Do you have a family milk cow?

[HilltopDaisy]

Just wondering how many of us are actually milking a cow for family use? Does anyone milk once a day? Does anyone "share" a cow with a friend or neighbor? Does anyone have a pet cow that does not get milked? I would love to get a Jersey heifer calf with the dream of some day being able to milk her. Is it harmful to wait until she's 5 years old to breed for the first time? How much different are the housing requirements for a dairy cow and a horse? Thanks everyone.

[dosthouhavemilk]

We drink the milk from our tank and milk around 20 cows (will be down to milking around ten this winter hopefully).

The concern with waiting that long to breed a heifer for the first time is she will get too fat. The fat can go into the undeveloped udder and can interfere with the reproductive area. We have a couple of overweight three years old we are selling to someone for beef price. They will be a run with a beef bull and that is basically about the only option left for them. You can settle an obese heifer AI but it isn't easy.
The fat layer around the reproductive tract also makes for a very dificult delivery. We had a first freshening three and a half year old this past winter (she had had one abortion previously). She wasn't near as obese as one prior. Had a very difficult delivery. The older (close to four) first calf hefier before her had a very tiny bull calf.
A maiden five year old? I don't even know if they can settle at that age. Anyone else know od one that old settling for a first time?

[JeffNY]

Yup, Yup. The older they get, the fatter, especially for first timers. Our Jersey didn't settle AI, she was closing in on 2. We stuck her with a beef bull, and she took first try. Our swiss we are hoping took, but swiss develop slower, she will calve out at about 29 months or so. But once again, they develop slower than other cows.


Heck some people breed to a bull no matter what, for the first time around. It can make sence, if you dont care what you get. However for people like me, I want pure, registerable animals first go around, unless in the Jersey's case, and one of my holsteins case, they dont take with AI.



Jeff

[Carol K]

I milk my Dexter, may milk 2 next year. I'm happy that I chose a Dexter for my choice of family milk cow as the amount she gives is great for us, she's hardy and the beef is great.

Carol K

[MissKitty]

We raise and Milk registered Jerseys...At the moment we have our milk cow...Ms. Ellie and her 13 month old heifer Star...Ellie is due to calve next month...this will be her third calf...We recently sold off two other Jerseys,,,just nor enough land to accommandate all the cows...
We milk twice aday...She gives great, rich, creamy milk...When fresh she will probably be giving at least 5 gals. daily...
Star has a few more months before we have her AI'ed...That is the method that has always been used on our cow...She takes on the first try...thanks goodness...
We enjoy our cows but it is very confining...not able to be gone overnight..But we are both homebodies...Good luck...MissKitty

[linn]

I milk a Jersey/Red Angus cross. We share milk with friends and family. However, I use a home pastuerizer to pastuerize the milk I share. Not that I think there is anything wrong with it. But in this day and age you never know who will sue you.

[ozark_jewels]

Our family has around 7 Jersey milk cows and heifers for our own use and yes, we do sell to friends and family. We milk twice a day. Our heifers get bred to freshen around 18 to 24 months old. We do keep a Jersey bull for that purpose.
The problem with keeping a heifer without breeding her for longer than neccessary is that she will most likely build up fat around her reproductive organs and may not breed easily or if she does breed, she may have delivery problems. Also they build up excess fat in the mammary system which then takes up room that should be used for milk.

Emily Dixon
Ozark Jewels
Boers, Nubians, Lamanchas and Alpines

[ozark_jewels]

Originally Posted by HilltopDaisy

How much different are the housing requirements for a dairy cow and a horse? Thanks everyone.

Forgot to answer that question.....=) Our Jerseys have no shelter unless it is terribly wet and cold when they are calving. And the calves can get in out of the weather but they almost always choose to stay with their mom. We had a barn open for them at one time in Indiana, but they chose the wooded gully instead. We have cedars that they prefer for a windbreak. They do very well, we have never had a cow with any problems due to harsh winters or exposure. We have had Jerseys for around 16 years now, since I was 7.
Now, if their pasture was an exposed hilltop, I'm sure I would give them a three-sided shed. And we also rarely have a terribly harsh winter, though it is usually very wet and damp.

Emily Dixon
Ozark Jewels
Boers, Nubians, Lamanchas and Alpines

[HilltopDaisy]

Thanks everyone. I know in my head that getting myself a milk cow is VERY impractical. Doesn't make the desire in my heart any less, though.

[Christina R.]

I always had the dream of owning a cow. I live in a "county island" outside of Flagstaff, an ever growing city. I have her on about 1/10 of an acre, feed her hay, and both of us are happy as can be. She has three pygmy goats, poultry, every kid in the nieghborhood, and myself as her herd. The vet has always said she has plenty of room, especially compared to the big dairy farms south of here. I milk her twice a day until about the last month of her milking, then I bop it to once a day. I share the milk with family and friends.

Owning her has been the delight of my life. She is very gentle and strongly bonded with me. Yes, I have to adjust my life, but it's a pasttime I love, not so much a chore. The times it feels like a chore, I post a note here and get a boost of refreshment. I have a neighbor that milks her when I leave for a weekend, so I really have a great situation.

My bottom line is, don't give up or think it is impossible. If it's meant to be and the door opens up for you, I think you'll be as smitten as the rest of us.

[OD]

I have a Jersey cow that I got when she was 3 days old, & raised on a bottle. She is very gentle & easy to handle.
We don't use much milk, but I love butter, so when she first freshens, I milk her & make butter until I get a good supply in the freezer. Then, we buy orphan calves for her to raise. She loves babies, & will take as many as we give her.
Her last calf was born in August, & we sold one of the extras she has been raising, this past Tuesday for $416.00. She still has her own calf, & a new one that a neighbor gave me. She usually raises 4-6 calves a year.
So you don't have to milk twice a day just because you have a milk cow--buy orphan calves & let them do it for you.

[woodspirit]

From what I've seen, it seems that Jerseys aren't as good as dexters in the cold. They require more food and larger grazing area, than dexters. They give more milk than dexters though but you'd need to need more milk I guess. Some people don't like the meat of jerseys because of the color of the fat, but say that it tastes fine.I've read from more than one or two sources that dexters have better tasting milk and great meat. Dexters are on the watch list of rare breeds. Jersey bulls have a reputation of being dangerous. I've been in pastures next to bulls that didn't know me at all and petted and scratched them. Of course you may find exceptions but that's been my experience

[yarrow]

I have 2 jersey heifers and a 1/2 jersey, 1/2 holstein. I'm not sure if I will EVER breed ANY of them. I have them strictly as pets. We do have the luxury of having fresh raw jersey milk, cream, butter daily (our neighbors milk) Sally Goodin' is my oldest. She turned 2 in Aug. IF I should decide to breed her, it will be sometime this next year. The same neighbors have a reg. mini jersey bull. My cow gals spend their days wandering 25 acres, grazing alongside the goats & the horse. Nights are spent either laying around the round bale chatting or if the weather is chilly or damp they will most times decide to take their chit chat chud chew inside the barn. They have full access to the barn year round. Each of them know their name, lift feet for hoove cleaning (just like the horse) all know simple commands such as back up, move over, hurry. The chickens wander around under them. The kittens climb up and sleep on warm cow backs. Emma loves chin rubs, Sally loves to kiss you on the lips. Hattie is the spoiled rotten baby of the group (she was born in March) Being half hol. she is already as big as Sally Goodin'. I have always dreamed of sharing my life with a jersey. BUT be forewarned jerseys are very much like potato chips, it's hard to stop at one! LOL. If your heart says you need a jersey, I say follow that heart. EVEN if you NEVER can get her bred, you will have an amazing, gentle, loving bovine to share your life with. I've not regretted my decision.
susie

[JulieLou42]

I milk a 3/4 Guernsey-Red Angus cross twice daily, that'll be five at the end of January. We use the milk for drinking, ice cream, butter and "cowsharing" with our friends. I still have too much milk, so will be learning to do cheeses next week. She freshened with a Jersey cross Aug. 2nd, and hopefully is, again, bred back to a Jersey using AI. She's been successful every time with AI so far. Her first bull, to be born alive [2nd calf], was slaughtered last Monday, and hanging weight was 688...not bad they say for this area after 16.33 months. That one was a Saler cross. We'll clear $440 on him, after paying processing costs, and buy a freezer with that to store him and the next ones that follow in coming years.

[ozark_jewels]

Here are pics of some of our Jersey herd. We have had Jersey's for 16 years now, since I was 7. These cows are all descendents of Ginger, our first ever Jersey girl.


This is Blossom, the grandaughter of our first Jersey. This picture was taken a month ago. Blossom is herd queen and will be 15 years old in the early Spring. She was born in Ohio, moved with us to Indiana and on with us to Missouri 5 years ago. She peaked at giving well over 8 gallon a day, but since she is getting older, she averaged around 5 gallon a day this past year and we will dry her off early.



This is Blossom's heifer from this year, April. April is only the second heifer that Blossom has ever had. We were pleased to see her arrive!!



This is Blossom's great grandaughter, Joan. She is an ultra sweetie.=)



This is Snickers, another Blossom grandaughter. The bull we used that year was supposed to be a paint fullblooded Jersey, but with the size of his daughter, I think there may have been some little bit of Holstien blood in there somewhere though he didn't look like it. Then again, maybe its just that I am not used to seeing a hiefer that old that is not producing milk. Her Jersey mama is a very large Jersey too. She is bred for early spring. The pic makes her look black, but she is actually dark brown with tan and white. And yes, even on just pasture, she is overweight.......



This is Bobbie an early winter heifer who will be bred next month.



And Bam-Bam, a bull calf from a couple years ago. He is not related to the rest. I just love his picture!!=)

I don't have pictures of the rest of our herd. Hope you enjoyed these!

Emily Dixon
Ozark Jewels
Boers, Nubians, Lamanchas and Alpines

[dosthouhavemilk]

Here are some pictures of heifers that became overweight before breeding.
This was Blue Moon. She is the one that had a very tiny bull calf at close to four years old. She had aborted previously. She was actually around four months pregnant in this picture, I believe. The fresh-out-of-college vet killed her with a dirty needle to the vein.

Bjork- born 5/25/02. Still open and cycling. 3/4 Jersey, 1/4 Norwegian Red


Juliana- born 5/2/02. Still open and cycling. Registered Jersey


That weight they have? From pasture and mineral blocks. The only grain those animals saw since they were 8-10 months old was the 3 to 4 pounds poured out when bringing them home or brining them up for herd health...and that went to 25 head generally. Of course, they were generally at the front. lol
It is amazing how much weight they can put on with pasture alone.

[OD]

Here is my cow & her two calves. The light colored one is her's & the dark one is an orphan that a neighbor gave me Sept. 1, nearly starved to death. Jersey milk will fatten them up pretty fast.

[woodspirit]

The problem with Jersey's is every time you see one you want one.
Great pics.

[willow_girl]

I have two Holsteins in milk right now, but my work schedule isn't permitting me to milk them. AUGHHH! So they're feeding their calves, and when the calves are sold (probably in a couple months) I'll probably buy a day-old calf to put on Christine ... she has accepted a foster calf before. I don't think Twister will, though (ornery wench!). Libby-Belle, my Jersey X heifer, will have her first calf sometime in late winter.

Keeping a cow isn't impractical at all, if you have the space and the time to milk! When you consider the value of the milk, the yearly sale of a calf, and the fertilizer for the garden, I'd say a cow is a pretty good investment!

Not sure why you would want to wait 5 years before breeding, though!

[Haggis]

I've been milkng our Jersey house cows for a year and a half now; twice a day. For a while his summer we were getting 13 gallons of milk every day, even with two calves to feed that's a lot. We sold one of our Jerseys to a nice couple down state, and are yet milking another. She is down to a wee bit under 4 gallons a day just now, 9 1/2 months into her lactation!! When she gets under 3 gallons a day we'll drop to once a day milking.

We've sold milk, given milk away, fed it to pigs, fed it to chickens, and there has yet been more can we can use. A gallon a day is all we can consume even with making cheeses.

Next summer when our four heifers and our cow freshen we'll leave their calves on them and milk once a day, feed much less grain, feed more milk to our pigs, and if others want some table milk, they can squeeze it out.