Jersey for sale in Ohio??
 

I know, I should just put a big sticker on my head that says "Clueless person..please take advantage of me", but I figure I can get some kosher leads here! Does anyone here have any ideas on where they'd buy a Jersey cow in central ohio, around east of Columbus? I've looked and asked a lot of places, but I thought someone here might know the area.

One on Craigslist is a 3yo Jersey, bred, that they are selling because they are moving. The only isuue is he said she has a tendency to get mastitis in the front right quarter. Is this a "run fast and far" kind of thing for a buyer to watch for, or is mastitis common and treatable enough to be something one expects? She's $1800, btw.

Also, any opinions on a Jersey/holstein cross heifer? Thanks!

I also meant to say I'm considering the Mt Hope Dairy Auction....are auctions good places (in general) to buy cows? i know sometimes calves don't do so well.....

Two years ago, a good herd of Jerseys went through Mount Hope Auction. I sat up next to the Auctioneer that day since it was the herd I had worked with for three year's. The farm manager had me sit there because I knew them better than he did.
So on ocassion, when they are doing herd sell outs you can find decent cows at auctions like that. Normally, a number of the dairy cows going through are being culled for one reason or another. Be it production, age, mastitis, trouble breeding back, disease and any combination of those issues.

If you aren't in too much of a hurry to get a cow and are still looking come next spring, you can contact us. We will have some family Jerseys, maybe a Jersey/Norwegian Red, and Jersey/Beef cross cows available. Our website is severely outdated. We sold 3/4 of the milking herd back in March when we gave up the Grade A license and so only have about 15 head of Jerseys and Jersey/Norwegian Reds and 8 head of Jersey/Beef crosses. The Jersey/Beef will only be available after their temperaments are judged. They weren't a planned breeding and so we don't know how they would fare until they freshen.

Any chance you could post a link to the craigslist ad?

Also check out http://familycow.proboards.com/index.cgi? for not only information but you can check the Auction Barn.

http://columbus.craigslist.org/grd/1397468203.html

I hope this link works.

Doesthouhavemilk, I'm going to email you from your website, but thanks for the info!

Roseanna, sorry I didn't read your post...But had to quickly chime in, Greenhorn don't buy a milk cow from the local dairy auction. Heifers yes, cows in milk no...Hope your listening...Topside

Topside, this is what I was suspecting and yes I'm listening! I love to check all options and then be told why they're good or bad. This is a primarily Amish auction, but I think only luck would find a good cow even at that one, kinda like Doesthouhavemilk implied. Thanks!

While in this area $1800 would be a bit steep right now, I really like the looks of the cow on that craigslist ad. Looks to have a nice udder, mild eyes, sound body. I *like* her. I would like her better if she was bred to a Jersey, but a Jersey/Angus is nothing to sneeze at and they make great freezer beef if its a steer(or if you want, even if it is a heifer).
The tendency toward mastitis in one quarter wouldn't bother me that bad, personally. That can many times be helped by changing the diet(natural ACV daily on the grain can do wonders for low-grade mastitis tendency), handling, milking habits and cleaner areas to lay. But I have experience with that, a new cow person does need to be more wary.
When we send a cow through the salebarn its because we have had a problem with her. Bad feet, bad udder, low milk production(culled one cow that gave a quart a milking for her entire lactation!), showing their age, calving problems, breeding problems, attitude problems, etc. Sometimes its a visible problem, but other times they look good. As a general rule, these are the type of cows that go through salebarns.
We took a huge(#1800) to the slaughterhouse today. She mowed down any fence that she felt like, didn't give much milk, fed herself grain in the barn and to top it all off, had a dead calf after taking way too long to breed back. Cows like that generally go through the salebarn, but we needed beef so #10 will be in our freezer soon. Somehow, nobody wept to see her go.;)

$1800 is way to high . I would be very careful with buying cows at auction barns

you might check with your county extension agent to find out who has them in your area

I also like the looks of the cow in the craigslist. Especially since she is already acustomed to what you are planning on doing.
I would ask if they would accept less though as $1,800 is high these days. It does not hurt to ask.
Pretty much what Emily said. lol

We've been in contact on email about the Jersey and I think I'll just put it out there about the price...they may be more motivated as the time for their move to NC approaches. Plus then maybe I'll have sold some of my other animals (4 Alpines and ac couple steers) to raise the $$! Isn't that always the problem........

Another plus w/ her is she's had a calf before. She's bred to an Angus.

Have you checked online ads in the Farm and Dairy? There are many ads from all over Ohio in there. I too think that the $1800 price tag is WAY too steep for this area. The farther up toward Holmes & Wayne County you get, there are lots of jersey dairy farms. Keep your ears open and I will too.

Thanks Marci, I know there are so many options out there and I just don't know how to find them. The Farm and Dairy adds are good, I'm going to call about a couple to check price ranges. Someone also has some Guernseys for sale, which is interesting. BTW, your website is really pretty.

I've been around cattle all my life. A few years back, I had 4 Jerseys and a Guernsey that I milked. I've always bought from the sale barns. However, if you aren't an experienced stockman, you shouldn't buy from auction.

Around here, you can always walk the pens at a sale barn before the auction starts. That gives you a chance to look them over before they get to the sale ring.

I will agree with the others that $1800 is wayyyyyyy to much money for a Jersey. Around here, you can get a darned good Jersey for $1000 tops.

One thing you might do is go visit some of the Jersey dairies and talk to them. Let them know what you are looking for and if they have one to cull, you would be interested in a direct purchase. Even if it is due to milk production, what is not acceptable to a dairy may be much more than your family could consume.

One Jersey I bought through the sale barn, had a 1 day old calf on her side and bred back to a Jersey bull. I got her for $400 because she had mastitis in one quarter. It got bad enough that she lost the one quarter. However, the 3 quarters would still milk out 3 gallons twice a day. She never had mastitis again.

Good luck,
Paul

Thanks!!!

I paid $1000 for a 12 week old Reg. Jersey Heifer out of PA (from a monastery of nuns).
I could have bought a younger non reg. heifer over in Ohio for $200 or so, but it was worth it to me to get one reg. that had been on the mother all that time and so well socialized and healthy. I'd have been happier to pay $800. . . but they will take payments.
I see non reg. cows in Ohio on craigslist for $800 pretty often, but I felt very confident in the breeding of this heifer, so I went with it.

A person new to the milk cow business should never buy a cow at a sale barn, most cows a there for a reason. Find a person or persons you can trust (which is harder to find) and see if they can help you find a good cow.. Some days I have been known to talk on the phone an hour with a city transplant that needs advise of some sort. My wife says I need to stop doing this. But I love to try and help them.Thanks Marc

Thanks Marc, and everyone else. I ended up getting a Guernsey from a small Amish dairy which I talk about in my lengthy post "Greenhorn gets a cow". She'll probably be here sometime next week, depending on the hauler's schedule. Now to post with milking questions........

I wouldn't have any problem buying from a "whole herd" sale at an auction. If it is just a regular old auction day - then, no, I am not experienced enough to buy there.

A jersey/holstein cross is usually a great cow. I have a J/H heifer and I am just waiting for time to breed her. Maybe next fall.

if you want more there is a big 100plus jersey cattle auction most are milking cows but i dont know if there will be a big turn out or not cause the guy thats doing the auction put a whole page in the house mag and paper talking about the house and then the last part says some thing like cattle and farm stuff will sell after the house so who knows who will see it even the pics just had the farm and the barn nothing else was in the pics and i read it twice before i seen they were selling the cattle and the "farm stuff" but its up here in wayne county which is about an hour and a half from you maybe not that far but thats an average on how long it takes me to get to columbus

Just in case anyone is interested in the Jersey auction.

Might be worth the drive.

http://www.auctionzip.com/cgi-bin/au...358&category=0

yep thats the one and there is alot more info on there about whats selling than i seen in the paper