Post by Audrey on Jun 3, 2010 9:12:30 GMT -5
I have a 2 year old Jersey and her 1 1/2 month old bull calf coming on Monday....and we have NOTHING ready for them!
First off let me say that I'm twenty years old, still living at home and want to raise a dairy anmial - 1 cow or 2 goats. For the past two months I've been reading and visiting farms looking at goats and cows. This past Monday I found this lovely Jersey and felt she was too good to pass up so I jumped at the chance. She is quite small - only comes to a little above my waist (I'm 5'7") and is so sweet and gentle and has been hand-milked. (Here's a pic with me standing next to her.)
I'm so excited, really want to give it a go and feel that we can get a permanent shelter set before winter, but Mom is a nervous wreck - she feels that there is too much to do in too little time. Now I'm getting stressed! The guy did give me a week if I want to back out.
I do have an old barn that I'm going to clean out and use for a temporary shelter and yesterday I went and bought 330 feet of cattle fence. But it's not up yet and the barn isn't cleaned yet and I don't have any feed, hay or milking stanchion (btw, I haven't milked a cow before - am I in trouble?) and there are only 3 days left before she gets here! The guy I'm buying her from says he hobbles her when it's milking time.
So am I crazy? Should I tell the guy I'm sorry and concentrate on fence and shelter before bringing any animal home? Should we start small - goats - or just jump off the deep end with the cow? I'd love to give it a try but......I really need advice! Please!
What MUST I have before the cow gets here?
What can I work on AFTER she's here?
Or should I just pass it up and get things ready, and then HOPE to find another one?
First off let me say that I'm twenty years old, still living at home and want to raise a dairy anmial - 1 cow or 2 goats. For the past two months I've been reading and visiting farms looking at goats and cows. This past Monday I found this lovely Jersey and felt she was too good to pass up so I jumped at the chance. She is quite small - only comes to a little above my waist (I'm 5'7") and is so sweet and gentle and has been hand-milked. (Here's a pic with me standing next to her.)
I'm so excited, really want to give it a go and feel that we can get a permanent shelter set before winter, but Mom is a nervous wreck - she feels that there is too much to do in too little time. Now I'm getting stressed! The guy did give me a week if I want to back out.
I do have an old barn that I'm going to clean out and use for a temporary shelter and yesterday I went and bought 330 feet of cattle fence. But it's not up yet and the barn isn't cleaned yet and I don't have any feed, hay or milking stanchion (btw, I haven't milked a cow before - am I in trouble?) and there are only 3 days left before she gets here! The guy I'm buying her from says he hobbles her when it's milking time.
So am I crazy? Should I tell the guy I'm sorry and concentrate on fence and shelter before bringing any animal home? Should we start small - goats - or just jump off the deep end with the cow? I'd love to give it a try but......I really need advice! Please!
What MUST I have before the cow gets here?
What can I work on AFTER she's here?
Or should I just pass it up and get things ready, and then HOPE to find another one?