Cow question

Pasohorsegal · #1 03/09/12, 07:02 AM

Is a 6 year Jersey with a three week old bull calf a good investment ? Is she too old? she is gentle hand milkable leads has all shots and milk has been tested as clean. she is 1200.00 with calf. What do you think? How long will she be able to have calves ?

ksfarmer · #2 03/09/12, 08:11 AM

I'm not a dairyman but a 6 yr old cow is just a youngster. A beef cow can easily give you calves for 15 yrs or so if she receives proper care.

genebo · #3 03/09/12, 08:46 AM

Windridge Bantrybeth is a 16 year old Dexter cow. She has had 11 offspring registered and two that weren't. One about every 11 months. Her latest bull calf will leave here tomorrow to go to his new home. Beth is already a couple of months pregnant with her 13th. She looks great carrying it.

I hope you enjoy your new Jersey cow for a great many years to come.

spot · #4 03/09/12, 08:50 AM

I would say if she is still in good condition physically it is a very good buy . The calf should be trouble free at this point and the cow is also done with fresh cow problems. With the cull cow market so high she will sell for at least 70 cents or more and if weighs more than 1200 lb she is worth 840 for kill . The calf is worth to you close to a hundred but would go for around 40 in the barns around here . You can get a lot of milk from her before she dries up . All you need to do is get her bred in 30 days and then you can have another lactation . She is a good buy and safe for no vet bills

InvalidID · #5 03/09/12, 09:35 AM

I don't know if the price is good for your area, but the cow should have quite a few years left in it. The Jersey bull calf around here wouldn't be worth selling, but will make for a good freezer beef.

Pasohorsegal · #6 03/09/12, 09:40 AM

She is healthy, Calf is half dexter,Dont know how Id get her rebred , but have to devise a plan of some kind! I havent bought her yet as someone has first debs With my luck I wont have the chance. I have been looking for a year now and havent been able to find one that I could afford...PHEW!

linn · #7 03/09/12, 09:41 AM

With the price of cows so high, this sounds reasonable. I am assuming that all four of her quarters are milking well. You might ask to have her tested for Bangs and TB, even though those diseases are no longer common. Better to be safe than sorry.

Pasohorsegal · #8 03/09/12, 10:27 AM

She was tested and is negitive

pancho · #9 03/09/12, 10:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spot

I would say if she is still in good condition physically it is a very good buy . The calf should be trouble free at this point and the cow is also done with fresh cow problems. With the cull cow market so high she will sell for at least 70 cents or more and if weighs more than 1200 lb she is worth 840 for kill . The calf is worth to you close to a hundred but would go for around 40 in the barns around here . You can get a lot of milk from her before she dries up . All you need to do is get her bred in 30 days and then you can have another lactation . She is a good buy and safe for no vet bills

That would be one big jersey.

allenslabs · #10 03/09/12, 11:43 AM

WHen will you know if the dibs people are gonna get her or when are they to look at her I guess? Hope it works out cause I know you've been scouring for a while! Best of luck!

Tad · #11 03/09/12, 12:29 PM

Around here the price may be a little high but if that is a good price for your area she could remain healthy and productive for a long time. I say could because haveing livestock as a gamble, we have a cow going on 18 and we have cows blow a quarter and die at 3 or 4 so you never really know.

Pasohorsegal · #12 03/09/12, 06:30 PM

Im learning more all the time ,thanks Guys & Gals . I dident get the cow the person that had first dibs bought her so Im back to looking .......PHEW!

DJ in WA · #13 03/09/12, 10:17 PM

It all depends. Where's she coming from? Why were they selling her? Of course, they won't tell you of problems.

A cow can have problems that aren't obvious. Problems rebreeding, or problems with milk fever after calving, that gets worse with age. Or chronic mastitis, as with staph, that won't get better with treatment - just lower production.

In alot of serious dairies, cows only last a couple of years of milking, so a 6 year old cow is done. Culled for many reasons.

I bought a 5 year old Jersey from a dairy which I discovered upon freshening had chronic mastitis they then admitted they had treated, but not cured.

I've seen various train wrecks here in older Jerseys. I prefer getting a heifer, which is more likely to not have problems yet. And has more years of production ahead of her.

I like to divide the purchase price by the years of production. If you can get a heifer for $1200 and get 6 years of production, or pay $1200 for a older cow that gives 3 years of production, which is the better deal?

Few things get better with age - higher risk of milk fever and mastitis, etc.

mozarkian · #14 03/11/12, 01:02 PM

Not totally out of the ballpark here, if she is all they say she is. Can they rebreed her before you fetch her?