Post by BlackWillowFarm on Aug 22, 2008 20:57:09 GMT -5
I've been searching for a family milk cow for a couple of months. Today I visited a dairy to look at a Jersey cow. This dairy milks 70 head, has 70 head of heifers and calves, and they do their own AI. Altogether they have 150 head on the farm.
The cow I went to see is 4 and is in her second lactation. I'll list the good and bad as best my uneducated self can do and hope you can guide me towards making an informed decision about this cow.
The Good:
She is young-2nd lactation-2nd month of lactation
No trouble conceiving or calving
Smaller framed (I'm smaller too)
De-horned
Nice udder-4 good quarters/ easy milker/ large teats
No mastitis or milk fever-ever
Peak production 50lbs in her 1st lactation
Very friendly-can hand milk, pet, hug, lift foot etc...
Mother was 14 yrs old when sold (had arthritis)
Price is right and will AI her for no extra charge before I bring her home
Milk is sweet, tastes better than the raw milk I'm getting now
Milked 20lbs in 4 minutes on machine
Eating grain and silage in milking parlor-appetite appears good
The Bad:
Is thinner than the others
Is smaller than the others
Is lowest on pecking order-timid around other cows
Injured hoof 3 weeks ago-was down, needed prod to get up
Lost weight during injury
Developed Ketosis due to being down and not eating
Treated with propylene glycol for Ketosis
Production has dropped
Is still limping slightly from hoof injury
Calfhood vaccinated, he told me for what, but I can't remember
No vaccinations or tests since
I have no experience whatsoever and I could use all the input I can get about this cow.
My heart wants to bring her home tomorrow, but my head says "take it slow" She is a real sweetheart. The first thing the dairyman did after she stuck her head in the stanchion was give her a big bear hug around her neck. She loved it.
She let me pet and scratch her, I milked her a tiny bit on all four teats and the worst thing she did was swish her tail at me.
I really feel like she's okay, just thin because of her injury, but I also worry about Johne's disease. I don't know if Johne's is present in Michigan or Johne's is everywhere or what.
Can you give me your input so I can get some sleep tonight, pleeze and thank-you!
The cow I went to see is 4 and is in her second lactation. I'll list the good and bad as best my uneducated self can do and hope you can guide me towards making an informed decision about this cow.
The Good:
She is young-2nd lactation-2nd month of lactation
No trouble conceiving or calving
Smaller framed (I'm smaller too)
De-horned
Nice udder-4 good quarters/ easy milker/ large teats
No mastitis or milk fever-ever
Peak production 50lbs in her 1st lactation
Very friendly-can hand milk, pet, hug, lift foot etc...
Mother was 14 yrs old when sold (had arthritis)
Price is right and will AI her for no extra charge before I bring her home
Milk is sweet, tastes better than the raw milk I'm getting now
Milked 20lbs in 4 minutes on machine
Eating grain and silage in milking parlor-appetite appears good
The Bad:
Is thinner than the others
Is smaller than the others
Is lowest on pecking order-timid around other cows
Injured hoof 3 weeks ago-was down, needed prod to get up
Lost weight during injury
Developed Ketosis due to being down and not eating
Treated with propylene glycol for Ketosis
Production has dropped
Is still limping slightly from hoof injury
Calfhood vaccinated, he told me for what, but I can't remember
No vaccinations or tests since
I have no experience whatsoever and I could use all the input I can get about this cow.
My heart wants to bring her home tomorrow, but my head says "take it slow" She is a real sweetheart. The first thing the dairyman did after she stuck her head in the stanchion was give her a big bear hug around her neck. She loved it.
She let me pet and scratch her, I milked her a tiny bit on all four teats and the worst thing she did was swish her tail at me.
I really feel like she's okay, just thin because of her injury, but I also worry about Johne's disease. I don't know if Johne's is present in Michigan or Johne's is everywhere or what.
Can you give me your input so I can get some sleep tonight, pleeze and thank-you!