Post by farmerswife on Dec 19, 2010 18:06:34 GMT -5
Just wondering about getting some input...... My 2 year old Jersey cross cow looks poor. She is a heavy producer for a first timer. I cant say how much she produces because I do not milk her- She is a nurse cow. She raises 4 calves at a time and often the calves will not strip her completely. She swells up really big between feeding the babies. I do not leave the calves on her all day but are separated besides the twice daily feedings. She is fed about 28lbs a day (14lbs at morning and again at evening) Often she will still have around 5lbs or more left in her pan when she walks away from it- the calves finish up her feed later during the day when she is gone plus some more that I add to it.(so she prob only eats around 20lbs of it a day) Anyways- she has access to hay all the rest of the day. Just saying she isnt under fed and she has been wormed. What else could I give her to help her gain some weight? She just looks fragile. Of course she is my only cow that is mostly Jersey- my others that are part Jersey are 1/2 Holstein so they just carry a different frame altogether. I wondered about Jhone's but She still has firm stools. Is this just normal for a young Jersey that is in heavy milk? She stumbled today in the pen so that is what got me a little concerned. Of course she was trying to get to her feed and the calves were trying to get to "theirs"! lol -- she didnt seem to have trouble getting up but still- I wondered is there something else I could do for her? She is being fed 14% protein feed that is a soybean hull/corn glutten mix. I buy this feed in bulk and the other cows all do well on it.
I'm looking for encouragement and advice...... not chastisement or harsh judgement-- I wouldnt be seeking some input if I wasnt concerned about my little cow.
My guess would be her weight only around 675 at best right now and she was more around 750 before she freshened in August. Its all a guess tho.
I'm looking for encouragement and advice...... not chastisement or harsh judgement-- I wouldnt be seeking some input if I wasnt concerned about my little cow.
My guess would be her weight only around 675 at best right now and she was more around 750 before she freshened in August. Its all a guess tho.