# An Angus milk cow? Why not?



## Okie Amazon (May 6, 2013)

Finally after two nail-biting weeks of over due-ness, Lazer made his arrival in the wee hours Friday morning. He was EIGHTY-THREE freakin' pounds! Gigantic calf for any heifer, but Brownie was a hero. She absolutely had to have help, but he was positioned correctly and everything went as well as could be for such a big guy and first-calf heifer. She is being a wonderful mamma and has plenty of milk. Which makes me think, why can't she be my milk cow when he goes to grain and grass? Angus milk cow? Why not? The butterfat is much lower than some breeds, and quantity is less, but really, it's not like I'm going to drink 3-4 gallons a day. That's plenty.


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## currycomb1 (May 6, 2013)

if she is gentle enough, go for it. i bottle raised an angus heifer, lead like a horse, even lunged like a horse to get her energy out, and did not drag me around. if i had kept her, i probably could have milked her. she was sold to a 4-Her and he showed her and raised calves from her for many years. she would still hug me when i went and said hello at the fairs.


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## Stubbornhillfarm (May 7, 2013)

Congratulations on a very nice looking calf.  Glad everyone is doing well.

I had the same thoughts that you are having with our cow that just calved.  She is new to us so still a bit sketchy, but in the future, I think I am going to try it just to see.  One of our heifers that we will have bred in the fall  lets us touch her all over with no problems, so she may be the first guinea pig for us.  

Let us know how you make out.


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## Okie Amazon (Jul 2, 2013)

Updating! Milking a half gallon a day and leaving the rest for the calf. (Who is the most independent little ****e I have ever seen). If he takes it into his head to go lie down in the grass at the opposite end of the place from everyone else he just does it. Mama is of no use to him except at mealtimes. He is all bull, though. I laughed at him for twenty minutes the other day after he decided he WAS going to lay down in a stand of sand plums. He just couldn't make those dang "stems" bend enough, so he went to head-butting and stomping and just generally throwing a little tantrum. Finally he allowed as how he's lay down BESIDE them instead!


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## promiseacres (Jul 2, 2013)

very awesome!


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## Stubbornhillfarm (Jul 9, 2013)

Ooo!  How exciting!  Glad you are enjoying some fresh milk.  Your little bull calf sounds like a hoot too!


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## Berner Mom (Feb 13, 2014)

Glad to know it can be done.  I can't wait for my heifer calf this spring.  Now my only question is when do I pick her up?  Younger and bottle feed or when she is 3-4 months old and weaned?  I am planning on putting her in a stall until we get to know each other and I can halter/groom/lead her.  My 2 bull yearlings are good but I can't touch/groom them, and I really want to be able to groom and eventually milk her.


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## greybeard (Feb 13, 2014)

Had a 99lb calf born here from 1st time heifer 2 years ago. 
My neighbor milks a Charolais.


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## SCLeppyLvr (Apr 29, 2014)

Berner Mom said:


> Glad to know it can be done.  I can't wait for my heifer calf this spring.  Now my only question is when do I pick her up?  Younger and bottle feed or when she is 3-4 months old and weaned?  I am planning on putting her in a stall until we get to know each other and I can halter/groom/lead her.  My 2 bull yearlings are good but I can't touch/groom them, and I really want to be able to groom and eventually milk her.


I would get her asap! I had a calf last year that was already weaned and he was a handful to deal with. He was from someone i kinda knew, she bottle fed him but never spent time with him other than to give the bottle, so he never got the closeness. I mean he was friendly for the most part but after a few weeks i was a little afraid of him because he would head butt me alot. I didn't want that this time around so we got our heifer calf at three weeks, would've had her sooner if i had heard back from the ranch sooner.


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## WildRoseBeef (Apr 29, 2014)

Heifers can get head-butty too if you let them. Most important thing is to not let the cuteness factor fool you and remind yourself that, just like with your last calf, she's going to get big (and I must say more ugly) sooner than you think, and she had better respect your space before she gets at an age where it's harder to discipline without using force. Now, it's best to not let her head-butt you no matter if you think it seems cute or not.


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