looking for my first dairy cow in alabama

[crookedoak]

I am trying to decide between jersey and Guernsey. I can find jerseys all day long, but can't find any Guernsey. Does anybody know where I can find some? And what are the pros and cons of each breed?
thanks
Erin

[Judy in IN]

I always had Jerseys. This is my first batch of Guernseys, and I'm not milking them yet.

Jersey's give a lot of milk and cream for their size. That's why they suffer so much from milk fever and Ketosis. I love Jerseys, but they are a hot house flower at calving. It seems like the Jersey breeders are trying to create a brown Holstein these past few years. More milk, less solids. Jerseys were always a butter cow. They have a nice clean cream line. Also, I notice not as much attention paid to disposition lately. I still have a soft spot for them.

Guernseys are hard to find. I've got 5 heifers right now. I intend to keep 2-3, depending on what law comes out of the legislature. I was lucky enough, and determined enough to find a dairy going out of business. Those cows and heifers FLEW out of that place! They still have a lot of Jersey heifers. Like you said, Jerseys are all over the place, but Guernseys are hard to come by.

Guernseys have about the highest % of the national herd testing positive for A2A2 milk, which was why I wanted them. Read "The Devil in the Milk" sometime. They give more milk than the Jerseys, and it's more for table milk. What I'm saying is the cream line isn't as solid. You might want to invest in a cream separator. Guernsey milk is better for cheese, because of the solids.
They seem to be calmer than Jerseys.

That's my take on it.

[Hawkshaw]

I have a 1/2 guernsey, 1/4 holstein and 1/4 jersey heifer that I picked up local. She has not been bred yet. I found her on craigslist. I got her to use as a nurse cow. I will be breeding her to a beef bull and that is the main reason I did not go with a jersey.

[Hawkshaw]

Originally Posted by Hawkshaw

I have a 1/2 guernsey, 1/4 holstein and 1/4 jersey heifer that I picked up local. She has not been bred yet. I found her on craigslist. I got her to use as a nurse cow. I will be breeding her to a beef bull and that is the main reason I did not go with a jersey.

I am sorry that my response was too short and did not address your questions. If you are patient there are guernseys that show up on craigslist from time to time. I was not able to find a full blooded one but she should work for my purpose.

I picked her for her size, as I stated I will be breeding to a beef bull of the large frame type a Charbray. He is 3/4 Brahman and 1/4 Charolais. A Jersey Cow would probably have calving problems. If you are going to go Jersey then you will have to stick with smaller bulls. You probably already know this and I am not trying to insult your intelligence.

Guernseys might be hard to come by but will be worth the wait. Good luck on your search.

[Karen in Alabam]

We had to drive to TN to get Sissy. She came from a dealer, who said she came from a TX dairy. She is a Jersey Guernsey mix.

We have had her just over a year. She gave us a beautiful heifer a month after we got her. She has a great personality and very expressive. You can see a picture of her under the thread milk problems. Other than the problem that I am having now, which could be because she is ending her lactation cycle--I have had zero problems. I am glad I found her.