Dumb question... Pet cows?

GrannyG · #21 07/08/06, 11:46 PM

My DH's pet is a big LongHorn Steer named Hombre. He is spoiled rotten. He feeds him biscuits every morning. He is on 4 city lots with a barn, and we have people taking photos of him all the time, he is so beautiful. His horns are scary looking, and he is very big, but will go with DH wherever he wants, he just leads him around with his halter.He stakes him out all over, people want the steer to eat the weeds and grass.

mailman · #22 07/09/06, 09:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Farmer Joe

I'm thinking about trying something new. Something that would alance as a friendly large pet and something to keep down the field close to the home. The smaller things like sheep/goats don't attract me, and I think I have just about every other small creature. I have bought books on sheep/goats then decided against them.
So what about getting a dairy calf to bottle raise? I'm not interested in the milk for the most part I'd never be able to consume it all. I just gather jerseys (found here locally) are smaller than the herefords which are much too large.
Dexter would be ideal but they are hard to find/inbred out here.
Would a single cow be happy? Would it kill me with vet bills like a horse would? In a long winter area would I be shelling out heaps for hay?
Does anyone else have a huge useless pet such as a cow?? I'm thinking ahead for next spring, so definately not set on this- just looking for yays or nays, thanks!

Hi Farmer Joe, I am fairly new to raising cattle, having only raised them a few years. I have produced hundreds of sheep and goats in the past. I really like the smaller animals for ease (and safety) of handling. Very important to me. I would never consider cattle unless they were very small and bottlefed. I am breeding Miniature Highlands and Miniature Jerseys. I really like the mini Highlands. No need for a barn because of their double-coat. They eat 95% of the vegetation that my goats ate, improving my partially wooded pasture tremendously. I recently sold all my goats in favor of the miniature Highlands and miniature Jersey. A step up. I am so impressed with the Highlands. If you cannot locate any miniature Highlands, there are still midsized Highlands out there that can be purchased. Once you bottlefeed them, they make great pets. All I have to do to call my cows is say "Luuuucy, come on" and they come running. I have to wear long pants around them otherwise they will insist on licking my legs (yuck). My future bottlefed highlands will not have horns, making them safe pets that are great at improving a pasture while requiring no barn. Just a thought.

Cattle are herd animals. I remember when I just had one cow, then I bought some more. Once the single cow saw the others, she was so excited to see them. Now they are inseperable.
There are many breeds and options for you. Enjoy the quest. Getting there is half the fun. Start with what interests you most and you will be more likely to be successful.....Dennis

kgchis · #23 07/10/06, 12:32 PM

When I was younger I had a pet Jersey steer. I raised him on a bottle.

When he grew up, he thought he was a dog. He moved into the backyard, lived with the dogs, had a nip of dog food along with his grass, and drank from the dogs water bowl. He went into the pasture to poop so no pooper scooper was needed. It was great. I could even ride him.

When he got to be about 900 lbs my mom made me sell him

. She said she wouldn't have a full grown bull living in the backyard.

By the way, his name was Ferdinand for Ferdinand the friendly bull I saw in the cartoons.