# Nursing Cow



## Fowllife

I have an issue with a cow nursing another cow. I have looked in my books but didn't really find anything about it. I'm sure someone on here has some experience with something similar and has a good way to stop it.

We have a couple cow calf pairs running in the pasture. The 2 I'm having issues with are actually mother and daughter. The mother is 4-5 years old that calved in June and has a set of twins on her. The younger cow is her daugter and is around 3 and is nursing a April calf. It seems like she sneeks in there to get a drink when the other calves are nursing. What causes this and how do I stop it? If I seperate them for a couple weeks will it break the cycle? What if I weaned the younger ones calf off her?

Thanks for any input.


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## Vol

Yes, I have heard of that as my neighbor told me of this several years ago....I think his also was a daughter cow....he separated them in different pastures until calves were weaned.

Regards, Mike


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## swmnhay

*You could put a nose THINGY? in the cow that is sucking.I forget what they are called??Fits in nostril of the sucker and has points in the front and it will poke the cow it is sucking.Should be able to get one from vetrinary supply store.*

*Something like this.*

*http://www.syrvet.com/products/index.cfm?calf_weaners&show=product&productID=289*


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## Fowllife

Thanks Mike. That's what I was figuring I would have to do

Cy, I wonder if those would fit a full size cow? That would be the best option until I'm ready to wean.


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## prairie

Sell the sucking cow ASAP, no matter how well you like her!
It is an inherited trait, more prevalent in some breeds than others, and usually their offspring will do the same thing.
This advice is from personal experience with several cows over several years.
The only thing that cures the problem is termination, anything else is just a time consuming and money costing bandaid.


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## swmnhay

Fowllife said:


> Thanks Mike. That's what I was figuring I would have to do
> 
> Cy, I wonder if those would fit a full size cow? That would be the best option until I'm ready to wean.


I've seen them used on 6 wt dairy hfrs but never on a cow.I've gotten some then went to feedlot so I left them in.They eventulay lost them.And they went to slaughter when fat.

Like Prairie said a hard habit to break,maybe better off going to kill.You could end up loosing a calf because the sucker got the colusterum or the calf just don't get enough milk.


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## mlappin

Jerseys are horrible about that as well I guess. Or at least my buddys are. He actually gets the ones that once they are in, they don't come out, just like a nose ring for a bull.


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## Fowllife

prairie said:


> Sell the sucking cow ASAP, no matter how well you like her!
> It is an inherited trait, more prevalent in some breeds than others, and usually their offspring will do the same thing.
> This advice is from personal experience with several cows over several years.
> The only thing that cures the problem is termination, anything else is just a time consuming and money costing bandaid.


This is more of the answer I was expecting. We are just getting starting out now so if it is genetic it's not something I want to have bred into our herd. Luckily though the pasture at the home farm has 3 paddock so I can split her until I wean the other. Since they calve out so far apart I can probably short wean her calf and ship her before the other cow calves out in June. I can afford to waste a little time and money until I can replace her next year.

She is a nice looking angus x maine anjuo.


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## prairie

mlappin said:


> Jerseys are horrible about that as well I guess....


Dairy & dual purpose breeds tend to have more of a problem with this than others, although it shows up in all breeds.

You have to remember that the cow being sucked is as much of the problem as the one sucking. 
Would a good mother let another cow or calf steal her calf's milk? Both probably need to go.


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## Fowllife

prairie said:


> Dairy & dual purpose breeds tend to have more of a problem with this than others, although it shows up in all breeds.
> 
> You have to remember that the cow being sucked is as much of the problem as the one sucking.
> Would a good mother let another cow or calf steal her calf's milk. Both probably need to go?


Well I don't know if the older cow actually knows the other cow is doing it. Evertime I have seen it happen she just sneeks up from the back while the calves are nursing. Already having twins on her I don't know if she can tell the difference between 2 and 3 nursing.


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