Post by thystledown on May 7, 2016 7:55:20 GMT -5
So the first year draws to a close. The foster calf has joined the beef herd. The Jersey calf goes to the 4-H calf sale next weekend and Heifer is due again July 30. A month earlier than I like, but I got over eager and bred her back right away last year. So I need to dry her off for the summer. I have never dried a cow off myself. I suspect it will be harder with the flush of spring grass. The goats are easy as they begin to dry off after they are bred in the fall. It is hard to keep them milking if you wanted to. So I am apprehensive. She doesn't get a whole lot of grain anyway--so dialing back on that won't be a big deal. Any tips are appreciated. Just don't tell me to breed on a different rotation. This gives me goat milk while she is dry and lets me send her off with the beef herd for grazing over the summer--which is too far away from the barn for practical milking. And I like the summer off with everything out on pasture and easy chores compared to our hard northern winters when chores are long and hard anyway with everything confined in barns. I will miss the Jersey milk for yogurt as thick as greek yogurt without draining, mozz that doesn't turn goaty in the freezer, and the wonderful fantastic butter and ghee. I made as much ahead as I had time for. the goat milk will give us good milk to drink and bake with, but goat milk gets goaty with age and so does the cheese. And white butter from goat milk just isn't as good. So I am happy with the experiment. The cow is a keeper. In fact, I have two girlfriends adding cows. One is the breeder of my foundation goats. She's cut down her goat herd and is buying two calves.