Questions about Dairy Cows' mothering instincts

[Sunny Side Up]

I did see the cows licking their calves right after they were born, and I saw the cows being milked after they calved. Maybe they were collecting the colostrum for special use. It was an unusual situation for these cows, they'd get trucked into the tent a day or two before they delivered, and trucked out a day or two after. There would be 4 different cows in that tent at all times. Over 26 calves were born in the 16 days of the Fair (I know because they named them alphabetically and they went past letter Z).

I wished I could have had more opportunity to talk with the dairymen there, but I was so busy at the poultry tent & these guys were busy and often so crowded in their tent. But I did find it so interesting.

But I'm still curious to know if any dairy breeds are being deliberately selectively bred to have less attatchment to their calves, the way chicken breeds are bred to be less broody. Or are these cows' detatchment simply a result of their handling, their lack of opportunity to spend time with their calves?

 

[Farmer Kitty]

It's probably due to the situation. They were in a strange place with their brand new calves. Tucking the calves in the corner may have been their way of hidding the calves, after all it was probably the dimmest spot in their pen and they had the walls to help them protect the calves on two sides.