Recommendations First Cow

Dandelion Acres · #1 10/09/10, 07:44 PM

Ok, we have debated goats and sheep as a family, and are now discussing cows. I figure we want milk, and meat. I am leaning towards Jersy, But would like advice on a good breed. We definitely want a milder or gentler breed. We only have 2 acres to work with, and were thinking rotational grazing with supplemental hay and some feed once in awhile. Are we crazy?

Should we just stick with a dairy goat? Any advice would be awesome...

Callieslamb · #2 10/09/10, 10:11 PM

Will you drink goat milk?

I like cow's milk better so I have a cow - but some are fine with the goat milk. I like a jersey - they are easier to come by that some breeds and are usually pretty fool-proof cows. Get one that is already trained to milk and you will save yourself a lot of 'learning experiences'. But breed doesn't matter as much as the individual cow matters. Find a nice friendly one - preferable with a good calving record ( no troubles) and no mastitis history - and take good care of her. Black, brown, tan or blue doesn't matter. If you can buy from a farmer near you that will help you with any questions that would be good too.

MO_cows · #3 10/09/10, 10:46 PM

Check with your extension agent if 2 acres is enough for a cow in your area. You gotta figure you will likely have the cow, the current year's calf and a yearling around at most times if you are planning keeping calves for beef. If your pasture isn't adequate and have to feed them all bought-in feed year round, that is going to be some expensive milk and beef.

lakeportfarms · #4 10/10/10, 05:55 AM

With just two acres you can count on the Jersey running out of pasture all by herself. They are large cows with large feed requirements. I would suggest a smaller dual purpose cow like a Dexter. Properly managing your pasture by rotating her through multiple smaller divisions of your two acres would significantly reduce the chance that you would be feeding hay in July. Once you add a steer to the 2 acres though, you'll certainly run out of pasture, even with Dexters during the grazing season. You'll have to supplement with hay and/or grain.

Ronney · #5 10/10/10, 06:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lakeportfarms

With just two acres you can count on the Jersey running out of pasture all by herself. They are large cows with large feed requirements.

What? The Jersey should not be a large cow with large feed requirements. She should be a small, dainty little animal with small feet that don't pug up paddocks and be a good forager. As such they are ideal housecows for those with limited land.

Dandelion, 2 acres is not a lot of land and much will depend on where you are as to how well it will cope with a cow. However, I know of several people who keep a milk cow on that amount of dirt and do it very successfully. What they don't do is keep the progeny. They calve in the spring and sell the calf in the autumn so they are not carrying it through the winter. One lady estimates that by milking her cow she isn't paying $20.00 a week for milk so she puts that amount per week away in a drawer. Once the calf is sold, she puts the proceeds from that in with her "milk savings" and buys a beast for slaughter. She has enough money to pay for the beast and the butchering. She reckons that her little Jersey cow indirectly puts $3,000 worth of meat into her freezer - and she's right because it would cost her all of that if she had to buy it over the counter.

Cheers,
Ronnie

Callieslamb · #6 10/10/10, 06:49 AM

My jersey costs me $75 a month in grain. I am working to find ways to lower that amount. I feed her about 5 lbs each milking. She is small - probably 800 lbs and I bring 3 gallons of milk to the house every day - sometimes 4. With about any cow you will have more milk than you will know what to do with. the extra milk could raise an extra calf to weaning size or a pig or two for you. Are you anywhere close to MI- I have a friend with a really nice Dexter for sale.

Dandelion Acres · #7 10/10/10, 08:09 AM

I have good pasture, and definitely plan on rational grazing. I also have a 40 next to me that I could rent for pasture if I had to, but would like to stay away from that if at all possible. I would do the same as in selling the calf and possibly even butchering the calf in fall. I will talk with the extension agent, and look into Dexter's as well. Thanks for all the tips and things to consider. Appreciate it!!!

linn · #8 10/10/10, 08:30 AM

I love my Dexter milk cow. She doesn't need as much grazing or hay as larger animals and gives plenty of milk for her calf and the house. Make sure you get a cow that is already gentle and broke to milk. Dexters vary in the amount they give, but they don't overload you with milk. A Dexter with Woodmagic, Lucifer of Knotting, or Brambledel Redberry Prince in their pedigree should milk well.

Creamers · #9 10/10/10, 11:41 AM

Quote:

With just two acres you can count on the Jersey running out of pasture all by herself. They are large cows with large feed requirements.

Yea, I think of Jerseys as small, as far as cows go with small feeding requirements compared to most breeds. Also, two acres of lush pasture could supply enough forage for a Jersey. Most pastures probably wouldn't - a lush one would.

If you like goat's milk, and a lot of people do, you will probably fair better with two nice Nubian does though. I have dairy goats and a Jersey.

With smaller amounts of land, it might be a good idea to look into a good milking Dexter or a Mid Mini Jersey, too.

jwal10 · #10 10/10/10, 11:49 AM

I had a small Jersey cow on 3/4 of an acre. It was all irrigated. I fed hay and grain year around (so do dairies) I managed the pasture intensivly and only let her graze for an hour a day after feeding in the evening. I raised 2 pigs on her milk and made slop with heavy screenings. Her calf was butchered for veal at 6 mos. Takes some work but it was worth it. I bought grass and clover hay from the neighbor and fed her ground heavy screenings that I picked up from him in barrels. I got 4 gals of milk a day for the first 3 mos and then less as she went along. The cow weighed 750 lbs. I bred my heifers at 1 yr, this kept them smaller and producing earlier. I bred them to an angus bull....James

Dandelion Acres · #11 10/10/10, 05:21 PM

I really like what I have found as far as the Dexter Breed. Seems like a nice dual purpose breed. Dang, just too many choices, LOL. I will be researching this for a while, as I wouldn't be buying until next late spring. Goats would be nice as well, but man a Bred cow, with a calf I could butcher in the fall and put some beef in the freezer would be sweet. Do you goat people eat the kids? I have heard it's a good meat. I actually enjoy goats milk as well so I have not completely ruled out some goats, just not so sure on the whole meat aspect of goats. How much is AI going to cost me each year for a Dexter? What about AI for a dairy goat?

linn · #12 10/10/10, 06:04 PM

You don't have to AI a Dexter to a Dexter bull. You can choose Angus for a great beef calf or Jersey for more milk, if it is a heifer calf. So I would say whatever is the going rate in your area.

Callieslamb · #13 10/10/10, 06:14 PM

It costs me $40 to AI my cow to regular jersey and $60 for sexed semen.