jersey cows

[homeschoolmama]

Hi all I was wondering if I could pick some brains here? We are considering buying another jersey cow, the one we have now won't breed and we are going to sell her. Anyway, I was online with a lady that has an organic farm here in Tx that sells raw cow milk and she was telling me how hard it was for them to find a "clean milk cow". She said that only one out of eleven that she bought was clean and that it was very costly to clean up a jersey. Does anyone know what she meant? Do you all that have milk cows check your milk for anything? Thanks ,G

[JeffNY]

Well a couple things to consider. If the cow had problems such as mastitis and lost a quarter, maybe had some sort of health problem. Most cows that are being sold is due to culling, and they might be going for several reasons. Could be mastitis as I mentioned, could be production, could be age, or could be that the udder is sagging, and give them problems. Another thing to consider with her, is organic. You never know what "clean" in her eyes might mean. Maybe the 1 out of 11 to her was good, yet who knows how "bad" the other 10 were like. I think your best bet, is to find a bred heifer. They can be found, and this way you will get something that will be milked, vs something that has been milked, and the possible risks involved. If you find a farm with bred heifers, make sure you make sure they are bred and they aren't going to try to rip you off. You never know!


Jeff

[evermoor]

Clean cows to me mean no mastitis or repro problems. If animals are AI bred usually will not have a veneral disease. Mastitis comes in several forms with the worst being types of contagious forms that are next to impossilbe to cure. This is mainly Staph Aureus and mycoplasma. This will spread from one cow to the whole herd through milk machine, being fed to calves or through pnuemonia like illness. ( I believe). If the dairy you are buying from is on test check the DHIA sheets for the SCC count. Scan for cows that are higher than say 500. Definately strear away from cows with over million or always high counts. One high count usually isn't a problem. A person can have a bulk tank culture done to idenitify what bugs are present. Usually you would take three at different times not continously as some bugs hide and then flare up. A bred heifer is generally safe but also the most expensive. If they are selling milk see what reports they get from the plant. It should state fat and protien % along with SCC, bacteria, and PI count. If the SCC is low< 250, I would be comfortable without doing a culture.

[christy]

Just curious, why won't she settle?

[homeschoolmama]

I don't know, she has been with a proven bull twice at his request (lol) and still nothing.