Dairy Cow?

[Mr&MrsGWC2]

Hi!
We are considering purchasing a diary cow/heifer. This is totally new territory for us. I raised 'show cattle' as a teen, but dairy is a new world for me! We plan on drinking raw milk. What should we look for in a good dairy cow/heifier? What type of testing does she need to have done? Does the milk need to be tested for anything for it to be safe to drink? (I assume it's much like a goat. You milk into a cup, make sure it looks good, and go on. Filter milk and get it COLD! Make sure clean teets and healthy animal etc) We have littles in the house, some very young, who will be drinking the milk and want it as safe as possible!

Thanks you so much in advanced for you knowledge and help!

[BlackWillowFarm]

I started out with a trained dairy cow from a local dairy. It worked out well for me. You want to be sure the cow/heifer you buy comes from a TB and Brucellosis free herd or better yet, that you are in a state that is free of those diseases. If not, have her tested before you buy her. If you buy a cow in milk, it would be wise to have her milk tested for pathogens such as StaphA, and other difficult to cure infections. Also check her Somatic Cell count (SCC) to get an idea of udder health. A dairy should be able to provide you with health records of your cow.

You will need a way to get her pregnant either by AI or bull bred. You'll need access to a good dairy vet, AI tech or dairy farmer who can help you with breeding.

This is a good forum to visit if you haven't been there already:

http://familycow.proboards.com/index.cgi

Lots of knowledgeable family cow people willing to help.

There are many, many other things to consider, but getting a healthy milk cow should be your first priority.

[Rosepath]

Be sure to have her tested for Johnne's disease, you definitely don't want a cow with that.

[haypoint]

Originally Posted by Rosepath

Be sure to have her tested for Johnne's disease, you definitely don't want a cow with that.

…or Campylobactor

[cathleenc]

I would try to get a cow who has never had mastitis. I'd want to personally drink her milk, to taste it, before buying. Make sure she is not a kicker and will put up with lots more handling than she'd have in a dairy.

I, too, got our cow from a commercial dairy and it worked out great for us. GL!

[francismilker]

Before I'd buy a family dairy cow I'd insist that I get to handmilk her. You would be far ahead to know what you're getting than to get one home that turns into a rodeo in your barn.

Teat size and length would be my next suggestion to look at after temperment. Many a homesteader with good intentios have given up after it takes 45 minutes 2X a day to get their bucket full while milking small teats with two fingers. Make sure she has some handles to get ahold of. This won't be an easy find. The commercial dairy industry has bred the handmilker out of them.

Or, I'd suggest buying a bred heifer that's haltar broke and easy to handle. That way, you'd be able to put your hands on her during pregnancy, get her used to eating in your stancion, and be familiar with her surroundings before going through the first time milking process. The only problem with this is that you won't have a good view of what her teat size is going to be as a bred heifer.

I'd avoid at all costs buying a family milker from a dairy sale. There's usually a reason they're there.

I've milked cows for many years and have run the gammett of good and bad cows. If you end up with one that's a problem, don't lose heart and call it quits. Sell her and buy another one. When you find one that works for you, keep her heifer for a replacment and gentle her from day one.

[willow_girl]

We have littles in the house, some very young, who will be drinking the milk and want it as safe as possible!

In that case, you really should pasteurize it.

Only takes about 20 minutes. I bought a used pasteurizer on eBay for less than $50.

Better safe than sorry!

[Judy in IN]

I always had mine tested for TB. Your vet will know the tests you need for your area.