Post by Audrey on Sept 14, 2015 11:59:33 GMT -5
Hey folks,
I need some serious, objective advice. Personally I'm awful at making decisions and I've gone back and forth over the past few months on whether or not I should keep my cow - which is why I need some outside observations.
The cow in question is Hazel, my 2 year old Dexter/Jersey who calved this May.
Here are the facts:
~Hazel has a surly disposition
~She is still difficult to milk - I still use the anti kick device
~She had 2 super strong heats but failed to breed even when the tech bred her twice in one heat. We used a bull with the highest conception rate too.
~Her milk production is dropping. It was 1 gallon but for the past 3 months it has steadily dropped to where I'm just barely getting 1/2 a gallon.
I separate her bull calf over night and I milk her out in the morning before I let him out of his pen to nurse. And I can tell from how he bangs and bumps her udder that he's not getting much milk either.
I really wanted milk this winter. Last year I took the winter off and we ended up buying milk from a local farm licensed to sell raw. It was ok. But I didn't feel so great. Whereas Hazel's milk, because it's A2, is amazing and I can drink several cups a day with no issue.
However, I'm not sure if it's worth it trying to milk over the winter. If her production is down to 1/2 a gallon already I'm not sure how much longer she'll produce.
So what's your opinion? Would you still attempt it? Or due to the issues she has already: a surly disposition; breeding difficulties (haven't had the vet out to check in that department yet); and dropping milk production, would you move on?
Her heats are exactly 21 days. She has been right on schedule every time. And it's very obvious too. No worries about silent heats! According to the tech she has been in excellent tone/condition each time as well. so unless there is something he's missing which only a vet would be able to tell me, I see no reason why she shouldn't have bred. It wasn't hot either the days she was in heat. It was very cool and cloudy. And generally each time after he had serviced her the bovines all stayed in the barns resting. Could there be hormonal problems here which is why she won't/can't breed? The technician did say that if she doesn't breed that next time he can give her a hormone shot. Has anyone used this and had success? Thoughts?
Hazel is mostly beef -being 5/8 Dexter. And she is solid. If I can't use her as a milk cow my efforts wouldn't be completely wasted as I'm pretty sure she'd be excellent for beef. It'd be grass-fed organic all the way. She weighs roughly 760# and if you didn't know she's a cow she LOOKS like a bull.
And she has acted like a bull on more than one occassion too. One time was when my 180 bales of hay was delivered. Because of the way my lane and barns are set up the guy had to turn his truck and hay trailer around by driving around part of my field. Well, the day before I had just moved my electric fence to that particular paddock. So while he and his buddies were unloading and stacking my hay I went to bring in my cows. Briar, my Jersey heifer led perfectly. As did Boaz. But Hazel would not let me near her to hook her lead. She ended up breaking out of the fence and charging around like a mad bull - pawing the dirt, bellowing, running with her head down at everything. And ALL my gates are open! It took me and one of the guys to "herd" her away and she then ran into the barn. Where i shut her up in the pen.
With winter coming on I need to make a decision. Working with her doesn't seem to make much difference. She's a very bossy, pushy, demanding bovine. I also bought a control halter for her which has helped some: she leads better but if she doesn't want to she won't. So I guess my main question is: knowing the issues, would you still invest more time and effort and money into a cow like this?
I need some serious, objective advice. Personally I'm awful at making decisions and I've gone back and forth over the past few months on whether or not I should keep my cow - which is why I need some outside observations.
The cow in question is Hazel, my 2 year old Dexter/Jersey who calved this May.
Here are the facts:
~Hazel has a surly disposition
~She is still difficult to milk - I still use the anti kick device
~She had 2 super strong heats but failed to breed even when the tech bred her twice in one heat. We used a bull with the highest conception rate too.
~Her milk production is dropping. It was 1 gallon but for the past 3 months it has steadily dropped to where I'm just barely getting 1/2 a gallon.
I separate her bull calf over night and I milk her out in the morning before I let him out of his pen to nurse. And I can tell from how he bangs and bumps her udder that he's not getting much milk either.
I really wanted milk this winter. Last year I took the winter off and we ended up buying milk from a local farm licensed to sell raw. It was ok. But I didn't feel so great. Whereas Hazel's milk, because it's A2, is amazing and I can drink several cups a day with no issue.
However, I'm not sure if it's worth it trying to milk over the winter. If her production is down to 1/2 a gallon already I'm not sure how much longer she'll produce.
So what's your opinion? Would you still attempt it? Or due to the issues she has already: a surly disposition; breeding difficulties (haven't had the vet out to check in that department yet); and dropping milk production, would you move on?
Her heats are exactly 21 days. She has been right on schedule every time. And it's very obvious too. No worries about silent heats! According to the tech she has been in excellent tone/condition each time as well. so unless there is something he's missing which only a vet would be able to tell me, I see no reason why she shouldn't have bred. It wasn't hot either the days she was in heat. It was very cool and cloudy. And generally each time after he had serviced her the bovines all stayed in the barns resting. Could there be hormonal problems here which is why she won't/can't breed? The technician did say that if she doesn't breed that next time he can give her a hormone shot. Has anyone used this and had success? Thoughts?
Hazel is mostly beef -being 5/8 Dexter. And she is solid. If I can't use her as a milk cow my efforts wouldn't be completely wasted as I'm pretty sure she'd be excellent for beef. It'd be grass-fed organic all the way. She weighs roughly 760# and if you didn't know she's a cow she LOOKS like a bull.
And she has acted like a bull on more than one occassion too. One time was when my 180 bales of hay was delivered. Because of the way my lane and barns are set up the guy had to turn his truck and hay trailer around by driving around part of my field. Well, the day before I had just moved my electric fence to that particular paddock. So while he and his buddies were unloading and stacking my hay I went to bring in my cows. Briar, my Jersey heifer led perfectly. As did Boaz. But Hazel would not let me near her to hook her lead. She ended up breaking out of the fence and charging around like a mad bull - pawing the dirt, bellowing, running with her head down at everything. And ALL my gates are open! It took me and one of the guys to "herd" her away and she then ran into the barn. Where i shut her up in the pen.
With winter coming on I need to make a decision. Working with her doesn't seem to make much difference. She's a very bossy, pushy, demanding bovine. I also bought a control halter for her which has helped some: she leads better but if she doesn't want to she won't. So I guess my main question is: knowing the issues, would you still invest more time and effort and money into a cow like this?