I offered to sell Dorsey

[Haggis]

One of our milk customers mentioned wanting a milk cow so I offered him Dorsey, my oldest Jersey.

She just had her 7th calf.
She gives around 5 gallons a day at her peak, and a touch under 4 gallons average per day during her lactation.
She has had milk fever 4 times in 7 calves, but never severe.
She kicks if one is too rough with her udder, but can be milked by hand or machine.
She has 1 blind quarter.
She is dehorned.
She ought to be worth the $750 I paid for her.

The fellow wanted to know if she was for sale today. I told him check back in the fall; October or Novermber maybe, but by the end of February for sure. By then she should be due to calve on or about April 1.

I have five head of milk stock to breed the last of June or first of July, that will give me too many to milk once they freshen, unless I take on new milk customers; which I ain't gonna do.

Most likely I will selling Lucy the Jersey too. Lucy is a year younger than Dorsey. She is fiddle fit and gives about a gallon per day more than Dorsey.

The fellow said he really wants a milk cow, and I told him to chain himself to the barn for a few months before he decides if he is serious.

However it works out, the girls have a good home until late fall or early spring.

My Jersey heifer Tulip, will do to breed in December for a calf in September of 2006. If I can come up with another winter bred cow I will have my little herd freshening spring and fall for a constant supply of milk.

[willow_girl]

Haggis, you sound like a man with a plan!

BTW, how's the premie calf doing? Did he make it?

[Haggis]

The little fellow was on his feet under his own steam night before last, and by yesterday he was trying to run. Daughter is continuing with his 6 times a day feedings. I mentioned bringing him home Friday and she says not before Sunday. I can lay my hand on his head and completely cover it.

The vet was over yesterday and pulled the afterbirth from the heifer, and she is doing okay. It had been three days without her losing it. He gave her some antibiotics as well. It costs me $100 every time he shows up just for his travel expenses, but if one has livestock they have to be cared for as well as possible. The calf should make a great handy steer in a few months. I was really pleased with how easy she was to handle for a heifer that had never been "handled." I'm also pleased with her udder and fine long teats. She will let me touch her udder in the field but won't stand for milking. We just tied her to a tree in the paddock for the vet to do his work. The vet was saying the a lot of dairy cows are unapproachable anywhere other than in a stanchion.

Pretty cool, a milk cow in the making and an oxen to be. Great farmstead contributors tous les deux.

[willow_girl]

Cool! I'm glad to hear everything is going good!

Keep an eye on that heifer that didn't clean right. If she gets infected, you will be able to smell it. It's a very distinctive smell -- once you've caught a whiff of it, you'll recognize it anywhere (ewwww!).

Not being milked or feeding a calf may have contributed somewhat to the problem, as the flow of oxytocin stimulated by nursing also causes uterine contractions. You can give oxytocin shots to encourage the expulsion of the placenta, but they're only effective in about the first 24 hours, I think.

In any case, a retained placenta is not at all uncommon and cows usually recover just fine.

[JeffNY]

"Culling" her to someone who will still use here, and hopefully has a good home is a good idea. More cows to milk also means more grain, more cost, etc.



Jeff

[Haggis]

Herself first said that Dorsey had a ome for life, but teh reality of economics does kick in after a spell. If we can't find a good home for her, we'll keep her and just let her dry off and enjoy her twilight years in peace; Lord knows she's earned it.