Couple of heifers

[JeffNY]

Picked these heifers up at holstein auction on May 5th.


First heifer is sired by Picston Shottle. Dam is 90, 2nd dam is 85, 3rd 83, next 4 are 86, 86, 90,90.



Really sharp heifer, stands uphill. When she had a topline on her, she looked incredible. She will be bred to Braedale Goldwyn. I might flush her next year, once I see an udder. Her udder should be high, and wide (has plenty of room).

Her dam has a CTPI score of 1679. This heifers PTPI is 1758.

This next heifer is sired by Braedale Goldwyn. Dam is a 84pt September Storm, the rest behind her are either VG89 or EX. She will be bred to KHW Kite Advent-RED. This should yield a red heifer, as her dam is red.






Jeff

[wr]

Jeff, it's been really interesting to watch your herd and your facility evolve

[Teacupliz]

Hi Jeff- could you share what you paid- I need to add 4 springin heifers. and am so new to this? Any heath garentee at auctions?
thanks Liz-
PS been busy- how did all your inspector crap work out?
Do you ship milk also?

[JeffNY]

What I paid is going to be quite a bit more than what any ol' springing heifer will cost. The first heifer went for 9800, the 2nd was 6600.


Our permit is suspended, we did so because we simply dont want any issues with press releases etc. One thing I found interesting. A person from Buisness Weekly called us. He said in March, the FDA wanted a crackdown on raw milk, they dont want it sold. So all of a sudden, look at the supposed pathogens that came up at the farms. There is something going on, and with hopes of Patrick Hooker coming (he couldn't make it Monday, was down at NYC for farm aid), we can get some policy change. Perhaps the added pressure on them will change things enough.

and yes I ship milk.


Jeff

[caseyweiss]

Jeff,

Your Goldwyn heifer is a red carrier; when bred to a red bull she has a 50% chance of having a red calf and a 25% chance of having a red heifer. A nice red heifer would pay off your investment quickly.

[Teacupliz]

jeff- I have had bacteria in my goats milk one more and I am suspended also- But my cows milk has been fine- my inspector spent 4 hours here before the last est helping me clean equipment and checking out everything- Fingers crossed my sample is okay-
I am going to try to add cows and ship with up state- I just need to add 4 cows- Ideas on where to get some healthy cows-
And WOW- If I had that cash I would be rich--wink....

[JeffNY]

When buying any dairy animals, I suggest getting something that is due to calve. Also make note of what the heifer is bred to. Some people breed animals to bulls that are 9 to 10% on up, difficult calving bulls. Now this would be a concern for holsteins. For Jerseys, it isn't as much, since for the most part, Jerseys dont have troubles calving. If they do have a big calf, they seem to manage. Swiss also have big calves as well, the other breeds I cant comment on, dont have experience with them.

But getting healthy animals isn't hard, getting them from an auction that has animals that have been tested. They have also been given Triangle 9, and the Rabies vaccine. One of these heifers had warts, but they aren't a big deal, dealt with them before. We did give her a wart vaccine, and they cleared up, might be a couple left, but they are about dead. At the auction we went to, there were heifers due to calve, they however went for 4-6,000. The sale averaged 6,830 on 100+ lots. It was highly advertised sale, with some good animals. There are auctions out there that have animals due to calve, that dont go for as much. I am not sure of any, however sometimes some farms are selling springing heifers. I know of a farm locally, sells holsteins. She sells cows, heifers, and maybe even springers. But there are farms around, depends what you want. If you want Jerseys, the best bet is to go onto www.usjersey.com and look at the directory, call around.


Edit: We suspended the permit, not because it was their choice. We did get reinstated, but decided to suspend it, didn't want any BS. If we can get some policy change, get rid of the press release, and the fine. We will get a permit. We dont have a problem with testing, its how its handled, they do treat you like criminals.


Jeff

[Teacupliz]

do you know what the fine is- I was told they only sugest gining a fine- that they would not issue one? thoguhts?

[Teacupliz]

do you know what the fine is- I was told they only sugest gining a fine- that they would not issue one? thoughts?

[JeffNY]

Fine is $300, you can appeal to have it lowered, no less that 100 or so. If it happens twice, it can double, and they cant fine you anymore than $1000, if you get caught that much. The problem with the fine, is the fact they are fining you for something you did not do. Also they call it "adaulterated", as if you did it on purpose.



Jeff

[francismilker]

Jeff,
Hate to ask such a greenhorn question. But could you explain the numbering that goes in on the description of your cows. I don't understand all of the acronyms and %'s that precede and follow your dam's name.

Thanks in advance, and only if you have the time to break this down. If not, could you direct me to a website that can explain.

Thanks,

[JeffNY]

Calving ease is a measure of how difficult, or atleast the chance of having a difficult birth. The lower the percentage, the lower the chance of having a difficult calving. Say a bull has a Calving Ease of 6%, this means he has a 6% chance of the calf coming out big, being a difficult calving. This leaves a 94% chance of it being Calving ease. If a bull has a rating of say 12%, this means it has a 12% chance of throwing a big calf, however the other way to look at it is that there will be a 88% chance of it being an easy calving. The highest bulls are around 17%, and some deem those as cow killers. One particular bull, named Leduc. He was known to be a cow killer, as he threw BIG calves.


Even with calving ease bulls, you can get a big calf through feeding. If you overfeed protein, the calf will get big, and can result in problems. There is a bull named O-Man, he is sold through Select Sires. He is 3%, he is 3% because most of his calves come early, resulting in a small calf.


The other numbers, being classification number is a type evaluation. The way its broken down is 5 scores. They score the Rump, Mammary System, Dairyness, Feet and Legs, and then you have the Frame Composite score. Each breakdown has sub scores, which break it down even more. For example, the mammary system has a score for the cleft, udder height, attachment, width, etc. The scoring system starts down at the rating of "Poor", which is in the 60's, an animal can be low enough that it simply cant score. The highest rating is Excellent, which starts at 90. The individual scores have to all average 90. So if an animal scores 89 for each individual score across the board, she will likely be 89. She cant be 90 if the other scores aren't Excellent, atleast a couple. On average a 2yr old scores in the low 80's if she is good, some score in the VG range which is 85-89. A 2yr old can score as high as 89, with a 90pt mammary. I dont agree with some of the scoring, I feel an animal shouldn't be allowed to score Excellent till 4. Many at 3 can go excellent, only to decline afterwards (mature too fast).

If a cow is 89, with an excellent mammary at 2, she could either go up, or simply remain there, only to rise a point or two, if not decline. Some cows, as with humans mature quickly. Ideally a cow that scores no higher than 85 as a 2yr old, 86-88 as a 3yr old, then 90ish as a 4yr old, spells longevity. What you want is a cow that gets better with age, lasts a while. However many are shooting for that VG89 2yr old, that kicks arse at a young age, not careing how she does beyond.

The scoring system has many different combinations. For example, the first heifers dam is EEVVE. Which means she has an excellent Frame Composite score. Her dairyness is Excellent, Feet and Legs are Very Good, Rump is Very Good, with an excellent Mammary. What I like to see in an animal is one that is dairy, stands uphill, has good strong F&L (straight from the rear, side needs to be straight but not overly). Good depth, clean rump, with a good wide chest. I also like to see potential. If the heifer doesn't look to have potential, she wont fit the bill. The first heifer I picked over all of them initially. She stuck out, because she stands uphill, is very dairy, good F&L, clean rump, clean head and neck. She does have a moderately wide stance, with good sweeping open rib. Not only that, she is a Shottle which is a hot bull right now, and many of the calves/heifers are going for a good amount of $$.

The 2nd heifer I picked, as she has a good solid pedigree. The 9th dam was nominated all canadian in 1973 or so. She has some Excellent dams behind her, and will get big. Her F&L are fairly clean, isn't as dairy as the shottle, but her rump has some slope, plenty of depth. If I can get some Advent heifers from her, and if she gets into VG territory as a 2yr old, I should be able to market heifers from her easily, especially advent (which will be hot for several years). Either way, there is a lot to the dairy world. Mistake I made was not reading up on this stuff, developing an eye, going to a show. Or I would have bought 5 solid animals, got into flushing early, and actually be ahead right now. But hey, live and learn, all I can do now is pick up the pieces, put them together and push on hard.


Jeff