Type of freisian cow to rear calf

Tomjim

Thinking of buying a freisian cow to rear calves

Is it best to buy a calved heifer or an older cow

Tomjim

Tomjim wrote: »

Thinking of buying a freisian cow to rear calves

Is it best to buy a calved heifer or an older cow

Would an older cow be more inclined to reject calves or would she let them suck her. Or is the heifer a better option

I would hope that I would not have to restrain the cow ie put her in a calving gate etc

Bullocks

Tomjim wrote: »

Would an older cow be more inclined to reject calves or would she let them suck her. Or is the heifer a better option

I would hope that I would not have to restrain the cow ie put her in a calving gate etc

I'd say ask the farmer you're buying off for a suitable cow that he thinks will let herself be sucked . Maybe an older cow might be more relaxed if trying to get calves sucking but that's no guarantee that she will like a few calves under her either

Base price

Bullocks wrote: »

I'd say ask the farmer you're buying off for a suitable cow that he thinks will let herself be sucked . Maybe an older cow might be more relaxed if trying to get calves sucking but that's no guarantee that she will like a few calves under her either

+1
Farmer will know her/his cow's and if you let the farmer know that you want her to rear some calves they will point you in the right direction.
We buy cull dairy cows from time to time to rear calves for the same farmer. He know that we only want quiet maternal type cows. The majority are older animals but we have got first & second calvers that are quiet cows.

X6.430macman

I use an older cow as I think they are more used to being handled and people in around them and can also be bought for less

Base price

X6.430macman wrote: »

I use an older cow as I think they are more used to being handled and people in around them and can also be bought for less

Some of the cows that we buy from our friend are FR/Holstein and the odd British Friesian or FRxJE or JE/JExFR, or FRx/FR.
The cows he sells to us have good quarters and he is selling them because either they have lost elasticity in the hind quarters, their cell counts are high or they are too frigidity in the parlour.
I would not buy a cow to rear calves on the basis of her age or that she is bought for less.
IMO a fresh FR/HO/JEx cow will feed 6+ bull calves until weanling. Then after keep the weakest 2 or 3 on her and she will do them well.

patsy_mccabe

Don't high SCC cows have a higher risk of having Johnes disease?

whelan2

patsy_mccabe wrote: »

Don't high SCC cows have a higher risk of having Johnes disease?

Never heard that, johnes ones wont live over 4 or 5 years of age, dont think any of the positives I ever had had scc issues

Miname

whelan2 wrote: »

Never heard that, johnes ones wont live over 4 or 5 years of age, dont think any of the positives I ever had had scc issues

I had one that was eight. Told it wasn't possible by the vet and had to nearly force him to take samples for testing. He did and she was described as the most conclusive positive they ever had.

patsy_mccabe

whelan2 wrote: »

Never heard that, johnes ones wont live over 4 or 5 years of age, dont think any of the positives I ever had had scc issues

In dairy cattle studies have shown that those with Johne’s : produce 4000kg less milk in their life; are 5 x more prone to lameness; are 2 x more prone to SCC/mastitis problems and are 1.8 x more prone to gut issues.

http://oakvetgroup.co.uk/johnes-disease-in-cattle/

mf240

patsy_mccabe wrote: »

In dairy cattle studies have shown that those with Johne’s : produce 4000kg less milk in their life; are 5 x more prone to lameness; are 2 x more prone to SCC/mastitis problems and are 1.8 x more prone to gut issues.

http://oakvetgroup.co.uk/johnes-disease-in-cattle/

Your getting your chicken and egg mixed up.


Johnes cows are twice as likely to have SCC issues, doesn't necessarily mean that high SCC cows have a bigger risk of being johnes cows.

patsy_mccabe

Yes it does. I think it was in the Journal I read it. Warning farmers that used high SCC dairy cows to multi-suckle calves to be aware of the risk with Johnes.

Base price

patsy_mccabe wrote: »

Yes it does. I think it was in the Journal I read it. Warning farmers that used high SCC dairy cows to multi-suckle calves to be aware of the risk with Johnes.

The only time Johne's was a problem for me was when I was importing semen in the early 90's or sending pbr bulls to Tully. Seems like its an epidemic within the national herd along with cryptosproiridium and BVD :mad:

whelan2

patsy_mccabe wrote: »

Yes it does. I think it was in the Journal I read it. Warning farmers that used high SCC dairy cows to multi-suckle calves to be aware of the risk with Johnes.

Feeding any milk wether its high scc or what ever to calves carries a risk of johnes being transferred to the calves

MrMuscles96

Would a Hereford heifer out of the fresian or holestein cow be better? The calves are making alot of money fellas buying them to use as suckler cows. Plenty of milk and should be fairly docile. Be worth more in the factory too whether time comes to end