Jersey cow just had a heifer, how long do I wait?

[msitework]

My jersey cow had a beautiful little heifer calf yesterday. She has a huge bag of milk, & I don't want her milk production to slow or stop. My question is that I have 4 other calves that I am bottle feeding, can I put one or two of those with her sometimes also to keep the milk production up? How long would I have to wait to put them with her so the new baby gets all the colostrum she needs. The calfs I have are one angus heifer, one herford heifer, one angus bull & one gurnsey bull. I'm new to the cattle thing so any help would be appreciated.
Thanks

 

[Farmer Kitty]

I take it your intend to just use her for calves? Her calf would have gotton the benefit of the colustrum by now or she won't absorb it any more. As for putting the others with her, you can try anytime now. You will have to watch things close though. She many not accept them and can do anything from ignoring them to beating on them. Also watch the calves for scours. Especially if they have been getting milk replacer. The change over can be a problem.

Good luck!

 

[wynedot55]

you can go ahead an put 1 of the bottle babies on her.to see if she will let the calf suck.an if the calf an change from bottle to teat.then slowly add 1 more calf.all while making sure her calf has all the milk it needs.

 

[Nuggetsowner:)]

This helps prove we need a backyard cows site! I am learning much valuable info from BYC!

 

[hazelton farms]

You can go here http://familycow.proboards32.com/index.cgi

to KFC to learn all about how you could be dealing with your new calf, the dairy cow and grafting calves to her. They are as nice and knowledgeable about dairy cows there as everyone is here about chickens.

Stacy

 

[Cara]

You can't put an extra with her intermittently, you would either have to put another with her permanently (if she will accept it) or not at all. I definitely would not recommend putting more than one extra with her, as cows cannot raise triplets without their own or the calves' body condition suffering. If we have twins we separate one from the mother and bottle feed it, as beef cattle generally cannot raise more than one calf at a time adequately.

 

[hazelton farms]

How's it going? Did you graft one on her successfully?

We just got our jersery heifer bred today. I was pretty excited, so I can only imagine how tickled I'll be in 9 months!!

Stacy

 

[ams3651]

just my 2 cents, I had read recently in one of my books that if your raising cattle its a good idea to keep a nanny goat. Their milk is next to perfect to replace the mothers and many times they will adpot the baby cow.

 

[kstaven]

There is no way in this world a goat could produce enough milk to feed a calf.

 

[Farmer Kitty]

Quote:
A newborn large breed calf takes a good 2 quarts of milk a feeding and as they get a little older they will drink more. I would have to agree with kstaven.