I want this cow!

Frosted Mini's · #1 12/11/14, 04:48 PM

What do you guys think?

I probably won't be able to get her, but she sure looks nice!

I have never had cows before other than bottle calves, but I have a herd of dairy goats.

http://boise.craigslist.org/grd/4777260118.html

postroad · #2 12/11/14, 04:50 PM

Looks pretty.

Jennifer L. · #3 12/11/14, 05:50 PM

I agree, she's nice. $2000 seems kind of high for an 8 year old, though,a cow that wasn't bred back too quick and is short bred now( and is she confirmed bred?). I'd worry about the reason why the late breed back. But she is nice looking.

Frosted Mini's · #4 12/11/14, 07:01 PM

If I were to actually get her, i'd definitely check if she is confirmed pregnant and what her history is.

postroad · #5 12/11/14, 07:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frosted Mini's

If I were to actually get her, i'd definitely check if she is confirmed pregnant and what her history is.

My neighbor had a Jersey which would simply refuse to eat unless the greenest third cut alfalfa was presented. Is this common in the Jersey breed.

MO_cows · #6 12/11/14, 08:01 PM

She is a nice looking cow. However something is wrong in the ad. She can't have freshened in January and have another calf in August, that's only 7 months interval.

postroad · #7 12/11/14, 08:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MO_cows

She is a nice looking cow. However something is wrong in the ad. She can't have freshened in January and have another calf in August, that's only 7 months interval.

Doesn't say which year.

MO_cows · #8 12/11/14, 08:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by postroad

Doesn't say which year.

And it should. So probably she freshened in Jan. 2014, bred to calve Aug 2015??

postroad · #9 12/11/14, 08:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MO_cows

And it should. So probably she freshened in Jan. 2014, bred to calve Aug 2015??

I cant see it any other way. Next January is still a few weeks away. Is this a trick question? I want this cow! - Cattle

postroad · #10 12/11/14, 09:00 PM

Shoot I gotta go to bed!

Frosted Mini's · #11 12/11/14, 09:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MO_cows

She is a nice looking cow. However something is wrong in the ad. She can't have freshened in January and have another calf in August, that's only 7 months interval.

Hehe, well, it says she is DUE in August (so I would assume just got bred and due AUG 2015), and since it is not yet January...I would guess Jan 2014. But I haven't talked to the owners of the cow.

DaleK · #12 12/12/14, 05:55 AM

If she was only bred last month I doubt they've ultra sounded or blood tested her so she wouldn't be confirmed pregnant

1shotwade · #13 12/12/14, 07:17 AM

8 gal per day is a lot of milk from a jersey! Or at least it used to be. Those are holstein figures.Our jersey produced 5 gal per day tops.Of course all this is from "back when".She seems to have a well developed udder and I read it as saying "calf in Aug". She is carrying a lot of weight on her flanks but her hips are thin. Looks like she is due in Jan.
I would talk to the owner but is suspect she is not a good calfer. I don't know about $2000 but I'd say she has a few good years yet.

Wade

Frosted Mini's · #14 12/12/14, 02:10 PM

The next cheapest cow I've seen around here was a 9 year old open cow that wouldn't breed, also a jersey, that milks 5 gallons and she was $1500. Cattle prices are thru the roof right now. Guess it's not really the time to buy.

Bottle holstein calves are $400 minimum right now...insane!

I have a few cow questions:

How often does a cow need her hooves trimmed and is that something that typically requires a professional, or will a cow "give" you her hoof for that purpose?

How much does a cow eat (I know this is a loaded question) at different stages of growth/pregnancy/lactation? I feed my goats pasture in summer/alfalfa hay winter, alfalfa pellets year round. The pellets I feed because there is no waste, unlike hay...I use the hay or pasture as roughage and would use a grass hay, but where I live grass is just as expensive if not more expensive than alfalfa. Do cows do well with pellets, too? How much grain is a typical amount for a jersey cow per milking or day, assuming a nice quality alfalfa is being fed? How much during lactation, and does she get grain while dry? With the goats I stop the grain at dry off and start again slowly at a month out from kidding, so they have usually about a month of no grain, then back to it.

farmmaid · #15 12/14/14, 05:09 PM

Remember: An ad that says a cow is bred means ONLY that she was with a bull, NOT that she is carrying a calf. Many people do not know the difference.

Frosted Mini's · #16 12/15/14, 12:27 AM

The ad says she was AI bred. Which would mean they put the guernsey semen in her, not the bull. But I get what you are saying.

If I were to buy her, if she hadn't been confirmed pregnant, I would pay to have her tested.

Frosted Mini's · #17 12/17/14, 11:49 PM

More info from the owners of the cow.

They don't breed the cows every year, to prolong the cow's life, if they can maintain good production without freshening every year, and they don't need/want the calves.

They are selling her because they have some young heifers of their own breeding freshening.

She has had some trouble with milk fever at/around freshening. This is the only downside I have found from my emails to the owner. She said it is a common problem with jerseys and especially older cows. They now give CMPK oral to all their older cows at calving time.

She has not had any calving problems and takes AI very easily.

Awnry Abe · #18 12/18/14, 10:30 PM

DW had that ad up on her computer yesterday because we are always shopping. I asked "Where the heck is Parma?" She cued me in that she was reading your post.

I'd pass for $2000. The price/age had me on the "probably-would-pass" side of the fence, but she was mighty tempting. The admission of high-maint pushed me way over. She is probably down the line that has genetically pushed too much the envelope of high production. I didn't think the ad was a typo. Not everyone freshens every year for the reason you mentioned. I was kindly advised by a dairyman to do either that or go with short lactations to manage milk fever if I didn't have a good history on a cow. (He stated this knowing that I have not yet developed the management skills to keep a fragile animal alive).

If she were 5 or younger, I would consider her at that price even with the milk fever risk. Nice looking frame and the one teat looks like it is good for both hand and machine milking. She carries her bag back a bit, but that may be just because she is standing uphill. But it has very good ground clearance. I prefer the back two teats to not be wedged right at the legs. Cows don't do that spread-n-squat thing like goats. Can't tell by the photo where they are. The place looked nice, and she was clean. That's what I got out of a quick glance.

LittleRedHen · #19 12/19/14, 08:18 AM

If i was me, I'd offer $1000 but definitely not $2000 for that age and being short bred...

LittleRedHen · #20 12/19/14, 08:20 AM

BTW yes the lingo means she freshened this yearin Jan and shes due next year in August. I let my Jersey girl go awhile before re-breeding her. It will be from Jun 2013 for one calving and shes not due til late Feb 2015 for second. Nothing wrong with her at all she just did really well with milking and I wanted to "reset" what month she would calve for me. For me I wanted winter off of milking. Maybe those people are staggering their calving