Buying a first calf in the winter.

[Harmony_Meadows]

Sorry if this seems as dumb a question as it sounds, but we have the chance to buy a 6 week old Jersey heifer at a very reasonable price for the area. But I am new to cows and only have horse experience. Should we pass and wait until spring?
If we do get her, we live in Ontario and the temps go down into the minus 20-minus 30 range at times but it is variable. We can get freezing rain one day and bitter cold the next. Typically from now until March. Can the calf be on turn out, say with my minis and in the barn at night? Should she be out all the time with a shelter? Should she be stalled all winter? What is the best for her?
Any suggestions would be very much appreciated.

Thank you!!

[myheaven]

I get most my cattle late fall early winter. Make sure they can stay out of snow wind and cold rain. You can get a calf coat to give her a better advantage. Make sure she has plenty of calories to keep her warm.

[kycrawler]

a jersey heifer at that age in your climate you better plan to keep her in a draft free barn stall all winter

[nosqrls]

Keep her on milk for a while too. I would look for highlands they handle the extreme cold a lot better than anything else.

[opportunity]

You have to remember that a lot of people have them born in the winter. We make sure they have lots of hay to eat and straw to bed in and some kind of shelter (usually under the trees) When I buy bottle calves in the winter we keep them in at night untill about 8 weeks old then they only get to come in the barn if it is really really cold out (last year they got one extra night after they got turned out. I kept all the babies on milk untill 12 weeks at a minimum

[Harmony_Meadows]

Thank you all for your opinions. Since we really are not set up for a calf yet, we are going to pass and wait until spring. The guy has more born then and not for too much more so I think that is our better option for now. I will continue to read and learn and ask silly questions and once we are ready, I will be sure to post a picture of our pretty new girl.
I would like highlands, but they will need to be pastured with our horses and horses and horns do not typically end well.

Thanks so much!

[sammyd]

I wouldn't. br afraid of getting a calf in the winter. All you need is a dry draft free. place to keep it.
If you time it right it should be old enough to take advantage of your patures when the spring comes and its rumen is developed. enough to use the grass efficiently .