best way to get a family dairy cow

[libbypayne8]

Hi there everyone. I've been reading all your wisdom today and was hoping to get a little advice. I am hoping to get a dairy cow in the next few months and I'm wondering what you all think the best way to get started is. I'm not in a huge hurry for milk so I had been considering a bottle calf from the auction, but after reading all the posts on that I'm not too sure. There's also the option of buying a cull cow at auction, but I've heard real horror stories about that. There is a man I know that gets all of the cull cows from one of the big dairys in out area and he says he gets 3 or 4 good cows every year that he sells. Those are the main options available to me, but I could go on the hunt for a family milker, but there aren't many around. What would you guys suggest? I'm looking for the most economically smart and all around best way to go about this. Any ideas or advice would be great. Thanks!

[whodunit]

Keep an eye out for your local paper ads for a milk cow. I see them offered from time to time.

Get the work out to naturally minded folks you know that you are looking for a cow. Word of mouth works well.

We bought our milk cow from the people we got milk from. Their kids where mostly gone and the few home are busy and not able to milk all the time so they got rid of the cow.

[Trisha in WA]

If you are new to cows, I would stay clear of auctions. Just too risky for the inexperienced.
You didn't say what part of the world you live in. Perhaps someone here could point you in the direction of a nice family cow.
Trisha

[Callieslamb]

Find a dairy in your area and ask if you can buy a cow.....
Advertize for a cow yourself.

[copperhead46]

Craigslist is a good source.........I found a great Jersey cow there. If the "man" you are talking to about a cull cow is a friend, someone you can trust, he might be the way to go. A lot of times dairy cull a cow because she isn't giving enough milk for their production but she is more than enough for a family cow.
P.J.

[Ronney]

I would agree with PJ if your wanting a cow fairly soonish as opposed to waiting for a calf to grow up.

Over the years I've had several cull cows and they have made excellent house cows and produced more milk than my family could use. Reasons for culling were that they had calved out of season, they were 3 titters or their production wasn't up to commercial standard. However, the bulk of my little herd are calves I've reared by hand and this is a good way to do it if your prepared to wait 2 years. The calves are reared around the same shed they will be milked in, they know me, I know them. And it's very satisfying to eventually milk a cow that you reared.

If you do want to go to the stock sales - and this isn't a bad idea anyway as it can be a great place to learn - take somebody with you who is cattle savvy and can point out to you what to avoid and what to look for.

Cheers,
Ronnie

[libbypayne8]

Thanks for the replies you guys! Copperhead - craigslist is a great place and I check it regularly to find someone I can contact when I'm really ready (still building the barn at this time, done soon hopefully). The man I referred to was someone I found on there actually. I don't know that I can say I know him well enough to trust him, but he did say he only sells 3 or 4 out of about 400 cows to families so he can be sure he is selling them something good. Who knows how much of that is just salesman talking. Trisha - I'm in Northern NM to answer your question and as far as I can tell no one in my town has even thought about a milk cow much less do they own one (all goat people). Ronney - A two year wait isn't too big of a problem to me, I'm pretty patient. It's the thought of 4 or 5 dead calves in my future that's the problem. It sounds so risky and like you're bound to have several die before you get one good one from the thread on auction calves. Is that true or just the way I saw it? I had planned on taking my mother with me to the auction because she is pretty cow/farm animal savy. Any other thoughts would be wonderful! Thanks again!

[ozark_jewels]

Dairy cull cows can make very good family cows. Our original Jersey came from a dairy 20 years ago. She was a challenge, but a great old cow who only gave us heifers. We are milking her great grandaughters now.
We are getting ready to cull a few older cows from our dairy herd. They simply cannot keep up with our hilly ground easily anymore(especially in the winter), as we do intensive grazing so our cows must walk a lot every day, though they are really good cows. One is already spoken for. If they are bred, we will sell them to individuals. If open, they will go for family hamburger.

[Trisha in WA]

If you want to contact dairies, that is a pretty good place to start. What I recommend is making sure the cow is bred (so you know they aren't passing off a cow with breeding issues) and get a copy of her latest milk test (so you know you aren't getting a mastitis cow). Normally if the cow is bred and has a healthy udder, she will just be not producing enough to pay her way in a commercial setting, and she will likely produce more milk than you ever dreamed of LOL
Have fun searching. You will learn a lot along the way...especially if you happen to "tour" several commercial dairies. Wait for the right cow too...don't settle, you will want a girl that you can have around for many years.
Trisha

[Cliff]

Do not buy a cull dairy cow from an auction. Dairies are having a big problem with Johnes and that's where their cows are sent when culled. Johnes is a death sentence - no known cure at this time - for the cow, and can stay in your soil to infect other cows for at least a year. It's hard to spot in auction cows since they already have loose stool from being upset.
I've even brought home a couple of Johnes positive cows from dairies in the past. The dairy farmers are getting more accustomed to this disease and know to unload the suspected cows before they show weight loss.

[RoyalValley]

Good luck in your search!

I know the dairy near us gets rid of cows that are giving 6 gallons per day or less. Seems like they are usually 6 or 7 yrs old by that point, but for a family that is definitley enough milk. I believe last summer he was selling them for about $800 (Holteins).

I think he just keeps a list of people that want cows and calls when they come available. We are in Western Colorado, so if you are really serious that is only a 4 or 5 hour drive. Let me know if you want more info on this dairy.

[Trisha in WA]

I have seen dairies selling first year milkers because they don't meet the minimum and they don't think they will in the next year either. Those are a little more money, but you will have many many years from one of them.

[BlackWillowFarm]

Yes, try the local dairy's first. Our cow came from one and just like RoyalValley said, she was giving less than 6 gallons a day and wasn't making them any money so she had to go. The farmer told me he was glad I took her because she was too nice of a cow to go to slaughter.

I feel very lucky to have her and she gives more than enough milk for us.

[francismilker]

What's your location? Someone here on the board may know where one is possibly at if we know your general locality.

[Trisha in WA]

Originally Posted by libbypayne8

I'm in Northern NM to answer your question and as far as I can tell no one in my town has even thought about a milk cow much less do they own one (all goat people).

Francismilker...already covered that one ;-)

[libbypayne8]

Thanks everyone! So much good info! Especially from Trisha, thank you very much. I would have never thought of the need for a bred cow or the milk test. You probably saved me some big headaches. Thanks again. I have been doing searches to locate contact info for the dairies near me and they seem to be hiding. I know there are several, but they're contact info is nowhere to be found. Any search tips? I feel like I've already learned a ton from you guys and hope to keep learning throughout the process ahead of me! Thanks!

[Trisha in WA]

If you are looking for Jerseys try the American Jersey Cattle Association http://www.usjersey.com/
They have listings of Jersey dairies and breeders.
Otherwise, if you know where dairies are in your area, stop in and ask someone there. You never know who you might meet and what you might find.
Trisha

[Jennifer L.]

I would think a lot of smaller dairies wouldn't mind letting a low producer go to a new home. They'd get more money for her than if she was sent to auction. Plus, most farms hang onto "nice" cows that don't cause trouble longer than they ought to, just because they are easy to deal with. Cows like that would be perfect family cows.

I had a few over the years that I would have liked to have placed with someone, rather than sending them on the truck.

Jennifer

[jBlaze]

Well, a little late, lol.
I have raised dairy steers before, and it is hard at first. We just got a heifer on Saturday, because we can afford her and the day to day expenses of raising her. There is no way we can afford to go buy a cow in milk for 800+ so we will wait, if we dont end up milking her, I am sure we can sell her.
About raising calves, any stress - like new type of feed - seems to give them runny poo and a tummy ache when they are little. Kaolin-Pectin (pepto) seems to do wonders for them. We got 2 calves on Saturday and they were pitiful, we coaxed them to eat and gave them the KP and they are playing in the stall between naps now.

Good luck whatever you decide, but raising calve is do-able. - and messy.