family milk cow ?

[Gopher]

Our Crystal had a bull calf in May. We left him on her and milked once per day. Weaned him back in Sept. Bought another bull calf to put on Crystal to keep milking her once per day. I just weaned that calf and am now trying to decide if I should go straight to once per day milking or 2X daily until mid winter. Our family's milk need is about 1 to 1 1/2 gallon per day. Any thoughts? Also, any thoughts on how much grain I should be giving her? I'm leaning towards once per day milking and 4 lbs. grain during milking time. SHe has free choice grass hay all day, and I give her a good amount of alfalfa hay in morning and evening. We live in central MN and winter is around the corner.

[scholtefamily]

If you just weaned the calf, I'm assuming you are milking twice a day at this time......so how much is she currently producing for you each day?


We usually put our cows to once a day after they've been milking for 2-3 months. If she calved in May, I'd expect you wouldn't have a problem to put her to once a day at this time.

Can't help you on the grain......

[Gopher]

We separated the calf in the morning. Milked in the afternoon then put the calf back on her for overnight. We weaned the calf last night so today is the 1st day. If I don't hear anything different, I'm going to milk once / day and supliment 4 lbs grain daily when I milk. Thanks for the reply

[Callieslamb]

I think you should try once a day and see how it goes for you both. There's so much variation in cows it's hard for anyone else to judge for you. If I could do this, I'd have a milk cow again. Do you have much trouble separating them? Was it hard to get her to take the other calf?

[Gopher]

good point. After doing morning chores, she looks quite full and I think I will milk 2x / day and start cutting back on her grain 1st. Then when she is producing less, I'll go to 1x / day. We had no problems separtating her from the calf given our infrastructure. When we weaned the 1st calf we went to 2x/dayday milking and put the calf on her then. After about a week of that, we just left them together and milked 1x/day. She has been the perfect family milk cow for us so far. Very friendly and very easy to work with. Only kicked over the bucket a few times at 1st and that was mostly due to flies and trying to reposition herself.

[Cannon_Farms]

when I wean my goats down to once a day I do it by not milking them all the way out since they produce only what you take. Normally Im doing that a month maybe two before I dry them up and one I have will dry up.

The question should be do you really want to milk this winter. Winter milking is a pain, Id be buying another calf or two..

[BarredBuff]

Im just lurking, we are adding us a Jersey cow this spring

[birdman1]

4#s of grain is not to much as long as you'r milking her I'v always milked 2 times a day letting the calf suck his side as i milked the other 'this way our cow comes in faithfully and the compitition at milking time encouriges me to milk fast with 2 hands as the calf gets older I can take only what i need and let the calf have the rest.feeding him hay and grain working tward a nice tender baby beef for my freezer befor hes a year old and I dry bessy off for 6 or 8 weeks before a new calf comes and we start over .healthy milk for me and organic beef that is priceless .I'v heard that hand milking and useing unpasterised milk helps keep you from getting sick because your combining the cows imune system with your own the same with your honey bees 'they help you with thier antibodies; it may be an old wives tail but I havent had as much as a cold sence getting her 3 years ago ;

[Callieslamb]

Originally Posted by BarredBuff

Im just lurking, we are adding us a Jersey cow this spring

We like it when lurkers give away their position.

[spot]

Gopher Cows are different than goats When you milk a cow you milk them out . Cutting back grain will slow down milk but she will get thin . When she is low on body reserve is when she will give less milk. You have a routine that you and the cow have adjusted to stay on it .Get the most from your cow and raise another calf .

[DJ in WA]

Is there a reason you have to wean so young? I assume this second calf is under 3 months old? I let calves do the second milking on my cow for up to 8 months old - just kept increasing the time she made milk for me, vs the calf.

I believe most beef calves are weaned around 6 or 7 months old.