Pics - new prospect (Jersey Heifer) please critique ..

sorry for the neophyte questions - what do you mean by the rating... 85, 90 etc? What's good, what's not?

ps - i heard about the familycow forum but have not yet accessed it. I drop in here during my workday and shouldn't get addicted to another one ;-)

If you don't ask, you don't learn as quickly.

The scores are from the AJCA's (American Jersey Cattle Association) Type Appraisal Program found here

That is also how a bull's proof is created. They use the scores found on his daughter's Appraisal's to configure the proof. So, those three cows in our herd have affected his future proof. Not much, but their scores are taken into account.

KFC is a very good forum to become addicted to. There are a number of family cow folks there that aren't here. Good, close-knit group.

__________________
Roseanna
Morning Mist Herd
Journey's End Jerseys
Jerseys, Jersey/Norwegian Reds, Beef, Boers, Nubians & crossbreeds

So where is his overall rating? Is it the 52 at the bottom left? If so, that's really terrible, right?
Cliff

That proof appears to be from the UK. He has a lot more daughters in the US, but Genex doesn't appear to have online proofs from old bulls. At least I haven't run across one for him. I'll see if I can find one from our stud books and get a copy onto here.
As far as I know, bulls are not Linear appraised.

__________________
Roseanna
Morning Mist Herd
Journey's End Jerseys
Jerseys, Jersey/Norwegian Reds, Beef, Boers, Nubians & crossbreeds

There isn't a rating with those traits. But looking over the traits, I wouldn't use the bull. There are many bulls out there, many make it, many are slaughtered.



If you did spend 1000, it would have to be from a super dam (Id expect Classification scores of 85-87ish, which is really nice), with good solid breeding behind her. Nice small, well attached udder that will last you many many years (as long as her health is good). Jerseys typically have a slightly deeper udder than other breeds, so when you get this cow at 4 with an udder that deep, its not a good thing. I would pass her up, because if she does develop an udder the same way as her mother. If she begins to step on her own teats getting up, you will end up with problem after problem. You will get a leaker (which is a haven for mastitis). You will spend more than its worth, and will have to ship her at a young age, because she would be stepping on herself.


You can find something, you might have to travel. I sold a heifer in March, was a Family Hill Avery Signature heifer. I asked 500 for her, could of asked 800 for her, but I just wanted to sell her, and I didn't like her tailhead. Either way, open your search area wider. You might find something good, you might also find more to choose from. Always request to see the dam, get the bull info. Post it here, and we will try to research it. Dont rush out to get one, its the worse thing you can do. Take your time, you will find something.



Jeff

__________________
"Give Me Liberty Or Give Me Death" Patrick Henry, March 23rd, 1775

Here. There are many Jersey herds in your state. You might have to travel as I said.


http://www.jerseydirectory.com/?=Uni...tes/States/OR/


Focus on the smaller herds first (under 100). Now when you talk to these people, ask them questions about their breeding, dam's breeding. Also ask what they breed for (Production or Type). I suggest you get something that is typey (more showesque), because not always, but they will be bred for nice tight, long lasting udders. If your willing to spend up to $1000, you will have a broader selection. Dont come across being a novice, simply say your looking for a heifer to raise, to milk. I only suggest this, because some people will take you for a ride (I was with some of my holsteins from a large dairy, I wish I did my research with genetics prior).

So ask this


"Hello, this is so and so, and I saw your listing on usjersey.com. I was looking for a heifer, that I would like to raise up and milk for myself". "Do you have any?". IF they do. Then ask the stuff about the dam, sire etc etc.

If you can, take a trip, take a look and picture. Come back, post it. But whats important is getting something that is well bred. Because that 1000 or so heifer, should last you many years.


Jeff

__________________
"Give Me Liberty Or Give Me Death" Patrick Henry, March 23rd, 1775

May I suggest you look at other than registered if you are looking for a family cow

a family cow need not give actually should not give record numbers...you want enough for family, so an jersey angus cross even would work if that is what you are looking for.

You want something with a smaller high held udder and you can find that in grade easily as that is what keeps them arround. Her udder is not a little bit bad, it is terrible.A good solid udder is worth more than a piece of paper that says what the lineage is. As you can see, the cow in question is still being bred when clearly she should be culled and produce no further offspring IMO(for what its worth).

__________________
All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent. Jefferson
my stores facebook
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lexing...7930013?ref=ts

Thank you guys. You have been extremely helpful.

We really fell in love with this calf as she is stinking cute and very sweet but her mom's udder was alarming to me.

I don't want a heartbreak later so we will pass on this one. The seller also just disclosed that she had an umbilical hernia and had to have surgery. I don't know if that's a big deal but she said that it is very common with Jerseys (about 20% of calves have it).

Thanks again and we'll resume looking. Sure would love to get something that's already in milk, we'll see. We looked into the minis but would have to pay about 3k for a calf!

just to add fodder: we confirmed that the mother (with the bad udder) is 4 years old and has had 2 calves, is pregnant her 3rd. We would have been buying her second calf (the one pictured).

Sigh, disappointing.

Do you all suggest that we buy a new calf if we can get a heifer? Isn't the mortality rate high with <6 month calves? We don't mind the work but I don't want the heartache either.

Ive not lost any except due to bad weather during birth

transporting at that age may be an issue, shipping fever namely but can be treated for, and if hauling considerately and keeping close eye should not be a problem. Shipping fever is typical in auction calves that have been hauled long distance in less than ideal conditions.

i personally would look for a bred cow. 2 years is a long time to wait if your wanting milk.

__________________
All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent. Jefferson
my stores facebook
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lexing...7930013?ref=ts

Jeff, I'm curious about that comment-why look at the smaller herds first? I had looked at the site, and my thought was to look at the larger herds when I'm ready to call-assuming there was a better chance that the larger the herd, the greater the likelyhood they might have a cull that would work for me. But I know you had a real good reason for the statement- but I havent figured it out! That means I'm missing something that I should learn

Thanks all for the input. We called the seller and told her "no thank you".

We would have definitely purchased this heifer out of impulse and ignorance so you may very well have prevented us from some heartache.

Thanks again!!


BTW: could you answer the question about Jersey's an umbilical hernias? Is that so common?

No, it isn't that common.

I've never seen one and I grew up on this Jersey farm. Admittedly, it is a smaller farm and I am only 24, but I mentioned it to dad and he just....well, he could have gone on for hours on this post alone...
No, hernias in Jerseys is not common. Not sure where they got that statistic.


Asked dad and he said in over 700 births he's seen one that needed surgery and says there may have been a second calf with a hernia....

__________________
Roseanna
Morning Mist Herd
Journey's End Jerseys
Jerseys, Jersey/Norwegian Reds, Beef, Boers, Nubians & crossbreeds

Why do I look at small farms first? Well I have dealt with a large farm, and I was ripped, as far as quality goes. While some are good, overall out of the 10 I bought from this one large dairy a couple are noteables. The small farm I bought the other 4 were good, all 4 are noteables. One has breeding problems, however that isn't the farm itself. Out of the 10, by this fall 4 will have been shipped. One wont breed back, another had problems with her first, another aborted and wouldn't breed back. The first one had warts on her teats that deformed them. I might have to ship this one from the small farm. But thats one out of 4, the other 3 are solid. The small farm also doesn't have the herd health problems as the larger farm.


Also keep in mind, the small farm works with their animals quite a bit, they know them all by names. I wouldn't buy any directly from a large farm again, at an auction maybe, but directly, naaa. It also depends who it is. For a single cow/heifer (bred heifer) id go with a small farm, you can talk to the owner, and these guys sometimes wont send an animal to an auction, but want to sell it to someone because they want it to go to a good home (one that might have 3 quarters, or one they simply want to unload).


Jeff

__________________
"Give Me Liberty Or Give Me Death" Patrick Henry, March 23rd, 1775

Thanks Jeff! I definitely didnt think of it that way, and appreciate the insight.

I agree, it's not that common. Furthermore, I don't believe it's a condition specific to the Jersey breed. A calf of any dairy breed could develop an umbilical hernia.
I'll let the beef folks answer whether it happens with beef calves with any statistical significance.