Post by freetodream on Apr 3, 2010 14:51:03 GMT -5
Hi everyone, I'm looking for some opinions here and maybe someone has dealt with something like this before. We're getting our third cow next week (we have all reg. Guernsey's) and the guy that we're getting her from offered us this cows last calf and 8 mo. old heifer free if we want her. The catch is that she has a problem with one of her rear legs where she doesn't walk on her hoof like normal she walks on her heel/dewclaw. He's not sure if she was born that way or was injured at some point. He said it wasn't noticeable when she was young and in the calf hutch but it is now that she's in a larger pen however she gets around and runs and plays just like a normal calf just a bit gimpy. He thinks she'll be fine in the right situation (like somewhere with good footing, not alot of concrete, and not where she has to compete a bunch for food, and somebody to spend time with her). So while I'm sure she's probably not a good cantidate for a commercial dairy maybe she'd do well with us?
We're small like I said with two milkers right now and then the new one makes three. We have lots of pasture they're out on, no concrete really; I stay home during the day as well. I just don't want to get into a sad situation where we get attatched to her and then have to put her down because of quality of life. I don't think that's likely thing to happen but it's a consideration though. She's registered and her mom is a great milker (like 90lbs a day peak milk) and she's nice to be around/friendly so she shouldn't be hard to train to milk etc if we can get her bred and milking.
Sooo.... What do you all think? She's free though so that's why I'm tempted. Is it ridiculous? Thanks for any opinions
Kjersti in Idaho
We're small like I said with two milkers right now and then the new one makes three. We have lots of pasture they're out on, no concrete really; I stay home during the day as well. I just don't want to get into a sad situation where we get attatched to her and then have to put her down because of quality of life. I don't think that's likely thing to happen but it's a consideration though. She's registered and her mom is a great milker (like 90lbs a day peak milk) and she's nice to be around/friendly so she shouldn't be hard to train to milk etc if we can get her bred and milking.
Sooo.... What do you all think? She's free though so that's why I'm tempted. Is it ridiculous? Thanks for any opinions
Kjersti in Idaho