Minature Jersey

[short farmer]

I have been thinking about making the bold or stupid move of getting a milk cow. It is just my DH and I but would really like to make all the dairy products that we consume as well as soap. Does anyone raise the min Jersey? what do you think? how much more expensive are they than a reg Jersey? thanks

[georgec]

I have been looking at the too. The only ones I have found have been quite pricey. I have been thinking about buying a full size Jersey, then breeding down to a miniature using AI.

[genebo]

Short Farmer,

The miniature Jerseys are quite pricey.

Are you opting for a miniature because you have little land, or because you don't want all the milk that a regular Jersey would provide?

I would prefer to have two Dexter cows, instead. You can get them for about the same price as one miniature Jersey. Then you can time their pregnancies so that you always have one in milk.

The Dexter calves are delicious! Plus you'd get two Dexter calves instead of just one Jersey calf.

Genebo
Paradise Farm

[Laura Workman]

There are a lot of regular Jerseys that are quite small. If you have a Jersey dairy farm anywhere nearby, you could ask the farmer for a very small cow, and he might be able to help you out.

[Jillis]

Do the Dexters have a high butterfat content to their milk like the Jerseys?

Thanks, Jill!

[genebo]

It's not as high as a Jersey, but it's still fairly high.

Dexter cream separates more slowly. It's almost homogenized. The molecules are smaller and easier to digest. It's said to make great soft cheeses, but not as great for hard cheeses.

There's a dairy in the northeast that uses only Dexter cows:

http://www.fingerlakesdextercreamery...icrodairy.html

Genebo
Paradise Farm

[MARYDVM]

I was able to purchase a 1/2 Mini Jersey 1/2 Dexter bred heifer for $1000. I think this was a pretty good deal. She is very small, but had her heifer calf(3/4 mini Jersey !/4 Dexter) without any trouble. She's raising the calf, and I've been milking about a gallon a day from her, although that's dropped a little this week since the calf is 6 weeks old, and drinking more than it used to. I don't begrudge the milk, that heifer calf is fat and sassy. She looks like a Jersey while her mother is more Dexter in appearance. I really enjoy the mini cattle.

[genebo]

I like the Dexter/Jersey cross, too. I think it makes a better calf if you breed the Dexter/Jersey cow to a Dexter bull. That way you have a good chance of getting a calf with that tasty Dexter beef, and lots of it.

Genebo
Paradise Farm

[Teacupliz]

I have a couple small jerseys- but i find all the jersey easy to handle and milk.
Liz
Teacup Farm

[bluebird2o2]

Jerseys are really small cows anyway.