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Barnyard Buddies:  buying a jersey cow  |
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bellaboo
Farmgirl in Training
19 Posts
christine
millsap
tx
USA
19 Posts |
 Posted - Sep 08 2010 : 3:35:32 PM
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I am new to the forum but not new to being a country girl! I am now divorced at 55 and wanting to put more of my time into my home place and farm. I have two dogs, Bear and Bella, a cat Madge, a horse Red and two red hens, Fern and Fran.I grew up here on the farm but we were more into agricultural farming, peaches, watermelon and cataloupe. Am thinking of adding a jersey cow to the mix. Just wondering if yall can give me some advise about buying a jersey and all the up keep and care involved in this. Thanks so much!!
be yourself everyone else is already taken! |
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Aunt Jenny
True Blue Farmgirl
11381 Posts
Jenny
middle of
Utah
USA
11381 Posts |
Posted - Sep 08 2010 : 11:41:03 PM
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Oh Christine...I just love this subject! I have had my beloved jersey milk cow, Mona for nearly 5 years now and have never been sorry. She is everything I ever hoped for in a cow. I bought her as a "springer heifer" pregnant with her first calf. She has a very sweet personality, is high producing milk wise...and is very calm and easy to milk. I love talking about her so if you have any questions ask away! I also really recomend the website (and book!) www.keepingafamilycow.com it is really geared toward a woman with a single cow..and there is a great forum for asking questions or help with emergencies...wonderful place to look around for ideas as well. Good luck in your cow shopping!!!
Jenny in Utah
Proud Farmgirl sister #24
Inside me there is a skinny woman crying to get out...but I can usually shut her up with cookies
http://www.auntjennysworld.blogspot.com/ visit my little online shop at www.auntjenny.etsy.com |
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MerryHeartSister
True Blue Farmgirl
158 Posts
Christy
Tuscaloosa
Alabama
USA
158 Posts |
Posted - Sep 09 2010 : 03:44:40 AM
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I milked a jersey cow for three years when I was a teenager. I raised her from a calf. She gave great milk but she never had a live calf and we almost lost her once when she couldn't get a calf out. My brother also had a jersey which had calves easily but was the meanest tempered Jersey ever. She kicked my grandfather badly when he was trying to milk her. I remember the biggest job for me was making sure they had plenty of water. She stayed part of the time in my cousins pasture whose pond dried up so I had to take the water hose across the road and then roll it back up once or twice a day. It was a great experience all in all and though I would prefer some small goats now, if I had a barn to keep her, I would definitely get another jersey.
Farmgirl #1951
http://merryheartcreativeartsacademy.blogspot.com/ |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Sep 09 2010 : 05:39:47 AM
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Hi Christine and welcome to the forum. I have goats that I milk and will be milking my heifer Mazie in the spring when she calves. She is a Red Angus but alot of people milk them. We won't need alot of milk but I want to do this. A beef cow will give less milk and less cream so that will be good for us.
Just remember that a Jersey will produce up to 7 gallons of milk a day. So unless you have alot of kids or lots of milk customers, you will be swimming in milk. Plus you will have to be there all the time. Milk cows do not go on vacation! I have learned that with goats too. So unless you have a stand-in person to milk while you are away, that's something else to consider. And you will learn to make a lot of cheese too!
There is so much to think about when looking for a milk cow. They also eat alot. Unless you have plenty of pasture for them to graze, they will need lots of hay and grain if you will be feeding grain. Mine are totally grass fed. I will give Mazie good hay while I milk her. I plan on keeping her calf on her the whole time. But most people will pull the calf and bottle feed it. Something wlse to think about.
I hope I don't discourage you at all. There is alot more to just looking for a cow. Where will you keep her? Where will you milk her? Do you have a stanchion? Will you be hand milking or machine milking?
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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sherrye
True Blue Farmgirl
3775 Posts
sherry
bend in the high desert
oregon
USA
3775 Posts |
Posted - Sep 09 2010 : 08:08:31 AM
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good morning girls, saw this last night but was toooo tired to reply. ok here i go with my opinion. take what you want and leave the rest. my second bible is keeping a family cow by joann grohman... i read and read and read. she will tell you on her website kfc.. attitude in a cow is first. last night belle my jersey kicked me in the knee. well not hard but she knew what she was doing. i was stripping her out. she was out of goodies. so she said stop let me outta here. she kicked me i slapped her good and said no. since her calving i have been kicked in the shoulder, stepped on my feet. i have whacked my own head and on it goes. now lisa on the other hand has a jersey, fancy is her name. a dream a charm soooo easy tons of milk and cream. a jersey can give 12 gallons a day. right now fancy is giving between 9 and 10 gallons. milking twice a day. if you keep the calf or two on then you can milk when you need it. you still have to be sure the calves keep her udder cleaned out. this is to avoid mastitus etc. may i say it is hard work and time consuming but as my bones ache today and i am soooo tired its ok. i love this. it will get easier as it goes along. new muscles.... the machine milk can weighs 12 pounds. then add isabelles 3 gallons at 25 pounds and you know what i mean. any way more later. gotta scoop poop and feed calf milk cow...lol happy days sherrye calf sophie is a half mini jersey registered. if i could spend the money i would buy a jersey mini registered already bred and exp. at milking, calving, people, life. sherrye
the learn as we go silk purse farm
farm girl #1014
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bellaboo
Farmgirl in Training
19 Posts
christine
millsap
tx
USA
19 Posts |
Posted - Sep 09 2010 : 4:42:57 PM
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Hey girls! Thank yall all for the replies. I have thought alot about what all is involved and some days I think it sounds great and others it sounds like too much. I do have about a two acre area and small barn that is fenced that I keep my horse in. The family farm is 100 acres but I own only seven of those. I didn't want to spend the money right now on more fencing so was hoping I could raise her in the area with Red my horse. I think I romanticize about the idea of the perfect "Elsie the jersey cow" and all. I do love all animals though and just think a jersey would be so wonderful. I have already named her Buttercup in my dreams. Will research the website you suggested Jenny and will get back with more questions! Thank you Jenny, Christy, Kristin,and Sherrye for taking the time to reply and sharing your knowledge and ideas. Much appreciated.
It is fun to find kindred spirits!
be yourself everyone else is already taken! |
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Aunt Jenny
True Blue Farmgirl
11381 Posts
Jenny
middle of
Utah
USA
11381 Posts |
Posted - Sep 09 2010 : 10:35:06 PM
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You have more space than I do.Do your research but don't give up on your dream for sure. I love the name Buttercup!! I posted more about how I got Mona and all on my blog tonight.
Jenny in Utah
Proud Farmgirl sister #24
Inside me there is a skinny woman crying to get out...but I can usually shut her up with cookies
http://www.auntjennysworld.blogspot.com/ visit my little online shop at www.auntjenny.etsy.com |
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bellaboo
Farmgirl in Training
19 Posts
christine
millsap
tx
USA
19 Posts |
Posted - Sep 10 2010 : 5:41:10 PM
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Jenny I wrote a nice long reply to your blog and then lost it. It kept saying I didn't have the correct password!!
be yourself everyone else is already taken! |
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highlandviewpantry
True Blue Farmgirl
214 Posts
WV
USA
214 Posts |
Posted - Sep 20 2010 : 1:30:27 PM
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I have two Jersey Dutch Belted Crosses that I am raising on bottles. I have used the book Keeping a Family Milk Cow and the forum that goes along with it. I like raising them from calves because we are handling them a lot and lead rope training. I thoroughly enjoy working with them. Make sure if you buy a heifer calf that she isn't the twin of a boy as they cannot produce milk (free martin) .Make sure you breed yours with a small breed of bull for ease of delivery.
www.thehighlandviewpantry.blogspot.com |
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bellaboo
Farmgirl in Training
19 Posts
christine
millsap
tx
USA
19 Posts |
Posted - Sep 25 2010 : 08:06:37 AM
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Love your blog! Added it to my favorites. Thanks for your advise too.
be yourself everyone else is already taken! |
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highlandviewpantry
True Blue Farmgirl
214 Posts
WV
USA
214 Posts |
Posted - Sep 25 2010 : 09:08:40 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by bellaboo
Love your blog! Added it to my favorites. Thanks for your advise too.
be yourself everyone else is already taken!
Thank You I really appreciate it!
www.thehighlandviewpantry.blogspot.com |
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16779 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16779 Posts |
Posted - Sep 25 2010 : 09:16:38 AM
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Hi farmgirls! I was just out doing my morning animal chores and courting my new mini-Jersey bull, Milky Way (5 months old) and new mini-Jersey heifer, Daisy (approx. 9 months old). My plan is to raise mini-Jersey family milk cows. Did you know their pregnancy is approx. 9 months and they come into heat every 3-4 weeks for maybe 6-8 hours? Very simlilar to humans. When my milk cow, Chocolate, was pregnant, she let me take naps with her. Her head was my pillow (kind of noisy and gurgly). I'm spending a lot of time brushing and bonding with my girls. Chocolate got a little wild because I stopped milking her and put her out to pasture with my beef cows. Not a good idea. I LOVE the smell of them the very best, oh, and the milk of course. Aunt Jenny gets a big BLUE RIBBON for milk maid. Also, read our Ranch Farmgirl's latest blog post, Nightlife, http://rfgblog.maryjanesfarm.org/
One of the women in her chapter milks a cow. Read the hilarious way Shery describes her strong arms!
MaryJane, Farmgirl #1 Plowin' Thru ~ giving aprons a good wrap for 45 years and counting ~
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sherrye
True Blue Farmgirl
3775 Posts
sherry
bend in the high desert
oregon
USA
3775 Posts |
Posted - Sep 25 2010 : 9:06:03 PM
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MaryJane, i am so happy for you. i think jerseys have a huge heart and love people. i had a sweet mini that i milked. her name was buttercup.lol we lost her to cancer. we now have isabelle our rescue 2 teat cow. she gives 6 gallons a day at day 44. her calf sophia blue is half registered mini jersey. i have always wanted to raise mini milk cows already trained for folks. their size and quantity of milk make them great for small farms and us farmgirls. so i am happy to hear you are doing it. i love the smell too.milking is a fine thing. tomorrow butter and cheese and ice cream to make yum. happy days sherrye
the learn as we go silk purse farm
farm girl #1014
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Barnyard Buddies: buying a jersey cow |
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buying a jersey cow
