Getting mom a cow, which do you think?

Oh. no you diddn't start any-thing others have!
hostiens if not handle can go on the wilder side. but when I was little and jumped and fell between 2 full grown cows they just looked at me like i was crazy so it depends on what you like if you like the jeresy then go get 1! But a Ralldal (spelling maybe wrong) millks about 1 gallon aday so if you can find 1 it would mean milking a cow that milks as much as a dairy goat!

i have jerseys. angus jersey crosses, and holstien jersey crosses

the holstiens are alot bigger and alot less sociable

jerseys can be nervous and onery( not mean just silly ) like a cat but i like cats

the angus jersey crosses are more like puppy dogs, puppies are sweet too

i like goats as well, how much milk does she want

if you want butter and cream a cow would be better, as you can skim with a laddle and not need a separator

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How much pasture does your mom have or will feed costs be a major factor? I went with a Brown Swiss as my first milk cow primarily because of their reputation of being so docile. She is big and no doubt eats more than the smaller breeds, but you couldn’t ask for a nicer cow. My second choice was Guernsey; I don’t think their name has been tossed out yet.

My opinion? Get a gentle, healthy cow even a crossbred.

I’m not patient enough to start out with a day old bottle calf if I want a milk cow. Keep your eyes open family milk cows pop up occasionally.

What is mom looking for in a milk cow?

I didn't see a smiley face so I assume you are serious. Actually, it would be a rare Holstein UNDER a 1000 pounds. Searching the internet, the average weight is 1400 to 1500 pounds, even the older existing cows. They didn't just get that big in the last 5 years.

In one thread one claims Jerseys are smaller than Dexters, in another we learn Holsteins are smaller than Jerseys. Therefore, Holsteins are smaller than Dexters, right?

I think Ronney said it best, "Apart from feed intake, the size of the cow doesn't really matter in my opinion, what's more important is how quiet she is and how easy to handle."

There are very large and very small animals in any breed, some of them defy being milked or handled, and there are, in any breed, those gentle timid creatures a child could handle. These last are the animals one seeks out to serve as the family cow; size is only important if space is an issue, and even then, the largest Holstein does too much mind living in a very small lot and being fed hay year round.

For me, a cow needs be tall enough to reach under to milk her; I am 6'2" tall and too many decades of hard labor has made my back as stiff as a crowbar. Regardless of breed, I find milking a shortlegged cow a pure misery. Short teats are a problem as well; I have ham sized hands, but even then, if she is gentle, stands well, and she isn't too shortlegged life is good and milking a pleasure.

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Contact your local county extension office and have them put you in touch with the Dairy Superintendant for the 4-H dairy shows in your area. A dairy show heifer might be a good prospect. (She's been handled a lot, she might be old enough to breed or already bred, and she's in tip top condition.) She may however be a little pricy! "You get what you pay for"

I refuse to get in to the above argument about size, shape, and breed. There are good cows and bad cows from all breeds. You just have to get lucky and get a good one.

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