What do you think?

Karen in Alabam · #1 12/01/11, 10:15 AM

Apparently it is hard to get people selling their cows to send you a picture or two.

My sister found this guy on craigslist this morning. I called an talked with him.

He says he is selling this cow for a neighbor of his that had died. He has been around the cow for about 3 or 4 years. He thinks she may be 6 or 7 years old.

I asked him about Mastitis, and he does not think she had any problems with that. He has goats and has talked to the neighbor about mastitis, and the neighbor had told him he had more problems with holsteins than with Jerseys.

He did say he has put some calves on her and so did the neighbor. He also said the neighbor used to milk her with a goat milker--two at a time.

Her bag is lopsided --he said that someone told him its a tendon thing, that if their bag is too heavy it stretches the tendon.

She is dry right now, and is supposed to be bred to a black angus--he doesn't know how far along she is, but he said she is starting to fill out.

He sent me this photo right away upon my asking for it. I also just requested one of her face.

He said also that he has had 4 calves on her at one time and they had been sucking all 4 quarters.

What do you think? - Cattle

I have some thoughts and maybe you can help on this end.

If she is dry, is it normal to have such a large bag?

Also, her back seems a little swoopie, is that a bad sign?

Karen in Alabam · #2 12/01/11, 11:12 AM

Just got some more photos

What do you think? - Cattle

myersfarm · #3 12/01/11, 11:26 AM

that looks like a bag that might give a cup of milk out of the short side....and a lot more out other side......might be reason he used a goat milker no way would a cow milker work.......that is a cull cow to me...with the price of cows....u can buy a good cow cheap as this cow....the slaughter price is still up there on any old cow

CarolT · #4 12/01/11, 11:53 AM

How much is the cow? Most places in AL will not slaughter a bovine over 3, makes it hard to get much for a slaughter cow, so they'll try selling them off.

Personally, I'd see if I could find a way to see if his neighbor did die. Tells real quick whether he's being honest about why selling... JMO

Karen in Alabam · #5 12/01/11, 12:06 PM

He is selling the cow for 750.00

He is about 2 hours away from me.

checked his number on switchboard.com, and it is a cell phone (which I already knew when I was talking to him), and there is no address on cell phones.

He is 55 miles or so from Cullman (which I am about an hour on the other side), and he said he is in Cullman frequently and offered to bring her there.

There is a salebarn in Cullman--never been to it. (He didn't mention the sale barn)

I finally heard back from one of the other people I am talking with, she will send pictures this weekend.

BlackWillowFarm · #6 12/01/11, 12:06 PM

Could just be the picture but she is very narrow in the rear and this makes for difficult milking with a machine. Her topline isn't very good either with those pins so high. It could mean a difficult time calving. But the deal breaker on this cow is her udder. She looks like she has a blind quarter on the right front and the other quarters are very uneven. It looks like maybe they left calves on her and the calves only liked one side causing it to become saggy or she had a terrible case of mastitis. They might say she's just bagging up unevenly before she calves, but I really don't like her udder and I wouldn't buy her because of it.

Karen in Alabam · #7 12/01/11, 12:09 PM

Thanks

suzyhomemaker09 · #8 12/01/11, 03:30 PM

I feel your pain Karen..it's so difficult to judge and pick livestock.
I having absolutely no exp with dairy cattle would have run away screaming after seeing the udder pics...there is definitely something not right there....
I luckily found a cow....$1100 for a bred Dexter
I'm doing the happy dance.

Karen in Alabam · #9 12/01/11, 05:04 PM

I don't mind misfit, just don't want a major project.

I am glad that the girl from TN finally got back to me, said she hadn't been to her computer in a while, but would get me the pictures this weekend.

So I am still hopeful

My sister is the craigslist addict and keeps sending me listings.

suzyhomemaker09 · #10 12/02/11, 08:48 AM

Still seems to a bit high priced for a misfit.....

BlackWillowFarm · #11 12/02/11, 08:56 AM

Keep looking, she's out there for you somewhere. Hopefully the one in TN will be the winner.

CarolT · #12 12/02/11, 11:17 AM

Know someone who got a goat whose udder looked like that. But if you're careful to milk her out evenly, she evens out while in production and produces well and some of the best tasting milk! When she's dry, she once again looks lopsided. The kids apparently only used one side and made it that way.

A blind quarter you can't do anything about

Though a cow can give a pretty good amount of milk from the 3 quarters left. Around here, most milk cows are listed around 1,200, so...

Karen, the sale barn here is mostly beef breeds, probably why he didn't say anything. I wouldn't ever go there looking for a milk cow, culls are all you'd find and the worst culls at that

One that lopsided I might look at while she was in milk, but wouldn't trust her being dry. I sure hope you find one soon, I know how frustrating wanting something and not being able to find a decent example of what you're looking for can be. Another thing I'd think about _if_ considering that cow is telling him you'll buy on condition a vet agrees that it's worth it. If he is trying to pull something, that usually makes them disappear. Just a thought. BTW, dialup here and can't see pictures, I might change my tune if I could see them LOL

Gregg Alexander · #13 12/04/11, 05:19 AM

In my opinion a weigh cow, keep looking!!

matt_man · #14 12/04/11, 09:00 AM

There doesn't seem to be any problem with her suspensory ligament. It runs from the front quarters up through the cleft of her udder and attaches in the rear. She still has good cleft so it isn't a ligament issue. She could just genetically have a terrible udder or she has had issues with mastitis. It can cause scar tissue and some quarters can then appear larger than others.

I wouldn't pay more than $500 for this cow. If she has a good temperament and due to calve it may be worth a chance as a first cow and something for you to learn with. But I wouldn't pay $750 for her.

willow_girl · #15 12/04/11, 09:15 AM

Quote:

I wouldn't pay more than $500 for this cow. If she has a good temperament and due to calve it may be worth a chance as a first cow and something for you to learn with. But I wouldn't pay $750 for her.

I was thinking along the same lines, although I'd probably go $600. I'm a softie for Jerseys and she has a kind face. There's definitely a bun in that oven, and I'd take the gamble that she might be making a nice heifer calf.

Karen in Alabam · #16 12/05/11, 11:30 PM

We were just driving by and so we stopped at the sale barn (it is literally 5 miles from my house). My sister was looking for a guy who comes with gates and panels and stuff. So we walked on the cat walk and what do I see below me?

Two big brown eyes staring up at me saying, "Please take me home." Her bag was huge. It was early so I found some guy down stairs and asked questions.

He took me in to see her. He said she what Yall been saying, dairy cows coming through have issues, and he said she probably wouldn't go for more than 450.00, but that the auctioneer would probably start her higher than she was worth.

He did find out this was her second time through. First, she was pregnant, but then she must have lost the calf.

He thought she might have mastitis, but she wouldn't let us get a good look. She was dropped off the day before--so that meant she was not milked for a while. Her teats looked kind of short.

Anyway, I didn't stay for the auction.

She was way prettier than this cow.

I was promised by two different people that I have been in contact for pictures this weekend and didn't get them. I find that more aggravating than finding bad ones.

$500.00 sounds do-able

CarolT · #17 12/06/11, 01:01 AM

You're 5 miles from the Cullman sale barn?!?! I thought you lived further than that. I'm about 10 miles from it.

topside1 · #18 12/06/11, 08:10 AM

Do you need photos of the Jersey in Monterey? Slow pace in these parts? Probably don't think you are serious....I'll get you some photos if you're super serious and the guy does not live to far out of my way....Topside

topside1 · #19 12/06/11, 08:11 AM

He may have borrowed the camera and hates to ask again, or he doesn't know how to send photos....something to think about....Topside

Karen in Alabam · #20 12/06/11, 10:45 AM

I live 5 miles away from the sale barn in Boaz.

It was the Monterey and the other guy from the other board, both said they would send me pictures this weekend and didn't.

Going on what you said, she may not think I am serious, I gave her a call. I had previously just gone through e-mail (I am not a phone person, and I forget things, so like to go back an read it.) So I just left a message on her phone.

Thanks

Now, I have to go out for a little bit, so she will probably call then.