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[BA38]

Hi lads, I have this idea that I've been thinking about for a while, currently I buy in a few calves every spring, and feed them milk replacer, which works fine but I want to increase the amount i buy in and keep costs down, so my idea is to buy in two quiet cows in calf , have the calves but then milk the cows with a mobile milking machine once a day, and let their calf off with them during the day, bring them in at night, separate cow and calf overnight and milk cow again in the morning, I want to do this to keep costs down and mix milk from cow with milk replacer and feed to other calves, I've been told it makes a right job of the calves , is this a good idea or am I dreaming

 

[Al R]

I know of some that do it but the cows are with the calves (usually 3-4 calves) and they drink direct off the cow.

 

[BA38]

The reason I would only leave one calf or maybe two is I'd be gone to work during the day, put her in at night with calves seperated, milk her in the morning and give that milk to other calves along with milk replacer, surely she would have a nice bit of milk for me in the morning and the two calves can feed as they want during the day

 

[BA38]

Are you saying calves are with the cows 24/7 and he milks her aswell

 

[Al R]

Are you saying calves are with the cows 24/7 and he milks her aswell

Cows arnt milked, calves drink it all A good cow will do 4 with ease from what I’ve been told up to 10-12 weeks and then change the calves over for a new batch, I assume the cows are relatively quiet though!

 

[unlacedgecko]

Cows arnt milked, calves drink it all A good cow will do 4 with ease from what I’ve been told up to 10-12 weeks and then change the calves over for a new batch, I assume the cows are relatively quiet though!

That's how Harry Weir in NZ raises calves for his techno graze beef. All calves reared on nurse cows, 5-6 calves per 2 cows. Twice a day they're penned in a small electric fence paddock and observed to make sure everything drinks.

 

[Derrick Hughes]

I used to suckle 4 calf's per cow 3 times a day at the start then twice a day , just turn cows in until cows are empty

 

[Werzle]

Alot of the old timers used to multi suckle ex dairy cows, let the cows into the calves am & pm. It seems to have died out a fair bit

 

[unlacedgecko]

Alot of the old timers used to multi suckle ex dairy cows, let the cows into the calves am & pm. It seems to have died out a fair bit

TB probably knackered the job.

 

[Al R]

TB probably knackered the job.

TB knackered the cattle job and sheep scab has knackered the sheep job. Hell of a job to buy and sell now and keep the animals at home “clean”

 

[unlacedgecko]

TB knackered the cattle job and sheep scab has knackered the sheep job. Hell of a job to buy and sell now and keep the animals at home “clean”

At least with sheep you can dip.

 

[Johngee]

TB probably knackered the job.

No, I think Suckler cow premium finished that, why keep 1 cow when you’d get paid to keep 4. Could see it returning though

 

[Scrapjockey]

A friend is doing something similar.He reccomends holstien cows because the teats are higher and they seem to have a better temprament taking to the calves.The cows are left in with three calves in the morning and three different calves in the evening.

 

[Guiggs]

When I was a kid my step dad's place always had 2 old dairy cows( J39A and 'the milk cow')
Would calve them and put another 3 bought in calves on each. Keep all calves in the barn, bring the 2 cows in morning and late afternoon, chain them up with a big bucket of feed each and let the calves suckle them dry.
Let the cows back out and repeat.
Worked a treat, always wondered why nobody seems to do it anymore, probably time/ labour constraints.

 

[sticky]

30 yrs ago we use to multi suckle, still have the set up, use to put six cows into separate pens with 3 or 4 calves in each pen twice a day and also had/have a crush area for two cows to stand while calves sucked. Worked well, just Chuck some cake infront of the cows to keep them happy.