My little Jersey needs a friend

[Donna from Mo]

My heifer, Secret, seems quite content. I lead her to her pen in the morning, where the grass is knee-deep. She grazes there and chews her cud, just like any happy heifer should. I lead her to the barn and night and she runs to her feed trough and eats like crazy... and chews her cud happily. Unless it's time to be transferred from barn to pen or pen to barn, she doesn't bawl.

And yet, I feel sorry for her being the only bovine creature on the place! I keep her separate from the horses because I haven't had the best luck mixing horses and cows.

So I'm trying to come up with a friend for Secret.

I'd love to find a Jersey steer to buy (or a bull calf that we could make into a steer). That would probably be the cheapest solution.

Otherwise, I'll wait until my calf is six months old or so, and "borrow" a beef calf from my brother-in-law that can stay with Secret until she has a calf.

I have to laugh at myself for worrying about this, when the calf seems not to be concerned at all.

I think I need to get out more.

[TNTPoultry]

I agree with you, not that you need to get out more....lol but that she needs a friend. They really need the companionship of another bovine to truly be happy as cattle are herd animals.

Years ago, we bought a heifer and kept her by herself for months before I decided to buy another. I was utterly amazed when the new heifer was unloaded. Our first heifer went running and jumping all around, like she was all excited or something. We, like you, thought she was so content by herself. There was a BIG difference when the new one arrived.

[Hammer4]

You most likely don't want to breed her until she is 14 months or so old, most cattle folks like heifers to produce their first calf around 2 years old.

So be careful about putting a bull calf in with her at 6 months, the heifers can come into heat as early as 7 months or so if they are good and healthy.

[Donna from Mo]

Oh, if we get a bull calf, we'll be making him a steer immediately.

[Ronney]

After 30 years of owning cattle under various circumstances, and watching them and their behaviour, I've come to the conclusion that while they are herd animals and enjoy the company of other bovines they can be equally as happy on their own or running with another animal such as sheep or even yourself.

As with a pack of dogs, a herd of cows has a pecking order and a leader. In both cases I am the alpha leader. I have 9 cows and there is the lead cow that bosses the others around but when I start swearing and waving my big stick, she doesn't argue the toss - she moves. At the bottom of this pecking order is a little Jersey heifer called Hine (Maori and the e is pronounced as an a). She is always as far away as possible from the rest of the herd when grazing to avoid being pushed round and when I bring them in for milking the norm is that I walk behind 8 cows and she walks behind me. She is happiest on her own and I often leave her behind when shifting them around if she is happily grazing on her own and pick her up on the way back in the afternoon for milking. She often ends up grazing the lawn where she has the dogs and cats for company and when I hang the washing out she'll saunter over and have a chat Yes, I might be a bit balmy but the point of the diatrabe is that a cow will be quite happy on it's own, and sometimes by choice, so if you have other animals, they will be contended with them for company.

If you have the grazing for another calf, get one by all means but don't worry about it unduly. Remember that the dog is a pack animal but for all that, there are thousands of people who only own one dog. I've brought up lambs with my calves and they think they are cattle, runt piglets which sleep with the dogs and grow up thinking they are a dog and a bull that for a year thought it was a sheep until the breeding instinct took over. It's what they get used to.

Cheers,
Ronnie

[Donna from Mo]

Yes, I'm sure you're right. I've had "only" cows before. It probably even makes them better pets for humans, being the only cow on the place. I do know Secret is always glad to see me, and comes running when I call her name. She is halter-broke, and my granddaughters like to lead her in the yard as she frolics on the end of the rope, kicking up her heels and playing with them.

I once had a bottle calf we put in the same pen where we kept a pig, and those two would curl up together to take naps. I have a picture of that somewhere.

[countrydreamn]

I know what you mean about the herd coming running. There is a man across the way from us that has a herd of black angus cows. All he has to do is drive up and beep the horn and these ladies come running. It is so neat to watch.

My question is isn't a family cow usually on it's own? Well I guess it does have it's calf for when you are getting milk. But they will come when it's time and all.

We don't have any cows yet but are looking for that milk cow. Still trying to figure out if it would be better to buy a younger(under a year) heifer so that we can train her and all or get one that is bred with first calf and still hopefully train her. At this point it will be what He provides for us.

Blessings,
Debi

[Donna from Mo]

Over the years, we usually had a few beef cattle that our milk cow (or cows) ran with. And at times I milked as many as six Jerseys, so they had plenty of companionship. Once when we only had a couple of acres, I had just one heifer I raised, like I'm doing now. As I said, they get along by themselves. Probably makes them a better pet. It's just my silliness, I'm sure, that makes me think they need one of their own kind.

[JulieLou42]

She will be just fine, and think that you are her herdmate. Just be sure you're the "alpha" female/male.

I liked having the older heifer within 6 months of breeding time for her first calf, that had already been haltered and lead on a rope, and pampered by her former owners. Made her an easy one to further train and milk when the time came.

[francismilker]

Donna, my daughter has went through this with her show heifers in the past and we've used a goat wither for a companion. It has worked out great!

[Donna from Mo]

I've had goats and love them. Unfortunately, Cliff can't stand them. They get in too much mischief to suit him. Stuff like jumping in the feed bunk and pooping and peeing in the cow's or horse's feed.