Post by Satch on Jul 11, 2014 11:29:13 GMT -5
Hi All. I'm looking for advice on a long-term breeding plan for our little herd. We started with two registered Guernseys, and they both delivered purebred Guernsey heifer calves. We love the Guernseys for their temperament and their wonderful milk with the deep golden cream. The neighbors once told us that they thought our butter was fantastic, but there was no need to add all that yellow food coloring. And calving has been exceptionally easy, or at least it seems so to me after milking Holsteins.
Only issue is that we live well north of alfalfa and corn country. Pasture and fields here are mostly a mix of cool-season grasses, clover, and trefoil. Making real "dairy quality" hay is a challenge/prohibitively expensive/pretty near impossibility. Which, in turn, makes feeding a high-geared dairy cow in milk also a challenge. Also, for our own uses I think we would be quite happy to keep the high-test milk but with less volume. Never thought this way as a dairy farmer, but now I'd really rather see the cows produce less milk. Would like to see them produce at a level that our local forages can comfortably support, and that the cows can comfortably maintain over a long, productive, low-stress, happy lifespan.
So last fall I ran a "cleanup" Hereford bull with the older cows, after 2 AI breedings that didn't take. The two heifers were both AI'd to a Guernsey (a kind neighbor did the breeding for us) and settled on the first and second tries.
This is Clover, one of the original purchased cows, with her Hereford/Guernsey cross heifer calf, Dandy. The calf is about 1 month old. Took these photos last night. Yes, these two always look at the same things together and swish their tails in unison. They really are a dedicated pair.
Here are the two Guernsey heifers. Margo looks like her mother, Clover. Grace looks like her mother, Irene...but no photo of Irene since she didn't get pregnant, even after months with the bull, and has since moved on... You can see, Grace has a few conformation issues (as did Irene). Graces strong point is that she's awfully smart.
Also, if you look closely, you will see some genuine Yooper wildlife hovering in the photo just over Grace's rump. Looks a bit like a duck, but is actually just a wee baby skeeter.
So here's the question. Should we:
In my experience, dairy bulls are not suited to our single-strand of poly wire and kids situation. And they are pretty much a single-purpose farm animal. But the young beef bull we used last fall was a different story. The Hereford was very easy to have around, and I'm told they make acceptable beef. My wife has been talking with her friend about a Highland bull.
There are no AI technicians in this area. I'm leaning toward getting set up with our own AI equipment, myself. But not really sure if it's all that practical to keep a tank just a breed 5 or 6 cows a year. Maybe the deciding factor would be if someone could point me toward the perfect AI cross (or even better, a Guernsey bull that would make these refined commercial dairy cows more robust on rough forage and minimal concentrates???). I don't want to lose the dairy traits. Just looking for a more balanced and adapted animal for this climate.
Many thanks.
Only issue is that we live well north of alfalfa and corn country. Pasture and fields here are mostly a mix of cool-season grasses, clover, and trefoil. Making real "dairy quality" hay is a challenge/prohibitively expensive/pretty near impossibility. Which, in turn, makes feeding a high-geared dairy cow in milk also a challenge. Also, for our own uses I think we would be quite happy to keep the high-test milk but with less volume. Never thought this way as a dairy farmer, but now I'd really rather see the cows produce less milk. Would like to see them produce at a level that our local forages can comfortably support, and that the cows can comfortably maintain over a long, productive, low-stress, happy lifespan.
So last fall I ran a "cleanup" Hereford bull with the older cows, after 2 AI breedings that didn't take. The two heifers were both AI'd to a Guernsey (a kind neighbor did the breeding for us) and settled on the first and second tries.
This is Clover, one of the original purchased cows, with her Hereford/Guernsey cross heifer calf, Dandy. The calf is about 1 month old. Took these photos last night. Yes, these two always look at the same things together and swish their tails in unison. They really are a dedicated pair.
Here are the two Guernsey heifers. Margo looks like her mother, Clover. Grace looks like her mother, Irene...but no photo of Irene since she didn't get pregnant, even after months with the bull, and has since moved on... You can see, Grace has a few conformation issues (as did Irene). Graces strong point is that she's awfully smart.
Also, if you look closely, you will see some genuine Yooper wildlife hovering in the photo just over Grace's rump. Looks a bit like a duck, but is actually just a wee baby skeeter.
So here's the question. Should we:
- A) Invest in our own AI equipment (I'm experienced, but gave away all my old gear back when I thought I wouldn't need it...drat!!!)
- B) Continue to depend on the neighbor (very kind, and drops in to to the breeding himself when he can get away at no charge, but timing...and, to be frank, technique...could be improved if I had my own)
- C) Start keeping a bull
In my experience, dairy bulls are not suited to our single-strand of poly wire and kids situation. And they are pretty much a single-purpose farm animal. But the young beef bull we used last fall was a different story. The Hereford was very easy to have around, and I'm told they make acceptable beef. My wife has been talking with her friend about a Highland bull.
There are no AI technicians in this area. I'm leaning toward getting set up with our own AI equipment, myself. But not really sure if it's all that practical to keep a tank just a breed 5 or 6 cows a year. Maybe the deciding factor would be if someone could point me toward the perfect AI cross (or even better, a Guernsey bull that would make these refined commercial dairy cows more robust on rough forage and minimal concentrates???). I don't want to lose the dairy traits. Just looking for a more balanced and adapted animal for this climate.
Many thanks.