# Calf getting enough milk?



## coletaylor10 (May 18, 2015)

We have a cow (1st time mama) with her new calf, only 4 days old and I'm afraid she is not getting enough milk. I've watched the calf nursing but while its nursing it seems to switch teats quickly and I haven't seen the usual white foamy mouth the calves get afterwards. The moms utter doesn't seem as large as I have seen other cows, not sure if this has anything to do with her being a first time mom. I've seen the calf up and moving, even running around playing so I keep assuming its getting milk but I'm still a little worried. The cow is usually really easy going but is showing the Brangus in her now that she has a calf so it's been hard to get close the past two days. Any good way to figure this out if I'm not seeing signs of milk on the calfs face?[/FONT]


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## Jennifer L. (May 10, 2002)

Look for the shiny smear on the calf's nose. It could be the calf just likes to eat that way, stop, get a quick drink, run off and play some more, I've seen calves like that. I don't know that it means the cow doesn't give that much, but if she is low on production, calves may maximize production by the quick pit stop. If the calf plays, it's probably ok, though.


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## MO_cows (Aug 14, 2010)

If the calf has energy to play, it's getting milk. Sometimes a cow won't produce as much milk on the first calf, but sounds like she is producing enough. If the calf wags its tail when it is nursing, that's a sign of getting milk too. And the more the calf strips her out the more she will produce. Make sure she has adequate feed resources, the early grasses can be "washy" and not have much nutrition. Any clovers in your pasture? She can't make milk out of water, she needs nutrition. 

Binoculars are a great tool for observing from a distance.


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