Calves with Sam

Milk Yield per Milking for

Milkings 1-8 Post Calving

How much colostrum and transition milk should we expect from our cows? Another study measured these yields from 37 cows. The data are below as average yield.

   Milking No.        Kg          Lbs.   

1	7.5	16.5
2	4.9	10.7
3	7.2	15.9
4	11.4	25.1
5	10.7	23.5
6	13.1	28.9
7	11.1	24.3
8	14.2	31.2

The study colostrum feeding program for calves fed 10% of birth weight (40kg) required 6L or Kg per calf. Thus, on the average these yields (7.5 quarts) were enough to meet program needs where they fed calves colostrum from their own dams.

If the dairy chooses to feed 2nd, 3rd and 4th milkings (transition milk) to calves, on the average these dams produced nearly 52 pounds (23.5kg) over 36 hours. When I collected transition milk for my calves I found that I had enough volume to feed it exclusively to all my heifer calves for the first seven to ten days (I fed 4 quarts daily for most of the year and 5 quarts during January, February and March).

Reference: Dunn, A, and Others, "Effect of concentrate supplementation during the dry period on colostrum quality and effect of colostrum feeding regimen on passive transfer of immunity, calf health and performance." Journal of Dairy Science 100:357-370. Research was done in Ireland during the months of February, March and April, 2014.