Can You Milk a Beef Cow? The Truth on Homestead Cows Donna Larson, November 7, 2024November 7, 2024 Homesteaders can run their cattle on their smaller plots of land a little differently than commercial producers. You probably know there are dairy cows and beef cows, but have you ever wondered Can you milk a beef cow? We’re here to give the truth on keeping homestead cows. Can You Milk a Beef Cow? Like most animal-related questions, the answer is maybe. Yes, beef cows make milk, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that you can milk them. Animals are individuals, so the answer falls into the grey zone of variables with cows. Some Basic Cattle Terms For the sake of conversation, let’s make sure we’re all on the same page. Here is some basic cattle terminology: Bovine – relating to or affecting cattle Cow – female cattle that has given birth to a baby Heifers – female cows that haven’t given birth yet Bull – male cattle that has not been castrated Steer – male cattle that has been castrated Calf – bovine male or female, up to about a year old Beef – any bovine cattle raised / used for human consumption Dairy Cow – any cow raised / used for dairy production Udder – the part of the cow that produces and excretes milk Quarter – The udder is divided into 4 quarters, each producing milk separately from the others. Teat – Each quarter has a working teat that milk is expressed from, whether by hand milking, machine, or calf. Cattle for Beef Production Genetics play an important role in both beef and dairy farms. Farmers purposely breed beef cattle for meat production. They have been selected generation by generation by the commercial beef industry to put on muscle quickly for profit. The longer it takes to grow out a beef steer, the more it costs to feed them. Additionally, over time, farmers have found other specifics they prefer to breed for, such as marbling, temperament, and feed conversion efficiency. This isn’t a bad thing, it’s how we’re able to feed the most people for the least amount of resources. The ideal choice in beef cows is to keep mothers that hold weight easily on little supplemental feed. They breed easily and have few health problems. They naturally care for and protect their young, and they raise stocky, fast-growing calves. Ranchers will choose a bull with equally matching genetics in his bloodline, but has a history of throwing low birth weights in his offspring. If they choose artificial insemination (AI), they examine all of the factors a bull is scored on. You can do the same on a small homestead scale. Beef cows produce milk to feed their calves. They naturally produce milk without losing much weight themselves, even though farmers don’t breed them for milk production. They don’t generally make much extra cow’s milk than what their own calf needs. Typically, beef cows produce a higher caloric milk than dairy cows. This makes sense as the beef cow has a lower overall production in volume, so that milk needs to be higher in fat and carbohydrates. Her calf will take in less volume than a dairy breed calf, who may have access to large quantities of milk throughout the day. Beef Breeds According to AgDaily, some of the most popular beef breeds in the United States include: angus hereford charolais limousin brahman beefmaster longhorn simmental These breeds work well for ranchers for different reasons. Some cattle breeds tolerate heat better in the south, while others excel in cold-hardiness. Some farmers breed solely for what the market demands. Do you remember that “black angus” cattle campaign in the 1990s? We’re still seeing better payouts for black calves than any other color just because they’re black. Dairy Cows for Milk Production On the flip side, there’s a high demand for dairy products too. We want more dairy than beef cows can produce, and so we look to the different breeds of dairy cows. Dairy farmers choose their dairy cattle by their genetics. Milk cows who can produce the most volume, with highest butterfat, without losing weight, on little feed, with no metabolic issues are what the industry is after. I just described a unicorn; it doesn’t exist. However, these traits are all in the goals of the perfect milk cow. Different dairy cows will produce differing amounts of milk. Their age, lactation, diet, breed, and individual genetics will determine how much overall production she’ll give. For a family milk cow, jersey cows are one of the most popular breeds. They produce enough pounds of milk to make cheeses, but their butterfat content surpasses all other breeds giving the thickest cream lines for butter, ice cream, and everything else we need cream for. Jersey cows make fantastic mothers, and produce far more than only their calves need. They’re generally fertile, but they do often suffer from metabolic disease such as hypocalcemia and ketoacidosis. Dairy cows are also more prone to mastitis and side effect complications associated with the illness. Dairy Breeds Other popular dairy breeds in the United States include: holstein guernsey Ayrshire brown swiss milking devon fleckvieh normande norwegian red You really have to research these breeds before committing to bringing one home for your family homestead. Some of the breeds, like holstein cows for example, can produce 12 gallons of milk per day. What will you do with all of that milk? So, Can You Milk a Beef Cow? Yes you can. Your beef cow can be trained not to kick while you milk her if she has been handled enough. Beef cows generally don’t have large udders, but they do have long teats, making hand milking an easier job. If your beef cow is making enough milk for her calf, you may try to seperate them overnight, and milk her in the morning. She may not give you very much at first, as milking is a learned experience. Let her calf rejoin her for the day so he can be fed too. Alternatively, when you wean your calf from the beef mother, go ahead and bring her in and attempt to milk her. Again, be patient, this is new for her. Depending on her attitude towards you and the new experience, she may enjoy the relief that milking brings. Then again, you may have a rodeo on your hands. Cross-Breeding Beef and Dairy Cows For your homestead, I highly recommend cross-breeding cattle for a dual purpose type of cattle. A good, hardy cow that doesn’t fall ill often, gives enough milk for her calf and for you, but not too much. Dairy cows crossed with beef bulls are of high popularity amongst dairy farms. We’ve gone this route too for a few reasons: First, a heifer calf can be raised up as a dual purpose homestead cow. Secondly, the bull calves can be raised up for sale. Third, a bull can be made into a steer and raised up for beef. Fourth, a heifer that has more beefy characteristics can be sold as beef. Fifth, a heifer that has more beefy characteristics may be raised up and used as a replacement heifer to raise beef calves. Do you see my point? We allow for more options when we cross breed the dairy and beef together. Mothers make more milk than typical beef mothers, but less than typical dairy mothers. That’s okay (and may even be preferred) if not being used in the commercial industry. They can all be sold to the beef market for quick cash, or raised and sold as beef from your small farm. A Healthier Cow The best part about the crossing is that you pull genetics from both sides, creating a hardier cow with a stockier build. A dairy cow that holds her own weight without supplemental grain is a dream. She will work as a good nurse cow, feeding extra calves that you find for cheap. She’ll make calf-sharing easy on you so you can take time off from the commitment that is keeping dairy animals. I strongly suggest you look for a dairy beef cross for your first milk cow. If you already have the sweet jersey girl, look to AI with sexed, beef semen so she produces a heifer that can be your next cross family cow. Dual-Purpose Breeds Besides crossing dairy and beef, these breeds sort of fit the best of both worlds already: white park british white shorthorn devon belfair galloway They naturally produce less milk than dairy cows and less beef than beef cows while simultaneously giving more milk than beef cows and more beef than dairy cows. Dual purpose cows are often smaller breeds, making them easier to handle without a lifetime of practical experience. They are the natural sweet spot between beef and dairy cattle for the homestead. Making Your Dairy Cow Into Beef So, you see how milking beef cows is possible, and keeping dual purpose cows is good. What about using a dairy breed for beef? Yes. You can make a dairy breed of cattle into beef too. Consider what happens to your dairy cow when she ages out of production. She won’t live forever, what will you do with her then? Beef is the most common and humane option. This way, her life was efficiently used and not wasted. Further, you can often pick up dairy bulls at just a couple of days old for very cheap. Castrate them, and raise them up to beef age for your family, and consider selling some to your neighbors in the community. There are a few points to keep in mind though. Adjust your expectations accordingly. Dairy breeds are bonier, without the muscle mass that you’re used to seeing on beef cows. You’ll get a lot of bone and a lot less meat. Those steaks can be mighty fine, but they’ll be smaller than grocery store cuts. You’ll also get a leaner, less fatty meat. It takes a long time to grow out dairy breeds to be used as beef. Sure, you can take them to butcher at a younger age, but they aren’t reaching their full potential size until they’re 30-36 months. For perspective, beef grow out in 12-24 months, depending on their genetics and their diet. Conclusion – Can You Milk a Beef Cow? There you have it. You can milk a beef cow, and you can beef a dairy cow. Adjusting your expectations is key when doing anything unconventional in animal husbandry. Be willing to make necessary changes if it means giving you the opportunity to grow a little food of your own. There is no better meat (or food) than what you can grow yourself. Happy Homesteading! Donna and her family have been homesteading for most of their 20+ years together in some shape or fashion. She currently lives on their 20 acre farm where they grow as much food as possible. What started as a just a few laying hens, has grown into large gardens, pastured poultry, pork, and lamb. They are continuously evolving their small farm to not suit their family’s needs, but also providing to their local community. Donna’s favorite part of the family farm is her self-built micro-dairy, where she gets to love on dairy cows while serving her local community. Milking, cheesemaking, and processing dairy have become the soul of their homestead and the center of their farm. Cows Homesteading Livestock