Wanted, Jersey bull calf

piglady · #1 09/08/07, 03:50 PM

I need a full blood jersey bull calf a few days old to raise to breed my two girls. If you know of one in the Ozarks, PM me please.

topside1 · #2 09/08/07, 04:41 PM

Piglady, wouldn't it be cheaper or more practical to have the girls AI'ed by your local VET....Just a thought!!!

Cat · #3 09/08/07, 05:00 PM

If you PM Ozark's Jewel she might be able to direct you to someone ... she had a couple really nice looking heifer & steer calves for sale a few months ago. I got mine by finding dairies on Manta.com Here's a listing for MO. Dairy Farms

I ended up calling people in a known Jersey area and found one within a few phone calls.

brouwer · #4 09/08/07, 07:07 PM

I have 42 of them in the southwest minnesota area.

Donna from Mo · #5 09/08/07, 07:18 PM

Last weekend there were two of them north of Kansas City. Don't know if they are still there or not.

piglady · #6 09/08/07, 07:35 PM

We originally intended to AI but from what I hear, it's not too dependable. Of course it would require a lot of time and effort on our part watching them as timing is everything in AI. I figure let the bull do his job and then get rid of him.

topside1 · #7 09/08/07, 08:13 PM

One other thought, some folks around these parts buy an auction bull, let him do his thing and then resell him back to the same auction months later....Just another thought, and in fact my last...TJ

tinknal · #8 09/09/07, 08:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by piglady

We originally intended to AI but from what I hear, it's not too dependable. Of course it would require a lot of time and effort on our part watching them as timing is everything in AI. I figure let the bull do his job and then get rid of him.

It's plenty dependable, and a lot less "time and effort" than dealing with a bull.

ozark_jewels · #9 09/10/07, 08:37 AM

If you want to drop me a pm, I could give you some names of dairymen that I have bought bull calves from in the past. We also may have a couple this fall and early winter. I am located near Mountain Grove, MO.

collegeboundgal · #10 09/12/07, 09:22 PM

if emily can't give you any close leads, or north of springfield is closer my aunt and uncle have a dairy with jerseys. nothing papered except what's in the tank (AI), but as with all dairies, lots of milk with high butterfat.

-Melissa

DJ in WA · #11 09/12/07, 11:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tinknal

It's plenty dependable, and a lot less "time and effort" than dealing with a bull.

I agree with Tinknal. I raised a young jersey bull a few years ago to breed a cow. Bulls, even young ones, are natural troublemakers, always beating something up. I'll never do that again. Spend all year feeding for a few hours of breeding.

Since then I went AI and in 3 different females have gotten 5 pregnancies out of 5 tries. Granted, my cows aren't heavy milkers, which can affect fertility - don't know if a bull fixes that or not.

Can't say I spend alot of time watching them. It's pretty obvious when they're in heat, jumping on each other, clear vaginal discharge. If in heat in the morning, breed that night, if see in heat at night, breed the next morning.

I also figure that the cost of AI is returned by getting a higher quality animal. AI bulls should have some performance testing behind them, along with conformation, well placed udders and teats, etc.

piglady · #12 09/13/07, 11:21 AM

After all the gread advice here and some outside this forum, I think we have decided to try AI. If it doesn't work after a few trys, we can always use our beef bull to get them in milk. Thanks again for all your help.

collegeboundgal · #13 09/13/07, 03:59 PM

you made a smart choice.

-Melissa