Can it work?

[MikeJoel]

When our cow finally decides we have waited long enough and gives birth to the calf is there going to be a problem if we partition of the cows stall to make room for the calf? We had hoped to make a small pen so the two would pretty much remain together but the calf would be unable to nurse. I am thinking this could be very bad when I go to milk?

Mike

[Up North]

Mike - While usually not done in the U. S., there are dairy farms where this is standard practice. The problem you may encounter is cow may "hold back' her milk and not let down for you at milking time. If you get past this or it is not a problem, there are some advantages: Calf will take to eating grain and hay faster because it will mimic cow's actions. I will sometimes leave a calf by cow 1-3 days, as I feel a cow that is shaky (Health in the danger zone) will have a reason to live and keep fighting the good fight if she has that calf near her. We've seen some cows pull thru that the Vet didn't think would make it.
Have no scientific basis for theory that calf being there helped, just my gut instinct. ....most commercial dairy farms in U.S. remove calf first day for biosecurity reasons, and because in some states, Grade A milk inspectors do not allow calves in dairy barn. You will have to decide what works for you.

[JeffNY]

It's actually healthier to take the calves out of the barn, I know of a person who had her Jerseys in hutches, facing west, in the elements, and they were some extremely healthy calves. Either way, taking them away at birth is done, some give it 24 hours, personally I would wait untill the mom cleans, it does help to leave the calf on for that, usually cleaning takes place within an hour of calving. If your going to use the milk for yourself, and don't need a large quantity. Let the calf in with the mother during the night, or basically during feeding time, and milk otherwise. With your horse, the calf with the horse won't work (never know). With a Jersey we used to have, we left the calf with her all the time. When she became older, she made such little milk we didn't milk her, she calved, and raised it. Other calves joined in.


Jeff