Questions for the Experts

Rev,
I talked to one of the Normande breeders from Hibbing; he's vet. He said we could breed my older Jerseys to his bulls but the calves would likely have to be pulled. He also said that my Milking Devons: one is now a first calf heifer, and two of them have not been bred, would not be able to carry a Normande calf.

It seemed a good idea to me until I talked with him. Normande butter is famous around the world, and Normande beef is making a real name for itself. He said that he has had cows wieghing in at 1800 to 2100 pounds and that the bulls were large. When compared to my 900 and 1000 pound Jerseys, and my wee heifers, that's huge. The calves weigh well over 100 pounds.

BUT, he also mentioned having semen from the smaller American milk stain Normande, and American beef strain Normande cattle. It seems the French strains are the largest.

I haven't slammed the door on the idea, but I don't have a lot of time left to explore options. With the guy from Hibbing I would have him to watch over my girls and help deliver the calves.

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“It is tedious to live, it is tedious to die, it is tedious to c**p in deep snow”
Old Norwegian observation

Haggis,

That seems like an almost ideal set of genetics for a home cow; the richness of the Jersey, the unique antiquity of the Milking Devons and the advantage of new, yet desirable traits from the Normande... You may be on the threshold of developing a new breed of 'House cow' for the small holders. Sounds like the Devons might benefit from some new blood from listening to your adventure with the breed; Yet I still like them.

Kirby

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No occupation is so delightful to me as the culture of the earth and no culture comparable to that of the garden - Thomas Jefferson 1811

Maybe you could call them "FRENCH JER-VONS'...

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No occupation is so delightful to me as the culture of the earth and no culture comparable to that of the garden - Thomas Jefferson 1811