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Double/Multiple Suckling

  • 21-02-2012 7:20pm
    #1
    Farmer Pudsey
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,326 ✭✭✭


    I am wondering if any people out there do this any longer what type of cow is used what breed of calf do they generally buy how profitable is it compare to single suckling


Comments

  • #2
    dasheriff
    Registered Users Posts: 245 ✭✭dasheriff


    In my experience it would be dairy stock usually friesian sometimes simmental or shorthorn if they have enough milk..You can put any calf you want if the cow is milky enough enough but ud have to keep a good eye on them that the cow is able for them as they get bigger..
    to answer uyour last question if you can buy the calves cheap enough it pays because you are sparing a cow..


  • #3
    blue5000
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 12,705 Mod ✭✭✭✭blue5000


    Anyone any tips on how to make this work, do you let the cows in to the calves twice a day? How soon can you let them off out the field?

    If the seat's wet, sit on yer hat, a cool head is better than a wet ar5e.



  • #4
    Sam Kade
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,313 ✭✭✭✭Sam Kade


    I was going to try this last year but calf prices were too dear.


  • #5
    bbam
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,410 ✭✭✭bbam


    blue5000 wrote: »
    Anyone any tips on how to make this work, do you let the cows in to the calves twice a day? How soon can you let them off out the field?

    We used to do this... can be pure torture !!

    Our plan was to throw the cow some meal, reducing the meal as time went on..
    While trying to be standing back quietly from the cow a little more each day...
    How long really depends on the cow... Some cows just don'take

    Just when you think your making progress the damn cow starts peddling at the calf again.. Or the calf gets a bad kick and goes off sucking for a while.. :rolleyes:


  • #6
    Sam Kade
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,313 ✭✭✭✭Sam Kade


    bbam wrote: »
    We used to do this... can be pure torture !!

    Our plan was to throw the cow some meal, reducing the meal as time went on..
    While trying to be standing back quietly from the cow a little more each day...
    How long really depends on the cow... Some cows just don'take

    Just when you think your making progress the damn cow starts peddling at the calf again.. Or the calf gets a bad kick and goes off sucking for a while.. :rolleyes:
    I think the only way is the hard way milk the cow and feed the calves :( other than that you could have a special crush to put the cow in and let the calves drink her it still involves bringing in cows and calves twice a day :(


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  • #7
    Muckit
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,174 ✭✭✭✭Muckit


    Was talking to a lad only the other day that got out of dairy and got into suckling. I had to think when I asked him what cows he had and he said ..........'Freisan!!' with a little smirk on his face.

    He had kept some of the cows and he buys in his calves. The cows are put in calf back to FR AI, calves reared and sold off as replacements. The hereford bull was kept to clean up.

    He's only half to a third of the cows to winter, which is the biggest expense with conventional suckling. And depending on how long you decided to leave them before weaning them, you could rear a couple of batches of calves in the year.

    I dodn't go into hwo he actually manages this system, but IMHO the only eway would be to keep the calves separate and let your cows in with them morning and evening. If you had it set up right, they'd be back waiting at the gate for you to let them in. The knack would be trying to turn em out after!!

    A good system, but alot of hassle.


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