Josh you wrote:
“But if every year more babies are born than adults die, eventually all the like-minded people in the area would have as many animals as they can handle, and then we're collectively in the same position that I individually started out in.
I guess I was hoping to hear that it's hypothetically possible to only make babies at replacement rate, and still get some amount of milk beyond what the calves drink. I don't think anyone so far has said that's actually impossible, but it sounds like almost nobody is even trying to do it, primarily because of the money side of things. Is that an accurate summary?”
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No that’s not an accurate summary.
It has nothing to do with money.
Few people do this because a) it’s another form of animal cruelty, just a more insidious one b) most permaculture folks don’t want to go against nature and nature’s patterns. Most accept and use natural rhythms and patterns of livestock in a permaculture way, instead.
With some goats you can lengthen lactation.
Personally, I’ve not seen the 7 years some are saying, but if it’s been done, then it can be possible. Just know it’s not the norm.
(For background, I’m a veterinarian and raise milk and meat and fiber sheep).
If you lengthen lactation even one month, you MUST *fully* milk every single day, no exceptions - that is more work than you might think - and provide the nutrition for it. Animals aren’t machines and aren’t any different than humans: you need nutritious food to continue chopping wood and building your house and gardens.
Something to consider is that while it sounds like you don’t want to slaughter or do factory farming methods, extending lactation is most definitely a factory farm method.
I don’t know that most people think of this, but extending lactation is very hard on the ruminant - it takes a lot of energy and resources to produce milk for the normal lactation period, never mind an extended one. And you are talking more than a season. They need a break. And deserve one. It’s the humane thing to do, like it or not. If you don’t, you will shorten their lifespan and happiness; and, you have to have very rich nutritious pasture year round to help produce that energy. Ideally you would plant both browse and graze for these ruminants.
Factory farms also add hormones to extend Lactation. Your local large animal vet can tell you how, if that’s the route you want to go.
Pushing nature too much is getting into factory farm territory.
Ruminants’ natural cycle is birth and death every year. You can and should sell the babies every year if you don’t want them. As the males grow, they end up fighting each other to the death each breeding season anyway- (and that’s what keeps the species strong, evolutionarily). But you want to avoid that blood bath and constant infighting by selling or butchering the males. Yearly. And keep only the best and healthiest.
It’s very permaculture to follow and use nature’s patterns to advantage, not change them, sorry to say.
If you want ruminants, you must be able to accept their natural life rhythms and *do your part* and act as the predator in the situation, which we humans are. Predators are supremely important. *We MUST do our part if we are to respect and honor and animals we keep*. (In the wild, this natural life and death rhythm is clear, beneficial to all parties involved, from microbe to plants to insects to birds to wolf and bear, and not “cruel”).
If you don’t want to butcher them yourself, as others have said, it’s very easy to sell them to someone who will, locally. Or donate the meat to a local food bank. After using the ruminants’ grazing and fertilizing abilities to mutual advantage. It’s amazing perfect food and free grazing and fertility for the local ecosystems.
Honestly in your situation, I would say keep the same sex ruminantS (never keep only one, they are herd animals) as pets and don’t milk or breed them, just use them for fertility in your veggie and fruit gardens, and buy your milk elsewhere. That is far more humane and no-kill, than extending lactation so much.
If you want milk from your own animals, allow nature to do it’s thing and learn from it - including that some practices that are no-kill are also cruel.
FAQs
For cows to produce milk, they have to give birth to a calf. Most dairy calves are separated from their mother within 24 hours of birth to reduce the risk of disease transmission to the calf, and most do not stay on the farm for long.
Do cows produce more milk than calves need? ›
The average amount of milk a cow produces annually has more than doubled in the last 40 years. The modern dairy cow can produce about 28 litres of milk per day—that's fourteen 2 litre cartons of milk and about ten times more milk than her calf would need.
Can you leave a calf on a dairy cow? ›
Keeping them together, if carefully managed, can provide multiple benefits. Rearing cows with their calves improves welfare by reducing the risk of some diseases, avoiding the distress of separation and allowing maternal behaviour towards the calf.
How many calves does the average dairy cow have? ›
Although twins are possible, it's not the norm and most cows will give birth to a single calf at a time, either a heifer (female) or bull (male) calf. After giving birth, cows are bred again a couple months later, they milk for just over 300 days, and then they are dried off (they no longer produce milk).
Do cows cry when their calves are taken away? ›
Just like for humans, pregnancy for cows lasts nine months. That's nine months of eating for two and preparing for motherhood. When a mother cow loses her young, understandably, she mourns. Farmers admit cows often "cry for days" after their babies are taken away.
Can cows produce milk without having calves? ›
Like humans, cows only produce milk as a result of being pregnant. Dairy cows must give birth to one calf per year in order to continue producing milk. Typically they are artificially inseminated within three months of giving birth.
Do cows mourn the loss of a calf? ›
The scientific debate relating to animals and grief is ongoing and at this point, we do not have a definitive answer. Taking into account current scientific debate, it is likely animals experience some level of emotional thought.
Are there ethical dairy farms? ›
By adopting sustainable practices, these farms aim to reduce their environmental impact. Ethical dairy farms often employ practices that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, preserve natural resources, and minimize pollution. This contributes to a healthier planet.
What happens to dairy cows when old? ›
What Happens to Milk Cows When They Get Old? Cows who are used for their milk are typically killed before they get old. When these cows are considered “spent,” they are turned into hamburger meat. About 20 percent of the beef consumed by humans in the U.S. comes from slaughtered dairy cows.
Do dairy cows get to walk around? ›
Research shows the average dairy cow spends her time:
Standing or walking: 2-3 hours. Drinking water: 30 minutes. The remaining 2.5-3.5 hours are used for herd management activities (like check-ups from a veterinarian) or their daily milking routine.
“If they are only a couple months old when they lose Mom and you can find a way to get them home from the range or in from the pasture, they might do all right even without milk, if you can put them on good-quality hay and some concentrate, like grain or calf pellets.
How much does the average dairy calf cost? ›
Cows that are older will cost more based on what their weights are. A dairy yearling, however, costs little, around $450 to $600 per calf.
Can you make a living milking 50 cows? ›
Not all profitable dairy operations will be those with at least 300 milk cows. There will be very profitable herds with 40, 50, 75, 100, and 150 cows. Even smaller herds will exist with substantial off-farm income or income from other farming enterprises.
What is the best cow for milk production? ›
Holstein This breed originated in Europe and was brought to the U.S. by Dutch • settlers. This breed has the highest milk production of all dairy breeds. The Holstein is the dominant dairy breed in the U.S. • The average Holstein cow produces around • 23,000 pounds of milk, or 2,674 gallons, of milk each lactation.
Do dairy cows have their babies taken away? ›
The calf is separated from the cow within the first few hours of birth and moved to a separate barn so that there is no contact between cow and calf (“early separation”).
What happens to male dairy calves in the US? ›
The dairy industry has no use for male calves, so they're either sold for beef, sent to veal facilities, or shot shortly after they're born.
Do dairy cows reject their calves? ›
Unfortunately, some cows will reject their calf and not allow it to nurse. Successful Farming Radio offers some tricks you can use to get that reluctant mother to accept her new calf. hen a cow gives birth, her maternal instincts should kick in so she'll immediately tend to her baby.
