Australian Lowline Angus

[AllWolf]

Who all raises these type of cows?

I have a friend that has some but what all do I need to know about them because I may consider getting one or 2 for milking and meat..

I have goats so I know how to take care of them but now thinking of getting 2 of these guys from a calf to grow up and have milk and meat..


Thanks for all help you can give me.

[JulieLou42]

Try Greg Dillon at :

www.minicattlecountry.com

for info on that breed of cattle...he's in No. Central Idaho.

[AllWolf]

Thanks for the information. I will contact my friend later this week and see how much he sells his for but I doubt I buy any for one reason they mostly meat cows until a later date.

I will look and see what I can found out on cows that give mostly milk. I may buy a meat cow later but looking for something for both milk and meat.

Thanks for everyone time. I got more reseach to do for a nice milk cow that not to high of cost..

Oh can you put cows with goats?

Thanks again.

[DJ in WA]

Be prepared to spend alot for purebred lowline angus. Can be thousands a piece, for a small animal.

I also had goats, but wanted cow milk and beef from a smaller cow. Went with a crossbreed cow - lowline/Jersey. Crossbreeds with lowline are much cheaper than lowline purebreds. I like crossbreeds, as opposed to other purebred dual purpose breeds like Dexters. More hybrid vigor.

My cow gives 2 to 3 gallons a day, depending on feed. I take a gallon in the mornings, and the calf gets the rest. I'm now even taking a few days off a week if there's enough milk in the frig. The 3 month old calf can take all the milk.

[AllWolf]

Originally Posted by DJ in WA

Be prepared to spend alot for purebred lowline angus. Can be thousands a piece, for a small animal.

I also had goats, but wanted cow milk and beef from a smaller cow. Went with a crossbreed cow - lowline/Jersey. Crossbreeds with lowline are much cheaper than lowline purebreds. I like crossbreeds, as opposed to other purebred dual purpose breeds like Dexters. More hybrid vigor.

My cow gives 2 to 3 gallons a day, depending on feed. I take a gallon in the mornings, and the calf gets the rest. I'm now even taking a few days off a week if there's enough milk in the frig. The 3 month old calf can take all the milk.

Can I ask you this. Can I put my calves in with my goats? I do have more land but I want a small breed of cows so can have milk and meat later.. plus maybe make a few bucks on the side. I do not want a 3 to 4 thousand pound cow because read they eat alot more then the smaller breeds.

Maybe some can help me get understanding better what be best for us. I do not want to spend out 3 thousand for a cow. I want millk and meat for later. Gosh I hope that sound correctly. OH and one that is very friendly not a bad cow.. because I have a small child that helps me out..

[matt090303]

I got around the high prices by A.I., has taken several years, but am getting to the 7/8ths, and 15/16 area now. Real nice animals, they get along well with my sheep, except for the rams. Don't know about goats, sorry. I have one that also has Brown Swiss, and a little Jersey blood in her. Real nice bag, due within the week with her first. I am going to try to milk her, never started one from scratch, always bought older milkers, should be fun. P.S. I have owned Dexters on the past. The Lowlines gain far quicker than Dexters, and seem to be much quieter. good luck

[DJ in WA]

I've started AI also, the past month with lowline semen - looks like it took in the two females I had bred.

Fiddled around the first couple breedings of my cow with bulls - a small Hereford, then a small Jersey. Got heifer calves both times, so now I have 1/4, 1/2, and 3/4 Jersey females. I'll try them all milking and see which level of production I like. My original cow, the 1/2 Jersey is looking good now, but as more kids leave the family, we might need less.

My hereford cross heifer is much thicker than my Dexter steer was. I sold the Dexter cow to a guy with a goat, and they made a fine pair for years.

AllWolf, only you can know which cow is best for you. Depends on how much milk and meat and work you want. There have been lengthy discussions here on the ideal homestead cow, but it usually just depends on individual needs and likes.

Some points:
Just to clarify, standard size cows aren't 3,000 to 4,000 pounds. Most are 1,000 to 1,800. I believe pure lowlines are 700 to 800.

Careful of used milk cows, especially from dairies. Many are culled for a reason, such as chronic (incurable) mastitis, as I found out after getting stuck with one. So I prefer to get a calf.

Generally, purebred dairy cows are at risk of more health problems than a beef/dairy cross. The crossbred cows usually give plenty of milk for most people, and breed to a beef bull and you get a very beefy calf.

You might see if your friend can breed someone's Jersey cow to a lowline bull, and you could have the calf.

So, there are certain challenges - a low priced milk cow could have problems, and the 'ideal' cow can be hard to find.