milk consumed by 6 month calf?

johnson · #1 03/14/08, 07:50 PM

we have weaned our 6 month old calf. now we started milking the momma . we got a little less than a half gallon on her first milking. surely the calf was consuming more than this. i imagine we just didn't milk her all that well. i was curious if anyone knew about how much the calves at that age typically would get out of the mother?

topside1 · #2 03/14/08, 07:58 PM

Johnson, are you milking a hereford or a holstein. A dexter or a Jeresy??

johnson · #3 03/14/08, 08:20 PM

jersey holstein cross.

DJ in WA · #4 03/14/08, 11:34 PM

My first thought is maybe she isn't letting down for you. She's been giving milk to the calf and now you're a stranger stealing it. Every cow's different. Is the udder floppy when you're done, or still a bit firm?

I suppose a calf that age could drink more milk, but doesn't need it.

If healthy, she would produce much more than one calf needed early in lactation, then her production would drop to relieve pressure in the udder. Almost better to get another calf or two or three, or milk her along with the calf to keep up production.

topside1 · #5 03/15/08, 07:48 AM

I'm not a dairyman, but at best guess you should be filling the bucket with 2-6 gallons of milk per day. The amount would be dependant on her health, age, amount of grains given and genetic background. DJ is right on with her holding back the milk...My goats give me 1/2 gallon per milking each, so in comparison something is surely wrong...Let us know how things are working out....

cathleenc · #6 03/15/08, 08:54 AM

my nieghbor has a commercial dairy filled with jersey-holstein crosses who've been bred for milking capacity- she averages 50 lbs per cow per day. Some up to 65 lbs. That's a scary amount of milk! Not sure at what point in the lactatiokn cycle that is.

**gone-a-milkin** · #7 03/15/08, 09:09 AM

How long after weaning the cow did you wait to milk her? Could be the calf had been nursing her every couple of hours and getting half a gallon each time. It may take a few days to get her used to being milked out 1-2 times a day. Also, if she has a calf 6 months old, she is not at the 'tippy-top' of her lactation.

JKB07 · #8 03/15/08, 09:42 AM

Gone a milkin, i think your right. At six months old, depending on the other available foods, could be taking 4+ gallons a day from her. Just keep milking her twice a day and she should start letting down for you, and production will go up. Eventhough she is 6 months into her lactation, she should and will give you more than what youve been getting!

JKB

Haggis · #9 03/15/08, 10:40 AM

Tie her calf near her head when you are milking her and she will let her milk down.

johnson · #10 03/15/08, 08:39 PM

thanks for the info. i read also that this late in her lactation the supply should be starting to drop off. we'll keep milking i'm sure she'll pick up.

Cat · #11 03/15/08, 10:58 PM

Okay, I didn't see where you said that you'd been milking the cow prior to weaning the calf. While it might be she's holding milk for the calf, could it not also be that she's reduced output to meet the calf's needs which would mean she's not giving that much because she's not had to? My 4 month old Jersey bull barely nurses at all anymore. If she'd been milked out while the calf was nursing she'd probably be making more milk, IMO.