Went to look at the amish jersey...

john in la · #21 07/16/06, 10:50 AM

Yes you should be allowed to milk and handle the cow pre sale.
How does he milk her? I assume he uses a line milker. This would be better for you than if she was use to being milked in a parlor.

I would contact the owner and ask if you could pick her up first AM. Use the fact that you are new to cows to your advantage. Tell him you would like to milk her on site on the day of pickup. You are checking to see that YOU (I repeat) YOU are up to the challenge.

While in your mind you are checking out the cow; you are coming across that you are the one that needs help. The owner can help you by getting you through the first milking and give you any pointers that you may need.

If you find that the cow is a hard milker; kicker; ect you would then explain that you do not feel as if you can milk this cow every day for what ever reason.
Example;
This cow has small teats and I am not experienced enough to milk this type.

He probably wants to buy the calf back because she is breed to a good bull. He was planning on keeping this cow so breed her for good replacements and now he must sell her. He is not only loosing the cow but a potential replacement heifer.

dk_40207 · #22 07/16/06, 11:59 AM

We are sending out the letter tomorrow. I will tell him that we will be there early, and to please wait to milk her until we arrive.
He has two(or more) children milk her at the same time. He never does the milking himself.
As for the pinkeye..I just wasn't sure how quickly it would clear up using only peroxide, as he said he was...
Thanks everyone. You have all been very helpful

Up North · #23 07/16/06, 06:05 PM

Keep us posted on how things go.

Heather

dk_40207 · #24 07/20/06, 06:24 AM

We have been agonizing over this all week, but we finally decided that she was not the cow for us. She may very well be a good cow, but I felt funny about him not bringing her out of the field, and her udder was just unlike anythingI've ever seen!
We were sad, but thought that everything would turn out like it's supose to...SO last night a fella calls me and says he has over 100 head Jersey cattle, and to come on down. Says he's got a few 3 quarter cows for about $800 and going up from there....whatever we want, he's got.
We'll be going down in a few weeks for one. Only thing is they aren't halter broke..ya may be seening a thread about that soon

Christina
Oh, any words of wisdom on 3 quarter cows? I didn't talk to him for long, and he wqas cutting in and out, but it was something about when they calve for the 1st time, sometimes one quarter just doesn't work, or only works a little...

Slev · #25 07/20/06, 07:38 AM

my friend got a 3/4 jersey from a dairy farm, she had lower production but for my firend, she still produced enough for them, and when they kinda stopped milking for themselves, they put some bucket calves on her. Total of 5 raised (over time) in a lactation. Not a bad deal, I suppose.

Up North · #26 07/20/06, 08:19 AM

Most 3/4 cows have lost one quarter to mastitis. Do a test milking, stripping a few squirts from each of the good 3 to make sure the milk is devoid of chunks, flakes, or non-milk substances. If bad quarter is shrivelled up(died off, so to speak) and other three are not hard, lumpy, or misshapen, a 3 quarter cow can be a productive animal that will make 90% of the production it would have acheived with 4 quarters.
If she doesn't suit your fancy, sounds like he has a few to select from!

Personally I wouldn't worry too much about halter broke. We restrain & milk all our cows with just a simple cow neck strap and they don't give much trouble. If these cows are milked in a stall barn and handled daily, they should readily adapt to your needs. Good luck and keep us posted..cheers.

michiganfarmer · #27 07/20/06, 02:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dk_40207

We are on the fence. The Cow is 3 or 4 yrs old, $1000, drying up a little giving 3 gallons a day, due to calve in about 4 months. She was out in the field, so we didn't get to handle her, but he said she is the most gentle(the kids milk her), but gave slightly less then his other cows.
I don't know that much about dairy cows yet, so I wasn't sure about her udder. It looked like the back 2 hung lower and the front 2 were a lot higher..so it appeared to be "back saggy". Could this just be because she was drying up?
We weren't expecting show udders, but just need to know if this may pose a big problem. He said she milks fine, no trouble. We thought the $1000 was a bit high given the looks of the udders, but she is due to calve, and Jerseys are all but impossible to come by around here.
She would be a family milker right now and a cow share girl if we get overwhelmed w/ milk after she calves.
He said she also had a touch of pink eye, but he expects it to clear up, they are treating it twice a day w/ peroxide.
We told him we did want her, but needed about 2 weeks to get our ducks in a row. We are supose to write him to tell him what day we will be coming.

Whatda think?

$1000 is to much money. whaqt is this farmer going to do wiht this cow if you dont buy her? is he getting rid of her because she doesnt produce much? is she a cull cow headed to the beef sale barn? Id ask the farmer these questions. Dont pau him $1000 for a cow that is not worth it. Id offer the farmer $700.