Ky hills
Well-known member
Over the years lack of milk has not been much of an issue for me. Seems like lately it's a recurring theme that happens way too much.
I believe I have tracked the culprit to something in the genetic background of a particular Hereford bull I raised several years ago.
Some of his daughters milked normally and capable of raising good calves, while a few of his daughters would not have enough milk at at all or in a few instances not any milk at all.
The current bull that I have been using is a 3/4 Angus and that Hereford bull is his maternal grandsire. The Angus pedigree part of the bull is full of heavy milking females and his dam who is an F1 BWF is a very heavy milking cow out the Hereford bull.
Anyways, I didn't use this 3/4 Angus 1/4 Hereford bull much until a couple calf crops ago, last year had two heifers retained from him and 1 did not breed and we turned her into beef, the other didn't have enough milk. This year have a few more of his daughters so far they have been failures too. Two have calved so far and one not enough milk and one formed a little bit of anudder but no milk at all. After 3 days of not having her calf the udder has not changed at all.
Good thing we have a Jersey that's just come fresh.
Have 3 more heifers by him to calve and only one looks promising.
Daughters of the other bull we had have more good udder development and looks like plenty of milk.
I've really liked this bull in a lot ways, but his daughters are a disaster.
I believe I have tracked the culprit to something in the genetic background of a particular Hereford bull I raised several years ago.
Some of his daughters milked normally and capable of raising good calves, while a few of his daughters would not have enough milk at at all or in a few instances not any milk at all.
The current bull that I have been using is a 3/4 Angus and that Hereford bull is his maternal grandsire. The Angus pedigree part of the bull is full of heavy milking females and his dam who is an F1 BWF is a very heavy milking cow out the Hereford bull.
Anyways, I didn't use this 3/4 Angus 1/4 Hereford bull much until a couple calf crops ago, last year had two heifers retained from him and 1 did not breed and we turned her into beef, the other didn't have enough milk. This year have a few more of his daughters so far they have been failures too. Two have calved so far and one not enough milk and one formed a little bit of anudder but no milk at all. After 3 days of not having her calf the udder has not changed at all.
Good thing we have a Jersey that's just come fresh.
Have 3 more heifers by him to calve and only one looks promising.
Daughters of the other bull we had have more good udder development and looks like plenty of milk.
I've really liked this bull in a lot ways, but his daughters are a disaster.