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08/17/10, 08:59 PM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: PA
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Jersey heifer questions
We just went to look at a 6-month old Jersey heifer. The family is moving out of state so they are selling her. She looked very healthy and did not mind being handled at all. I made sure I felt her all over and she was very easy going and friendly. She's only $200, so I do have a few reservations...
She was never dehorned, but she only has little protrusions that don't even stick up above her hair. Can Jersey's be polled?
I also just read about freemartins (which I didn't know about before we went to see her). The owner had gotten a heifer and a bull from a local farmer at the same time with the intentions of breeding - I'm wondering now if the farmer didn't sell him twins...
Is there anything else we should look for, or ask about? She seems small to us, but that's compared to the 9-mo and year old holstein steers we have. DH estimated her to be 200-250 pounds. We have only raised steers to process, and this is our first foray into the world of (eventual) milking  I hope this one will work out - she's a real sweetheart!
Last edited by PKBoo; 08/17/10 at 09:21 PM.
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08/17/10, 09:15 PM
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Family Jersey Dairy
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Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Illinois
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All I can say is you didn`t buy her on the spot, Yes Jersey`s can be polled, but I bet she isn`t. She can still be done this fall, no problem, I have to do mine also, bring her over, no charge. She seems small, she is a Jersey. Could be possable she is a freemartin, don`t know, can`t tell from here. I charge 500 for my calves at that age, but mine are registered. So go out on a limb and buy her. >Thanks Marc
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08/17/10, 09:24 PM
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Marc - do the horns grow out that late? I figured by 6 months old they'd be at least a few inches by now.
Too bad you're not in PA so I could bring her over and you could check her out! 
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08/17/10, 10:35 PM
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Family Jersey Dairy
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Yes, the horns from my spring calves are not very long. And if she was polled, she would have no horns at all. I wish I lived closer to alot of you guys, I could save alot of you money on vet bills. I use to dehorn and castrate alot of cattle in the neighborhood. Not many with livestock anymore around here. >Thanks Marc
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08/17/10, 10:38 PM
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Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: SW Michigan
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Marc.
I wish you lived closer too.....
I'd buy her for that price. If she's freemartin, she will make great steaks.
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08/18/10, 05:41 AM
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Join Date: Nov 2003
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Marc, ever consider cloning...?
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08/18/10, 07:00 AM
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Join Date: Nov 2004
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Callieslamb
I'd buy her for that price. If she's freemartin, she will make great steaks.
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And that sums it up nicely! It's nothing more than an assumption that she may be freemartin and that based on the fact that the guy bought a bull and a heifer. What's to say that they didn't come from two different cows?
Horns are hardly a reason not to buy a cow. On Jerseys they come through slowly for the most part and can always be taken off if that's what you want. I personally like horns and all my milkers that came with horns are allowed to retain them.
You obviously like her temperament so we'll discount that but if she appears to have a good back, sound limbs, clear eyes, doesn't have an under/overshot jaw, that's about all you can look for in an animal that age. Things such as udder conformity and feet aren't going to show up until she is much older and unless you have records of her parentage, your buying a pig in a poke - but that's ok, many of us do and don't live to regret it. One of my best buys was an in-calf Jersey heifer that looked like a rake, nobody wanted her and she was destined for the works. I paid $400 for her. She's about to calve her 4th calf to an Angus bull and her calves are fantastic. She produces more milk than a cow that size should and what's worse, she won't stop producing it so that I have trouble drying her off.
Up to you, your money, your decision.
Cheers,
Ronnie
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08/18/10, 07:24 AM
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Family Jersey Dairy
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Join Date: Jun 2009
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Slev
Marc, ever consider cloning...?
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 My first response.... Can you imagine TWO Marc's???!!
 Of course he has a wonderful sense of humor...
 Two of them would just feed on each other...
 OMG!! There'd actually be TWO of them!!!....
 AAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!
Catherine
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08/18/10, 10:14 PM
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Thanks everyone - we're getting her! 
DH talked to the owner today, and they were born a month apart, so unless the farmer lied to him, she wasn't a twin. So we're going to give it a try.
She would actually be expensive steak compared to what we usually get - we have a few holstein steers that we've gotten as bottle babies for $25. They are yum! We just got our first Jersey steer, so I'm anxious to see what the taste difference is between Jersey and Holstein
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08/18/10, 10:53 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Northern Michigan (U.P.)
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I'd suggest you get her Vet checked to see if she'll be breedable. Then feed accordingly.
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08/20/10, 03:31 PM
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Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: NY
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You will love your Jersey ...we now have 3
Patty
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Milk Made Soaps & Lotions
Raising Saanen Dairy Goats , Icelandic Sheep , German Shepherds ,Registered Jersey cows , LGD
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08/20/10, 03:35 PM
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Join Date: Aug 2005
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PKBoo
Thanks everyone - we're getting her!
DH talked to the owner today, and they were born a month apart, so unless the farmer lied to him, she wasn't a twin. So we're going to give it a try.
She would actually be expensive steak compared to what we usually get - we have a few holstein steers that we've gotten as bottle babies for $25. They are yum! We just got our first Jersey steer, so I'm anxious to see what the taste difference is between Jersey and Holstein |
$200 for a 6 month old heifer is FAR cheaper than $25 for bottle babies!
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by Wendy
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08/20/10, 09:04 PM
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Registered User
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Quote:
Originally Posted by farmergirl
$200 for a 6 month old heifer is FAR cheaper than $25 for bottle babies!
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farmergirl - we're very lucky - we get free milk replacer and grain...
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08/20/10, 09:23 PM
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Here's a picture I got of her today. I'll try to get another one once she's settled.
I talked with the farmer today, and she was definitely not a twin. Talked to the vet too, and he's going to come out when she's closer to a year to palpate.
Patty - we got a 2 week old Jersey bull a month ago, and he's great! She's a real sweetheart - I love her already! I'm sold on Jerseys
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08/20/10, 09:59 PM
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Location: MO
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Oh congratulations on her, she is beautiful!
Whatcha gonna name her? 
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08/20/10, 10:46 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gone-a-milkin
Whatcha gonna name her? |
Oh man, this is a hard one! Our family is soooo bad at names! Any suggestions?
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08/20/10, 10:51 PM
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Moderator
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Join Date: Mar 2007
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Okay, I will suggest Michelle.
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08/21/10, 12:45 AM
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Farming with a Heart
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Join Date: Aug 2010
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Very pretty!
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08/21/10, 01:01 AM
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Family Jersey Dairy
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Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Illinois
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Nice looking calf guys,I think ya dun allright. >Thanks Marc
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Our Diversified Stock Portfolio: cows and calves, alpacas, horses, pigs, chickens, goats, sheep, cats ... and a couple of dogs...
http://springvalleyfarm.4mg.com
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08/21/10, 05:54 AM
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Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: New Zealand
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Well done! She's a pretty little thing, and, in Marc's words, you done alright. As for names, wait for it. Something will manifest itself and it will suit her.
Cheers,
Ronnie
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