iso companion ideas for a lonely jersey milk cow, please

cathleenc · #1 06/26/10, 08:36 PM

Biscuit, our milk cow, is clearly lonely. She is 5 yrs old 75% jersey & 25% guernsey, due to calf 11/21. She is a gentle yet spirited and curious girl. We interact with her very much - we let her roam the property at will unless she tells us she wants in the corral or pen or pasture. (the property is well fenced).

We have dairy goats and Biscuit likes them very much - she tried her hardest to steal the kids. But we're very close to getting rid of all the goats (2 does & 3 kids) as no one will touch the goat milk if they have a choice between goat and cow!

How do we know Biscuit is lonely? Well, she looks for every chance she can get to interact and play with anything that moves. She tries chasing the turkeys, knocks over my dh's wood pile every time he's out working on it, follows my children all over, lays next to the garden when I'm out working in it, watches us through the windows when we are in the house, etc. She calls us and talks to us.

Yes, it would be easiest to keep her calf... but we have very limited pasture & lawn, not enough to hold up to two bovines. We'll keep her calf for 3-4 months but sell it at that point.

Do you think she'd do well - and our favorite doe goat would do well - if we'd keep just one goat? That would be the easiest solution to try.

Looking for ideas on how to keep our pet cow happy. A happy cow makes great milk! Plus it's the humane thing to do.

thanks,
Cathy

Callieslamb · #2 06/26/10, 09:53 PM

how about a sheep - they eat more of the same things as cows....except for that copper! A goat might work just fine since you already have one. Maybe a wether?

tinknal · #3 06/26/10, 10:02 PM

With just one goat the goat will bond with the cow. Might just want to keep a weather and sell the more valuable doe.

**gone-a-milkin** · #4 06/26/10, 10:46 PM

Or you could get her a pony.

cathleenc · #5 06/26/10, 10:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gone-a-milkin

Or you could get her a pony.

My husband said you are a big trouble maker!

I can propose (probably successfully) almost any solution except a horse/pony. He'll balk at that!

**gone-a-milkin** · #6 06/26/10, 11:28 PM

LOL! I was only kidding. (mostly).

Honestly though, cows can get used to being an 'only'. They really can. If you are home and they have a regular routine, they dont expressly need a companion. They will bond to YOU. Or the turkeys.

I have one friend w/ a solo cow; the barn cat is her best friend. Seriously, the cat sleeps with the cow. The cow licks the cat. & that cat is right there at milking (you better believe it, LOL).

Good luck deciding on a companion animal. Probably just keep a goat. Then you could feed the calf on goats milk and keep Biscuit's milk for yourself.

??!

francismilker · #7 06/27/10, 10:38 AM

Whatever you get just make sure it doesn't have a large appetite.

lasergrl · #8 06/27/10, 11:37 AM

I would keep the goat if you want to keep the goat to keep her company. I have a goat doe that would be perfectly happy an only girl hanging out with the dogs. I have a sheep that wont hang out with the other sheep and runs jumps and plays with the goats, this is a two year old ewe too! Not all animals conform to the rules

Madsaw · #9 06/27/10, 01:48 PM

Cathy,
Just wish you could handle another cow there. I would be to tempted to bring one upto you. I hate seeing lonely cows.
Bob

deineria · #10 06/27/10, 06:52 PM

Our heifer loves our Nubian buck - I mean LOVES him!

cathleenc · #11 06/27/10, 10:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Madsaw

Cathy,
Just wish you could handle another cow there. I would be to tempted to bring one upto you. I hate seeing lonely cows.
Bob

Bob, I promise she's not suffering! We call her Princess Biscuit because she has a way of getting all of us to cater to her every need. She's clearly what my dairy neighbors call 'a mama cow' type, very maternal and protective and nuturing. Any baby sound she hears - mammal, human, bird - if the sound is even slightly distressed watch out because Ms. Biscuit comes a charging in, all 800 lbs of her, trying to lick the baby in need. I am a bit embarrassed to get all mushy on the cattle board but, hmm, well, uh, we love her. I had no clue that a cow could have so much personality!

Madsaw · #12 06/27/10, 11:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cathleenc

Bob, I promise she's not suffering! We call her Princess Biscuit because she has a way of getting all of us to cater to her every need. She's clearly what my dairy neighbors call 'a mama cow' type, very maternal and protective and nuturing. Any baby sound she hears - mammal, human, bird - if the sound is even slightly distressed watch out because Ms. Biscuit comes a charging in, all 800 lbs of her, trying to lick the baby in need. I am a bit embarrassed to get all mushy on the cattle board but, hmm, well, uh, we love her. I had no clue that a cow could have so much personality!

Cathy,
Your not getting mushy. They just grow on you. Most of our first calf heifers this last winter have turned into butter heads as I call them. Very friendly and will come to you to be petted. Its kind of annoying sometimes since they get into jelious fights over your attention. Some of the heifers still here at the farm that will calf this fall are just as bad. The will come in the barn and stand around and moo for attention. Its getting bad. I can hardly stand it any more.LOL But hey its better then getting kicked to death.
Sometime that I know I will be up your way I will give you a shout and see about stopping in.
Later
Bob