Milking a Cow with a Calf

We have had some problems in the last few days. Now, we find ourselves with a newborn calf, and a CRAZY mama. The calf has problems, and his mama is not one to work with. Since I am milking, I will be putting the calf on the milk cow. She is EASY to work with. Right now, I am milking her once a day. She is milking 2 to 2 1/2 gallons per day. I still want to milk her once the calf is on her. But, I am not sure how to go about it. Do I keep the calf off her overnight, milk her partially out and then let the calf have her, or should I let the calf eat what he wants, then milk her, then leave the calf with her for the day and remove him at night?? How do those of you who do this manage it??

[cindy04]

So far both of our Jersey let down very well and we pretty much set our own schedule. But all cows are not like this.

Milking mornings or evenings and when to seperate the calf will be up to you and your schedule. But I would definatley let the calf nurse first and then you milk the rest. This way you know that she has been milked out completely. Keeps production up and Mastitis down.

I personally like the idea of leaving the calf on and seperating at night, let the calf nurse in the am and then you milk the rest. When we seperate our calves totally from the cow and only let them nurse morning and evening---well, they get very greedy and will over eat if we do not pull them off at a certain point. As they get larger and stronger it is a job to pull them off.

Cindy

[savinggrace]

Huh. Never thought of letting the calf nurse first and then milk second. Of course our bull calf was such an eater we wouldn't have ended up with anything!

I would always milk her out first and then let the calf nurse.

We would seperate them during the day (calf playing in the paddock; cow grazing) I would milk and then put them together for the night. But OAD afternoon milking works best with our schedule.

Best Wishes!

Thanks for the responses. I will still be doing OAD, Just in the morning, as that is what works best here. Might be a day or so before we get this calf going on the milk cow, but I think I will try letting him eat first, and then milking.