Brutal opinions, please. Should we get her? (them)
 

STILL trying to find a good family cow. First choice would be jersey or jersey cross. I just found one an hour from our home that is 4.5 years old. She comes with a bull calf.

Please let me know your opinion of her. Very hard to find a family cow around here as they don't come up often.

Also, what to do with a bull calf? We only have 5.5 acres and already have 2 horses so I doubt that raising him for beef would be economical...

Here's everything I know about her from the owner and three pics. (quotes from owner):

- She is what is called a 3 quarter cow.She was injured as a calf and one of her udders is not functioning.
- However, the other 3 are perfect and she still produces well. She has been
bred back to a Jersey.
- She is a great hand milker and is used to being milked. Has never even kicked at me once which is rare.
- She is 4.5 years old and has a bull calf with her and is due to calve again February 10.
- She is a registered Organic Jersey and has been antibiotic and hormone free her whole life. She produces 4/5 gallons of milk per day on a grass fed diet.
- She is worth over $2000, but we are asking $1500, because we need to move her.
- She was bred to Sire Brilliant 1J648 and her registration number is USA 113293832.
- She was bred on 5-2-07 and is due 2-6-08.

No milk fever or mastitis. However, milk fever can happen at anytime, but
it can be more prevelant in Jerseys who have had a history of it. The most
important thing is to ensure that she is not fed any alfalfa during the
last two months of her pregnancy. If you do that you shouldnt have an
issue. To be safe you can go to your vet and get some calcium phosfate
paste that you can have handy in case she or any other cow you have slips
into milk fever. Mastitis can generally be controlled by having a clean
environment and a low stress life...which it sounds like she will have
with you guys.

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i2...06/9767811.jpg
http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i2...06/4396572.jpg
http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i2...06/3056040.jpg

Where are you at if you do not want her I will buy her--wink- Liz

I'm not telling.

I definitely want to know if something doesn't look right. Also, not sure what to do with junior... How long before I could sell the baby? She's nursing him now.

For a family cow I wouldn't hesitate to buy a 3 titter unless I was looking at needing a larger supply of milk for other animals. For a cow not pushed too hard 4.5 yrs isn't too old, you should get a bunch more out of her.
As for the bull calf, I would sell as soon as I bought if pasture is a problem and you don't want to buy hay. You could keep him around if the milk production was too much for the family and buy in some hay for him and butcher out whenever you want.

Thanks for the input Sammy. What do you think of her? Udder ok? Are her teats small? They're smaller then our Nubian's. ;)

Being organic might add some value, but I don't know if I'd go $1500 for a 3 quarter cow. It looks like she is not being milked currently; her bag is awfully dirty. Her teats are small, it would be difficult to get your whole hand on there; so you end up milking with fingers. If they are hard to find in your area (they are hard to find here too), this might be your best bet.

that is way to much money for a family milk cow. Being registered is nice if you want to breed her. The price of dairy cattle is down some around here atleast and you can get crossbreds and even some of the off breeds such as jersey pretty cheap. Why are the owners selling her?

Actually, all of the Jersey milk cows we've looked at in Oregon are at this price or above.

She is not milking right now, she's nursing the calf.

I did think her teats looked smallish. If she's already 4.5 - does that mean that they're not going to elongate as she's milked more?

A jersey isn't gonna have holstein tits but smaller than a goats could be a pain.
I have a hard time with ours because of the smaller tits but had no problem with the Alpine we had.
I am in the process of getting a milking system together because big tits or no I would rather use that than hand milk a cow. However the farmer says she is a good hand milker so the tits must not be a problem with her.
As to price, it's what you're willing to pay, if an organic easily milked, not worn out cow is worth 1500 to you then that's your business. Off breeds (anything other than the holstein) will go for more at private auctions and sales yet be relatively cheap at sales barns where you are not really sure of what you're buying and holsteins are usually the prime animal anyway.
The bottom line is that you want a cow. You have the opportunity to buy one that is fairly young and in good health, 3 titter aside. You know where she comes from, you know she has been hand milked which is what you intend to do. She's bred back and comes with a calf that you can either resell or eat later. I'd do it.

Hi cjb,

As we've discussed before, there's always the question of whether you trust what you're being told. As Scorpion asked, I'm wondering why they're selling her, especially if she "still produces well". If producing well, why not being milked? The quarter ruined by a calfhood injury, and not wiped out by mastitis? Who knows?

Near Spokane a Jersey dairy sells used cows starting at $750.

http://www.nickel-wantads.com/ads/ANIMALS.HTM
(look under Jersey bull calves)
Don't know if they'd be less risk than the one you're looking at.

If you can't handle her teats, perhaps nothing else matters.

Personally, I'd be willing to spend more for an unused heifer than for a used cow with unknown issues. Maybe I've just had bad luck. You could even get a beef heifer or young cow you could milk and breed to dairy.

Among serious dairy cows, 4.5 years is old. I've heard on average they don't even get 2 lactations out of them due to mastitis, feet problems, failure to breed back, etc. Perhaps this place doesn't push their cows as much, but there can still be problems. Experts here could comment more on this.

THey are selling their raw milk business so have other cows for sale. THis is the only one that is a hand milker. ANother has a heifer calf on here. Iwas kinda interested in just the heifer but they wouldn't separate.

Only prob I see is that she is not halter broke and our barn is a ways from the fence. I don't want to spend hours enticing her from field to barn with an apple ors some such. SHould she learn to walk to the milking barn quickly?

Most cows will fall into routine and will usually be waiting at the barn when it's time to milk. If she only gets grain in the barn that will help as well. We used to get them up to the barn by opening the door and yelling come boss or sometimes we blew on a conch shell.

If she is milking what they say she is milking better then some of my 4 teat jerseys. If you decide on the others it is easy to halter break them- even just tye for a few wks when you get them. I would sell the bull calf right of- or at least pull and bottle or pan feed-

4.5 is old depending on what type of farm you are buying from. Large confinements burn through cows much quicker than grazing dairies. If a cow can go out on sod they will live much longer. The majority of our cows have 6 to 8 calves. We don't start having problems with them until after they have passed this threshold. By the looks of it cjb isn't dealing with a cow burnout case here.

CJB, it may have already been mentioned but if she drops a heifer calf in the next few months think about her value....TJ

I don't think $1500 for a 3-in-1 package is too bad a deal. I like the looks of the cow, and I like her udder attachments. That all looks very good. Her teats do look small, and small teats make it hard to hand milk.

I'm cheap so I wouldn't pay that much for her, BUT

She looks like a good cow, her teats aren't that short, in fact I would kill for our jersey to have teats like that.

Ours is only a 2 teater and a first calf heifer, she was only supposed to have one blind quarter, but turned out she had 2. But that aside we got her for $550 and drove 4 hours one way to get her. So in all we have less than $800 into her, she threw a bull calf, was really hoping for a heifer, but oh well. Hoping for one the next time.
She gives 4 gallons a day.

I would keep looking for a bit, (again only cause I'm cheap), but just because someone needs to sell a cow doesn't mean that there is necessarily anything wrong with it.

I'm not a dairy man , so can't give much opinion on the cow. However, you don't say when the bull calf was born. The bull calf in the picture doesn't look too great for a calf that had to be born before May. If he has been nursing the cow he should be heavier at 6 to 8 months old. He looks considerable younger, check your calving and bred back dates closely. That said, tyusclan makes an important point, you can sell the bull calf, have another calf coming and the cow. 3 for 1 package makes a lot of difference.

She's a nice looking cow.

Cow prices have been really high lately but only the best stuff goes over $2000, and that's normally going to be a springing heifer, so $2000 for a good cow. A three quartered cow is a cull, and they don't bring that much, no matter how good they actually milk---milking 3 out of 4 quarters does not mean they are worth 75% of a good cow. Farmers look at it this way: If she has four quarters, you can afford to lose one and keep on milking her. If she starts out with three and get down to two, well, not a lot left. Her "insurance" is gone. If you really want her, I'd offer them $1150-1200 and let them keep the bull calf. They aren't going to want to do that, because he's not worth much at all at that age, but they can't very well say that when you put the deal to them. :) Personally I think they are full of hot air with the "organic" thing going on with her. She may never have had antibiotics, but cows are a dime a dozen that have never had antibiotics or hormones. I've got a herd full of them and I don't consider the herd organic. They are just trying to justify that high price.

If you do go ahead and get both of them, sell the calf right away. The cow should be dried off in another 7 weeks, and you're going to want the milk yourself, anyway. Having to keep him separate from Mom while he gets weaned is not going to be fun or easy and it would be much simpler to not have him there at all. You'll be better set for the next calf in February.

I milk a lot of three quartered cows myself and have nothing against them, but I wouldn't expect to sell them for anything except culls because of that, and if they went to another farm I'd figure I was lucky to get half again as much as they'd go for for beef.

So my take on her is nice cow, but she's still expensive at $1500, even with the calf.
If you have money to spend, the fact that she doesn't kick might be worth a couple of hundred by the time you milk her twice a day for the next six lactations. :)

Jennifer

You guys are so helpful.

I am very, very torn. My son and I are taking turns milking three goats now (he in the am, me in the pm) and the whole fam really wants the cow's milk. Our barn, however, is 100 feet above the field that she would have to be in and she is not halter broke. I'm afraid of taking something on that will be a major pain. Milking her, turning her out etc is not my concern. Having a cow that we have to chase around is a concern to me as I don't have the time and my 12 year old is a bit small to force her, if force is required.

I was hoping for a cow that was already halter broke for this reason. On the other hand, I guess we could leave the calf with her while we work this out? I don't know....

Could she be brought in at night, left in a stall overnight and milked in the morning, then turned out?

Sorry - haven't done the cow thing yet so asking dumb questions.

My first cows were wild never touch-- they learn fast who gives the TLC- the first wild child- is now the sweetest, loveable cow- They all know where they are milked 7- and go right to their spots. you will be suprised how fast they tame-
liz

Absolutely.

We got our Jersey when she was 4 years old as a three quarter cow. She was already halter broke and a bit of a pet of the guy we got her from which is why we got her but she didn't like females at all when we met and wouldn't behave for me so DH was the one who got to work with her at first but now she gets along with us all just fine. Just last week she gave us a beautiful Jersey heifer calf (thanks to AI) as a 10 year old having already added two Jersey Angus cross cows to our herd and several bull calves who provided us with beef. Our old gal is down to only one quarter but still loves to raise babies and we get enough milk from her for our needs.

You said she was only an hour away? I would suggest driving there to meet her in person and to try milking her yourself. That way you can see how you guys will get along. How old is her calf? Is that him in the photo? The one in the photo seems to be a younger calf.

Good luck!

Trisha

I've raised a few Jersey calves, and in my opinion that little guy is 2-3 months old...

[QUOTE=cjb]STILL trying to find a good family cow. First choice would be jersey or jersey cross. I just found one an hour from our home that is 4.5 years old. She comes with a bull calf.

Please let me know your opinion of her. Very hard to find a family cow around here as they don't come up often.

Also, what to do with a bull calf? We only have 5.5 acres and already have 2 horses so I doubt that raising him for beef would be economical.[QUOTE]


I wouldn't be afraid to buy her, especially if you are having trouble finding a family cow.

And since you asked for brutal opinions; if you are really interested in economical you should loose the, probably underused, nags and keep the calf for freezer beef still and have room to expand you garden, orchard, etc.

Reply
 

Hard to say what cows are worth in different areas so I guess she's worth whatever she's worth to you. You'd be lucky to get $200 for her around here, never mind $1500-2000.

$1,500. sounds like a lot of money for one operating on three cylinders. :)

Since she is used to being milked, I don't see how not being halter broke would be a problem. Just call her when it is time to eat and be milked.
I do think it is a good idea to keep her up at the barn the first day or two to make sure she knows where she is to come to be fed. And call to her when you feed her, so she will know the voice to come to. Don't chase her. Call her.

I agree with topside. Thats what I was trying to get across in my earlier post. I would seriously question the seller about the dates you gave. I suspicion the bred date of 5-02-07. This cow might not calve until late spring. If that bull calf is old as he is supposed to be, then he has never gotten a lot of milk nursing that cow. Looks like a 2 month old calf. And , if that is the case, the cow could not have been rebred on 5-02-07! Question the sellers dates!! :nono:

I moving to where DaleK lives you can not even find a milking cow around here for sale-
Cbj will think to hard and she will be gone- wink.....
Liz

Hmm, What a Cow!
 

From my point of view the cow looks pretty good. Good udder, but of course I cannot be certain from the picture which quarter is bad. One of the hind quarters, or one of the forequarters. If she is truly giving 4 to 5 gallons a day on 3 quarters she is a dandy for a family cow.

Negotiate, but if you want a cow, she looks good. If she is truly in calf to a good bull you stand a 50/50 chance of a fine heifer calf. Certainly she will bring a heifer sooner or later and you'll have your perfect milker.

Were I in your circumstances, and if I bought the cow, I'd simply put a halter on her and tether her for a few days. By the time you pet her, feed her, wash her and milk her for a week or so she will be your friend.

I favor the small jerseys, and this one may be big, but if I needed a cow I'd not run from her.

Oh, yeah; lose the nags if you are short of grass.
Ox

Don't you mean "pre-owned" cattle? :rolleyes:

Quick question...Since you already have dairy goats, are you wanting the cow for more milk production or because you do not like the milk from the goats?

You can strip the calf away from her and bottle feed it. Then milk her. I think 1,500 is alot for a cow, even if she comes bred and has a calf. Does she come with papers?? How about her bull calf??? If they are all papered then I would really think about it. She looks good to me, but is very muddy! I would make sure they bath her if you buy her! :rolleyes: Maybe if she came with a female calf and was bred would I think about it! :)

you wanted a brutal opinion? ok.

shoot the horses. Unless they are working draft horses, they are a worthless drain on land that can be feeding that bull that you could eat. Horses are worth more as fertilizer.


the cow looks good. buy her. get rid of the horses. finish the calf to adulthood, and eat it.

Well Max, I guess you know that some of us would rather you shoot us than our horses. :p

Max, you're awesome.

Ok if I sell them? Thinking that getting 5-6k is worth more then fertilizer.

I have and am seriously considering that. :( Sad but they aren't productive animals now that I don't have time to ride them 1-3 times per week. They were worth it when they supplied hobby time for me with my boys.

Great question - I love the goat milk but the rest of my family doesnt, except for our 1 year old.

The fam loves cows milk and, to get organiz, raw cows milk costs $10 a gallon where we live. Personally, I would just use the goats but the older kids are completely grossed about by it. I don't get it - it tastes great.

Also, my wife wants to make butter etc.

The poster that said I would think too long is probably right. :)

I talked to my assistant today she has been a famr gril all her life her dad was int he shop today as well and they both said $1500 isn't bad for a Jersey most good ones go fior up to $2500. They raise mostly beef now but used to run a dairy operation and they bnoth said as llong as the dead quarter isn't causing problems it all isn't a bad deal. They were laughing at stupid people who they had called in spring when they were cutting hay to come get it now the people are calling them looking for hay and don't know why they don't have it they called them right? Her dad calls people as he is cutting so they can get the hay right out of the field as its baled so they don't have to put extra labour in and now these people are calling caus e noone has hay to sell at the prices they offer.. Well they sold the hay they had to sell and won't sell anything out of the barn since they need it....he told them maybe next yeaar if I call Ya...LOL

So I posed the question to the guy about the pricing on a 3/4 cow (would he come down?) and the fact that the calf looks very small. Here is his reply - my only concern is... why didn't he volunteer the information about the calf being so small?

Cliff,
I am not concerned with you taking your time. I would like you to make a decision by Friday though, so I hope that doesnt put too much pressure on you.

Halter training - With the calf you shouldnt have a problem getting her to go where you want her to. She will not leave that calf for anything, so I would not be a bit concerned about that. All you have to do is lead the calf and the mom will be highly motivated to go where the calf goes.
Having said that, I would put a temperary single strand electric fence or single strand barbed wire fence set up together that could be put up and down pretty quickly. Your local feed store should be able to help you set that up. Fence trained animals rarely challenge the barrier.

I would agree with the 3/4 cow pricing suggestion from the other farmers, however most 3/4 cows dont produce 4.5 gallons a day either, and they dont have a calf with them and one due in a few months. So the whole package makes it a better deal. I am comfortable that my $1500 is fair, so I apologize, but I am not willing to bring that down.

Calf - I wondered if you might ask this question. The calf was not hers originally. I just got tired of milking twice a day, so I got the bull calf to keep the milk production up, and figured I could have some free meat in the process. Jersey cows are such good mothers that within a day she was that little calves mom and as far as she is concerned its her calf. I can even show you how she reacts when you seperate them. Its pitiful.