Dairy Question

Moonlite37 · Feb 3, 2016

I grew up on a farm where my dad milked from five to seven Jerseys a day and the bull ran with the cows year around. I think we got a calf about every 12 months, but I do not remember. We sold the male calves as veal. I now have 19 beef cows and the bull runs with them. I get a calf from 11 to 12 1/2 months. I had one cow that beat the record by 10 1/2 months. she has had a calf every year for 14 years and never lost one or had calving problems and never goes past 12 months. Great little Charlois Angus cross with cut horns.

My question is how often does a dairy cow usually lactate between calves? I would like to hear from a dairyman with a small but productive heard. I just am curious.

JMS/.MN · Feb 3, 2016

A 12 month calving interval would be desirable, and more profitable, but if you can hold to about 12.5 months, you"re doing a good job. It needs constant attention to heat detection, as well as observing post-partum issues like clear vs cloudy vaginal discharge. Herd checks by the veterinarian are done at least on a monthly basis, to address those issues. Cloudy discharge means an infection, and if the cow settles, she is likely to abort, thus increasing the calving interval. Heat detection is super important.

I did my own AI for over 20 years, and one advantage was that I could breed the cow on her and my schedule, rather than wait for the inseminator. AI stud evaluator came out once a year to grade the cows for conformation, and I could specify hi and low semen price I was willing to pay to meet his specs. Calving ease was an important factor, and the evaluation markedly decreased the share of cows that needed assistance.

john in la · Feb 3, 2016

It is ideal for a cow to have a calf every year.
This cow needs 60 days of rest from the time you stop milking till the calf is born.
So if she breed back on time you would milk her 305 days.
If she is a little late breading back you just extend the milking length to still give her 60 days rest.

There has been a lot of research done on extended lactation lengths also.
Some may choose this as the best option once weighing all the data.

Bruce from Can. · Feb 3, 2016

John and JMS covered every thing very well. Bruce

rrlund · Feb 3, 2016

I had one that had three calves in one year one time. She had a calf in early March,then had twins in late December.

cjd12000 · Feb 3, 2016

305 is perfect but usually not the case. Currently 12.7 month is my calving interval and any cow showing heat 40 days or more in milk gets serviced.

farmerwithmutt · Feb 3, 2016

I always thought about this if the cow has 60 days off and the farmer doesn't who's the dumb animal?

Dairy Question

Moonlite37

Well-known Member

JMS/.MN

Well-known Member

john in la

Well-known Member

Bruce from Can.

Well-known Member

rrlund

Well-known Member

cjd12000

Member

farmerwithmutt

Well-known Member

Similar threads