Calf at foot dairy

[Agrispeed]

Another one to look at with a similar system is Christine Page at Smiling Tree farm.

There is also slaughter free milk http://www.ahimsamilk.org/the-ahimsa-herd/ , I seem to remember they had a page where you could see what all the old cows and offspring were doing. They seem to have quite a few die though and some 'interesting' lactation lengths!

 

[MickyMook]

In a more commercial environment the calves could be housed separately overnight and turned out to graze with the cows after morning milking. One way creep gates in the collecting yard, could work very well. It could be integrated quite easily into a robot milking system too.

Think you've nailed it there. I'm thinking if you had the land, it could be an interesting system to employ for a suckler farmer to bring forward replacements and make money on them in the background. Might just be wishful thinking though as the workload and grass requirements could put people off.

 

[Stinker]

Another one to look at with a similar system is Christine Page at Smiling Tree farm.

There is also slaughter free milk http://www.ahimsamilk.org/the-ahimsa-herd/ , I seem to remember they had a page where you could see what all the old cows and offspring were doing. They seem to have quite a few die though and some 'interesting' lactation lengths!

Just think of the environmental impact of such a crazy production system as zero slaughter dairy. Cows and bulls hanging around for years producing nothing on prime agricultural land so somebody with more money than sense can drink guilt free milk. Surely don't drink milk if it's that big an issue

 

[honeyend]

Looking at the tread about Laverstock park farm, you can have high ideals and even spends loads of money and it still not end up where you thought it would.
I think you have to look at the local market. Is there somewhere local to sell to that will pay a premium for your product which makes up for the reduced amount of milk available for sale and are you going to be good at creating a brand and marketing it? Will any beef can also be sold USP label?
I cow and calf is a good USP for some people, you can still wean and grow on later for beef . My concerns are the practicalities, you have to set up so they are separated over night, and be ready for milking in the morning, then turn out as a herd, which means moving cows and calves every day. Or do you have a mobile milking parlour?. The choice of cow that is going to allow you to be near the calf when its really small, so you are going to have to know your cow. So do you go for a proven small holder cow, that's been hand milked with calf and work up to a more commercial set up?
https://www.facebook.com/CalfAtFootDairy/
http://smilingtreefarm.com/blog/cow-calf-dairying-pirates-code-8
As you can see I am still thinking this through?

 

[Crofter64]

Looking at the tread about Laverstock park farm, you can have high ideals and even spends loads of money and it still not end up where you thought it would.
I think you have to look at the local market. Is there somewhere local to sell to that will pay a premium for your product which makes up for the reduced amount of milk available for sale and are you going to be good at creating a brand and marketing it? Will any beef can also be sold USP label?
I cow and calf is a good USP for some people, you can still wean and grow on later for beef . My concerns are the practicalities, you have to set up so they are separated over night, and be ready for milking in the morning, then turn out as a herd, which means moving cows and calves every day. Or do you have a mobile milking parlour?. The choice of cow that is going to allow you to be near the calf when its really small, so you are going to have to know your cow. So do you go for a proven small holder cow, that's been hand milked with calf and work up to a more commercial set up?
https://www.facebook.com/CalfAtFootDairy/
http://smilingtreefarm.com/blog/cow-calf-dairying-pirates-code-8
As you can see I am still thinking this through?

For several years I milked a cow for our family. I would foster a second calf on the cow and separate them from their mother in the evenings. in the morning after milking I would reunite the cow and calves and they would join the rest of the herd in the pastures. The cow was usually happy to come into the warmth of the barn where she had extra good hay waiting for her( no grain). After a few weeks the calves prefered to stay outside with the herd. I would milk for about 8-9 months and then could switch cows. I have milked a holstein/ angus cross( very thin milk but drinkable) a brown swiss, (my favourite) , several jerseys and a milking shorthorn/ jersey cross. I never had any issues. I generally got a lot more milk than I needed. I fed the chickens, the pigs, dogs, cats , various relatives , as well as our family. One calf would go for veal the other for beef . I sometimes milked by hand but I also set up a milking machine. I think this system would work for multiple cows. Here in Canada it is forbidden to sell milk directly to the consumer or to sell raw milk. We have had a long ( over 20 years) persecution of a biodynamic farmer called Michael Schmidt by the government for offering a herdshare scheme on his farm (you own part of the herd and so have a right to the milk your share produces) .He has had armoured police raids on his farm multiple times and has been dragged through the courts.
There is something extremely pleasant and relaxing about milking one cow once a day. I imagine milking a dozen or so once a day wouldn’t be too bad either. I don’t think I’d enjoy milking100 twice a day.

 

[Agrispeed]

Looking at the tread about Laverstock park farm, you can have high ideals and even spends loads of money and it still not end up where you thought it would.
I think you have to look at the local market. Is there somewhere local to sell to that will pay a premium for your product which makes up for the reduced amount of milk available for sale and are you going to be good at creating a brand and marketing it? Will any beef can also be sold USP label?
I cow and calf is a good USP for some people, you can still wean and grow on later for beef . My concerns are the practicalities, you have to set up so they are separated over night, and be ready for milking in the morning, then turn out as a herd, which means moving cows and calves every day. Or do you have a mobile milking parlour?. The choice of cow that is going to allow you to be near the calf when its really small, so you are going to have to know your cow. So do you go for a proven small holder cow, that's been hand milked with calf and work up to a more commercial set up?
https://www.facebook.com/CalfAtFootDairy/
http://smilingtreefarm.com/blog/cow-calf-dairying-pirates-code-8
As you can see I am still thinking this through?

To be fair I run my cows with calves at the start of calving and I never have a problem walking cows and calves quite considerable distances or running them through the parlour. I have to odd one end up in the pit but they normally get out themselves. Normally the calves will just go and kip on the track or by the parlour exit.