question about nurse cows

[anvoj]

Hello all,
I am looking into expanding my small herd (currently 5 highlanders), and have an opportunity to buy a 1/4 holstein x highland cross which apparently allows other cows' calves to nurse while they're on the pasture (they've seen four on her at once). I'm interested in the possibility of milking her, but I don't think she's trained to it, so I don't know if that's even an option. They don't give her grain for the extra milk, but still I would think she'd be more expensive to overwinter.
My question is how a nurse cow affects herd management. If, say, four calves are nursing on her (and their own cows), will they gain faster and perform better with the extra milk? Would the extra gain offset the cost of what I would assume would be her higher feed intake? Or would the only benefit be to bring in some auction orphans?
Would she make for a healthier herd or just a more expensive one?

[francismilker]

You pose some good questions here about cost-vs-output. In my experience with nurse cows, (been using them for about 6 years), Things work out pretty well provided the extra calves robbing from her don't pull her down too much in body condition and take from her calf.

When and if she starts losing body condition you're faced with having to single her out from the herd once or twice a day to feed her separately. (which adds time to your day and time is money).

I've come to the conclusion with my nurse cows to figure out just how many they can handle at one time on grass, hay, and what they get from the feed trough with the rest of the herd and let them go with that. Otherwise, the gathering them up and slug feeding them is too costly. If you're gonna feed them that much to run calves on your money might be better spent milking them twice a day and bottling more calves.

Just my two cents.