Post by Leimana on Sept 1, 2011 16:41:40 GMT -5
Bhumi is 45 days preggers! SHe has not had a heat since the bull was with her! I am so excited. Questions have arisen though......feeding her. We feel we are feeding her like a queen! If she gets a little to chubby we cut back a bit and vice versa. She is not giving very much milk, about 10 cups total a day After her last calving 11 months ago she freshened at 3 gallons and then we had ketosis issues and she cut back by 3 months to a gallon a day and her milk has gone down down down since then, no matter what we feed her or how much ( she is only 650 lbs and my friends 1100 lb cow gets fed about the same!) she has never increased her milk after the ketosis issue. The other day I noticed somebody here mentioned that molasses cuts the protein content of the feed.....is it true? She gets COB, alfalfa cubes and pellets, molasses on her feed and minerals and DE and kelp, etc. The COB has some molasses on it also and we give her about 3/4 cup of molasses on her feed. She also grazes and gets about 35 lbs of long stem, rich green california grass ( the one farmers around here graze their cattle on for good nutrition). Am I deminishing her protein level by giving her the molasses? Would she have stayed at a better milk volume if she wasnt getting the molasses? As a milking, pregnant cow what does she need nutritionally stay healthy, give a little milk and make a baby? I want her to be really healthy this time and make sure her needs are met so that maybe next time with freshening she will be able to maintain better than she did this time, it is no fun having a sick cow. What role does protein have in milk production? I know the questions are scattered here but any help would be appreciated!