a field with mamas and babies.
So pretty. I hope it works out for her, the calf, and you! How do you know how much the calf needs and what you can take? Do you know that by a certain time the calf is done for the day and you can take X amount?
Oh, Nita…she’s lovely!
What a nice way to start a day! A new baby, a heifer to build your herd with, and a just freshen’d cow. Happy Day!
Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com/
Awww, I just love all the newborn critters. This little gal is sooo sweet. Congrats. Will you name the wee one? Um, should we be alarmed that you keep “studded” collars around? hehe Now I’m humming “born to be wild”. Time will tell whether that applies to you or the new calf!
What a perfect day for you! Another girl born (who has the cutest knees, I must say), another round of fresh milk and a very happy mom!
I’ll bet her milk is fab too!
She is so cute! That’s great!
Annie
Hi,
What a wonderful photo, they both look so healthy.
This may be a stupid question but is the band on the nose part of a halter or something else?
Hope the calf does well!
Janis
Oh, she’s so sweet. I hope the cow’s amenable and it works out for you.
Wow thanks everyone! We named the calf Lana, and we love her to death.
I’ll try to answer all the questions here in one comment – with the comment threading it makes too many comments!
Pamela, that is hilarious – I always wonder who is mooing at our cows
Like a FarSide cartoon!
Mangochild, I control when the calf gets to nurse, so I see that she gets full. This cow is only half dairy so she won’t produce as much as a full blood so there isn’t quite as much to share.
Paula, I’m hoping Jetta’s studded collar doesn’t tranfer any bad vibes…so far it hasn’t! I’m kinda partial to Magic Carpet Ride myself…ackk I’m showing my age
Janis, that is her halter, I tie her up to milk her, so it is easier to leave the halter on.
awwwww…. what a beautiful way to start a day! congrats to all three of you!
(catching up at last!)
that is a cut little calf i think she will share with you i have a guernsy cow and a bull and a lot of holstiens and a few jersys and airshyers and one brown swiss and one sweetish red so we have alot of cows we have cross breds too. i think its a great idea to milk her just leave some for the baby !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I know I’ve been asking a million questions lately… but here’s one more. Could you explain to me milk production between a cow just nursing her calf and a cow nursing her calf and humans. Does the cow produce more if you milk her? Or does the calf just get less? Does the calf nurse twice a day like if you milked?
A cow produces a certain amount of milk which is determined by her breed, and then her body condition and feed. A dairy breed produces more milk than a calf needs and there is more milk for the human. A beef breed normally produces enough for the calf only. Then there are dual purpose breeds that produce enough for the calf and some extra for the human. There are exceptions to every rule, but I don’t think dual purpose and beef breeds should be used for farmstead production because I worry that the calf doesn’t really get enough milk to thrive. However this is not a popular opinion of dual purpose breeders or small homesteaders enamored with those types of breeds. And sadly many dairy calves never get to even nurse their mothers even in a family cow setting because the humans can’t deal with the procedures required to allow for both.
A cow can produce more if milked often, but not more than her genetics would allow. The calf usually gets less if the human is taking milk for the house. The key is having a dairy breed that gives enough for both. In a natural setting a calf nurses frequently every day, and should be weaned by its mother at about 9 – 10 months, since the mother is pregnant at the same time and needs to dry up ( a rest with no milking) for at least 8 weeks before the next baby is born.
With my family cow I let the calf nurse only twice a day, after I milk. I have to manage what I take for my dairy needs with what the calf needs to grow into a healthy cow or steer. If you short the calf, it can never reach its full potential. So you either pay early by taking less milk or you pay later with possible health problems and a stunted calf to eat or keep for your herd.