2 thoughts to ponder. . . . need some input!

allenslabs · #1 03/06/05, 07:43 PM

Ok I need some bigger brains for these 2 thoughts~
1. I have found a 6 yr old Jers cow that is in milk for $400 that is unbred. She's not bred because she's not been in with a bull. She is purebred and the bad thing is that her back 2 teats are in the "elbow" of her udder. I've not seen her but she said that she is REAL hard to milk on the back 2 because of the way they are placed and they are rather short. She had been used as a nurse cow. I really would like to at least go look at her but bad thing #2 is she is 6 hours away. And bad thing #3 is that ny hubby said he didn't mind what I did but only 1 milk cow. If I get her then I have to sell my Sarah!! I planned on getting her AIed in a couple of months or so and so wouldn't be with milk for another year. I do love my Sarah but I pd $600 for her and could sell her for that but I really like her. Then again. . . . no milk for a yr. I would love input!

2. My hubby has started about once a month taking hay to FL to sell and wants to now get a bigger trailer and maybe a motor home to pull it with and start traveling some. Have any of you ever traveled with your cows? I know it sounds crazy but I said I couldn't leave her that often if she was in milk and he said he could make a special compartment in there for her to travel with us (or whatever milker I have). We stop every so often and would stay at camping places and would find one that had maybe a stall or an area that I could set her out a little corral. That way I wouldnt have to have anyone feed AND milk her. The others are pretty low maint but she would need to be milked. Maybe I could take a goat to keep her company or soemthin. Anyway I would love input on this TOO!!! THanks a lot you guys!!!

lilsassafrass · #2 03/06/05, 08:15 PM

Hard to milk is hard to milk .....
nothing fun about handmilking teeny tiny oddly placed teats.... been there done that , as i am sure many here have had the joy of doing as well .
and because they are hard to milk you will be less likely to get them stripped out well , so you could have greater difficulty with mastitis
And if she has oddly placed small teats her ofspring have a good chance of having them as well .....
on point 2 , well certainly possible to travel with your cows .. we do every summer when we are on the fair / show circuit, and i have even hauled our milk cow along on teh fair circuit when I couldnt get someone to come in and milk for me .. keep in mind it will be very hard on her production ...

Paula
Hyde Park Farm

allenslabs · #3 03/06/05, 08:23 PM

Yeah I see your point on the milking thing. And I'm glad to know that traveling with my cow is a possibility!!

shorty'smom · #4 03/06/05, 09:09 PM

I want a milk cow. This is an interesting thought about taking your cow along. I'm trying to get to my family reunion in May and wondering what I'm going to do with the 5 goats I milk every day. I'm not very sure the state park will like goats visiting though. Now, talk about milking some small teats! It's more difficult than it sounds.

Why would you want to give up a cow you like, who milks nicely to get something else?

Slev · #5 03/06/05, 10:00 PM

I'm a teat man myself, (always wanted to say that in a public forum) Hold out for what you have to come in. Or, get the perfect teated cow, but don't settle for something less. Remember how many men you dated before Mr. Right came along? You know, I don't want to turn on my own kind, but.... the next time you fix a big dinner you could always give him options of what he can have. "You can have either the steak or the corn, but you can't have both..... (just a thought)

As far as traveling with your cow, it sounds like a moo-ving experiance to me, but you might try contacting someone from the horse wrold, I know they always travel with their horses, and frequently stay at B&B's that cater to their critters needs. I think they also put out a list of places that accept horses/livestock. If anyone says anything, you might bring along a saddle just in case.

shorty'smom · #6 03/06/05, 10:14 PM

LOL...I got this terriffic visual of that cow and a saddle.

DH and I thought that maybe we could train our girls to be pack goats too, and then they could go along with us on an outdoorsy vacation.

Lots of state parks and national parks have horseback trails and a campground just for the people with horses.