The Ultimate Nurse Cow?

[matt_man]

Figured you wouldn't believe it without a picture but this was one of the funniest things I had ever seen.





Our new jersey heifer being a nursemaid to two 4 month old piglets. She has a little milk in her but has never been bred, hoping for AI on Tuesday. By the way, is that normal for a 3 yr old to give milk without ever calving?

Our other Jersey cow who was giving 4 gallons a day drastically dropped in production last week and I was almost frantic, thinking mastitis. I am a new cow owner and milker and was starting to get really worried. Then on Sunday I noticed the pigs, who have been sneaking under the fence from my bro-sis-in-laws for months, nursing on one of my cows.

Well I figured out where my milk was going because as soon as I told them about it they got them moved and production is as good as it ever was.

matt-man's wife - Rachel

[francismilker]

I'm not sure about why she's giving milk without being bred. ARE YOU SURE SHE'S NOT BRED? How long have you had her?

You definitely need to keep her around.

[matt_man]

We've had her since Feb. 17th and she has had two heats since then. One right after we got her home and another on March 8th. Although she is really huge.

She only gives a few squirts of milk from each teat. I have never tried to see how much I would get.

Rachel

[JeffNY]

Dogs have been known to produce milk without giving birth to any puppies. Its a psychological thing. I am not sure if cows can do the same thing or not. It looks like in one of the pictures one is sitting down while nursing, if I am seeing things right.


Jeff

[matt_man]

Yes, the pig is just sitting behind and nursing. The first time I noticed it though, the cow was laying down and the pigs were nursing away until she got up. That's when I noticed one "detach".

I noticed that when we went to look at her before we bought her she had a little milk in her when I pulled on her.

Rachel

[gone-a-milkin]

that is pretty funny, in a weird kind of way..

its the reason I love dairy cows, they are the ULTIMATE mothers..

if shes not bred, she sure has a full gut in those shots.

[mamabear]

What a pretty girl, and a patient one too!
hugs,
mamabear

[pancho]

It isn't that unusual for pigs to nurse a cow. It is common enough that most people would not allow hogs in the same pasture as their milk cow. A hog will nurse even when it is grown and it can become dangerous to the cow.
Also there is a danger of the pigs eating a calf when it is born.

[jerzeygurl]

also need to separate so they dont drain the colostrom from her before calving