# Milk and nurse cow question



## stifflej (Aug 11, 2008)

I am considering getting a nurse cow, found a Jersey for a good price off a local dairy, only has 3 working quarters, and is giving 50lbs a day. First question, how many gallons is 50lbs? Would it be same formula that you would use for water, or does milk have a different weight? Second question, knowing the 3 working quarters, and 50lbs, how many calves would she be able to nurse at a time, 3? And final question, for now anyway, if 50lbs does equate to 6+ gallons, would I have to milk her everyday to prevent problems, or would the calves take care of everything for me? I really don't want to milk at all, but would in the evening if I had to (could always use some milk, and feed some to the pigs). Thanks in advance for the help.


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## springvalley (Jun 23, 2009)

Well, milk weighs 8.5 lb. per gallon, so she is giving 5.8 gallon. And yes she could feed three calves, but is she use to doing this? Or are you going to have to train her for a nurse cow? And the calves will for sure nurse her out every day. You won`t get any milk if she nurses three calves, so don`t think you will. > Thanks Marc


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## springvalley (Jun 23, 2009)

Oh, if you want milk and have the time, just milk her and feed the calves bottles, it works so much better. I`m not a big fan of trying to get milk from a cow every so often for the house. If you can`t commit to at least once a day milking for the house, don`t try it, you won`t like the results. I hate the share milking, unless your going to do itwith only her calf and do it like clockwork everyday. Sorry if I`m to blunt, but thats what I think. > Thanks and blessings, > Marc


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## stifflej (Aug 11, 2008)

Thanks Marc, not blunt at all, and was actually hoping you would reply. I actually don't want to milk at all, just want to use as a nurse cow. She has no training as a nurse cow now, so would have to work with her on it. Any suggestions on best way to have her take the calves? Thanks.


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## scholtefamily (Feb 25, 2010)

We are training a nurse cow this week. We put her in the head gate and let the calves nurse her. She isn't too keen on this and usually kicks at the calves. We've been doing it for a few days and each day she kicks alittle less. Unless you have a really nice cow, I don't see how you'd be able to get her to nurse foreign calves without tying her up and letting them nurse a few times a day while you oversee. And depending on the calves.....you'll have to help them to nurse for the first few times if they haven't nursed before.


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## stifflej (Aug 11, 2008)

I stopped and looked at her...very nice looking and price is right. Any one have any advise for turning a dairy cow into a nurse cow? Thanks.


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## tinknal (May 21, 2004)

I've fostered a second calf onto a dairy cow twice and frankly each time the cows nearly run me over getting to the new calf.

Mind you both times were right after calving so the new mommy hormones were raging


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## willow_girl (Dec 7, 2002)

Even my Christine, who ***hated*** being milked on the farm, enjoyed being a nurse cow. Although the calf I grafted on to her learned to be very ... polite ... in asking for a drink. No head-butting her udder! :teehee:


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## springvalley (Jun 23, 2009)

scholtefamily said:


> We are training a nurse cow this week. We put her in the head gate and let the calves nurse her. She isn't too keen on this and usually kicks at the calves. We've been doing it for a few days and each day she kicks alittle less. Unless you have a really nice cow, I don't see how you'd be able to get her to nurse foreign calves without tying her up and letting them nurse a few times a day while you oversee. And depending on the calves.....you'll have to help them to nurse for the first few times if they haven't nursed before.


GOOD ADVICE ^^^^^ way to go Stacey :goodjob: Could not have said it better myself. > Thanks Marc

Some cows will take calves better than others, I had a cow that would steal every calf born on the place if you let her, some cows just like being mommies. > Marc


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## Cheryl aka JM (Aug 7, 2007)

I have two, both Jersey holstien crosses. One only has 3 teats. She LIKES to be a mommy. This last graft was the second on her first lactation. I gave her two calves and gave the other cow who has 4 working quarters two calves. There was some kicking, and a lot of bribing with grain to ignore the calves but after a week or so all the calves were eating good. Let them go up in the big pasture......

The three teeted cow raised all four of those calves, the 4 teeted cow was perfectly happy to let the three teated cow have them and dried herself off. Luckily the pasture is looking lush right now and the three teated cow who is also pregnant looks good still. The 4 teated cow will be tested hopefully this week and she better be pregnant! Lazy girl!


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## PaulNKS (Jan 11, 2009)

Yep... some cows love to be nursed. I have to tell a story. I apologize if I'm hijacking.

Back when I still kept a couple Jerseys, I also had a few old sows. One sow had 8 piglets. 

I had been getting about 5 gallons per day from "Bertie." She just suddenly stopped one day. She didn't gradually slow production or have any signs of mastitis. Just had no milk. This went on for about 4 days and I couldn't figure for the life of me what was wrong.

One afternoon, I was in the barn and my partner was outside in the barn lot. He stepped up to the barn and said, "come here." I was busy and told him so. He kept telling me to come here. Finally, I wanted to know what was so important. He told me that if I didn't see it, I would think he's lying. I huffed and stepped over to the window. Out in the barn lot, Bertie was standing still while those 9 piglets nursed. They were too short. They would sort of jump up enough to catch hold of the teat and suck until they fell off, then another would jump up. 

I finally put them back in their lot and fixed the hole. Then I was back up to my 5 gallons a day in no time. lol

So, yes, some cows that are used to being handled and milked will take a graft very easily and others won't without a little coercion.


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## tinknal (May 21, 2004)

My contention is that the ability to foster a calf is genetic. It would not be beneficial for a wild cow to foster another calf. It would mean denying food to her calf and reducing her condition with no evolutionary advantage. Beef cows, similarly are bred to only nurse their own calf.

Dairy cows on the other hand are bred to give milk to whoever asks. I believe that dairy cows accept foster calves due to a weakening of natural instincts, rather than strong maternal instincts.


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## arnie (Apr 26, 2012)

Usally a feeding of grain will distract a cow espicallay a dairy cow used to being milked after a week of this and she will usally acept them some calm cows are no problem but the calfs need a little time to bond with her befor being turned into the pasture .I grafted a dairy sale barn calf to a stock cow one time by feeding grain and for the first few days she had to be smacked with a cane to prevent her harming the calf after a week only me being standing near and sweet feed ,after 2weeks she acsepted the calf .sucess so now the calf was allowed to stay with her full time in the barn instead of in a ajoining stall I suppose all the extra grain the cow had and her now letting her milk down the always hungry calf took the scoures from over eating and never recoverd


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