[Haggis]

The Wisconsin fellow who sold me the two Jersey Cows back in June has called with news that he has a 3 week old Jersey heifer calf for sale; $300.

As my Jersey cows are 7 and 8 years old, and one never knows when or if the next calf born will be a heifer, I think I'll jump on this deal. He has a closed herd and uses AI from New Zealand bulls.

He said he will have 2 or 3 more calves later in the winter but will they be bulls or heifers? I do dred another long trip down to Wisconsin, but a Jersey heifer is a rare commodity in these parts.

The good news the calf is from a cow with long tits!!! Lord knows I wouldn't take anything for the cow I'm milking now but God love her big heart, she has tits the size of Bing cherries.

Anyway, just a bit of Wolf Cairn Moor cattle news.

I'm still trying to get a vet to come out to see what happened to my old Milking Devon's calf.

 

[MullersLaneFarm]

Haggis,
A 3 week old Jersey heifer is worth her weight in gold!! Hearty Congratulations!!!

We were at a friend's homestead last weekend. She has a Milking Devon and a Jersey cow. Boy O Boy were the Jersey's teats ever so tiny!! I've always thought out Dolly's were small, but these were itty-bitty!

 

[uncle Will in In.]

Hi Haggis;
Are you hand milking your tiny titter? I always hated to milk that kind. Those were always candidates for nursing calves. I have great big hands and using the thumb and index finger to milk never went over well with me. Years ago I thought everybody on a farm should have cows to milk. I bought 6 jersey crosses from an old couple who had raised them, and were retiring. One black cow had rather short tits, and one rear tit had a tiny tit protruding out the side of it near the bag. When I squeezed the tit, milk came out both places. The milk squirting out the little tit on the side would come out between my fingers. I got them in Dec, and I was milking in an old barn with the temp sometimes below zero. My left hand got chaffed so bad that I bought a pair of leather mittins to wear when I milked her. I didn't take long to dry her up. After that, she was the official calf raiser.

 

[OD]

Congratulations!!! Go get her quick, before somebody else beats you to her. It's almost impossible to get a Jersey heifer from a dairy around here. I gave $200 for mine at 3 days old, 9 years ago. I went back the next year to try to get another one & was told that there wouldn't be anymore heifers calves for sale there--ever.

 

[ajabj]

I was reading some back posts about jersey cows mostly bulls. Some was in regards to the pricing of the bulls wow the price of them there is worth the travel to Michigan or elsewhere than it is to purchase a calf here period. A day old calf here if you are lucky you can get it for $65 and that is if you know someone to help you get the bull calf for that price. Any older and you are looking at $200.

Back to my subject.. some were saying that a jersey bull was mean. I don't want to have to deal with a mean cow. We have been caring for a Jersey cow who had a calf last year and she is a mean heifer. I thought it was just her temperment because of her being the older cow and pushing the younger ones around but now we can't do anything with her.

I don't want to get my family involved in a situation where we are dealing wtih a heavy animal that is also going to be more of a dangerous risk. My grandfather always had a jersey he milked and spoke about how they were such friendly tame animals. He even let us kids try and learn to milk on her and he would tell her not to hurt us and she would mind him better than any child does.

Any of you raising jersey bulls?

I would prefer not to have a breed that has horns, and one that has a good temperment any experience in something of that clabar.

 

[willow_girl]

Uncle Will, I have heard that referred to as a "web teat."

Why on Earth would a dairy sell a healthy heifer calf?! Haggis, I hope this is someone you know and trust not to stick you with a freemartin or a sickly calf. Sorry to be so suspicious and if this is a friend of yours, I mean no insult, but it kind of makes me wonder! Don't want to see ya shafted!

 

[Haggis]

I am milking the short titted cow by hand. I too have hands the size of hams and have to use just my thumb and forefinger for the job. In January when my next Jersey freshens I can see me putting the new calf on the cow I'm now milking. She was giving 5 gallons a day but now we're down to 3 and a little; and I'm pleased.

My other Jersey has nice long tits on the front quarters and middlin' sized back tits. She is much easier to milk; easier on my hands anyway.

After I posted the news of the heifer my daughter and son called to tell me they want her. They both have young families and could share the milk the calf will one day produce.

Some part of that equation avoids me: they buy the calf - I raise it, they buy the feed - I feed it, once it freshens I milk the cow - they get the milk.

Oh well, I like fooling around with the critters anyway, and I really like putting food on my kid's tables. Plus, it tickles me that these two children living in town can see the enormous value of a house cow.

 

[Haggis]

This guy milks 12 Jerseys, all by hand. He tries to keep the number at 12 or he won't have time for all of his chores. You know the math better than I do on how many heifers one has to keep to have a steady supply of milk cows coming on. The way it works out is that he has about 3 or 4 heifers each year to sell.

He does keep his cows for a while. The 2 Jerseys I bought from him earlier this year were the ages mentioned above and he raised them. He doesn't have a large turn over in cows, but he does sell a few as new heifers freshen.

I know that some dairy farmers today sell their cows after the first lactation and then they are forced to keep every heifer born for replacements.

The good Lord knows I got stung in the big dollars for my Milking Devons so I really appreciate the concern out there.

 

[pygmywombat]

Any bull is a danger. Dairy breed bulls tend to be worse and Jersey bulls are supposed to be the most aggressive.

Heifers of any bred are kinda high strung, cows of any breed have varying personalities. Jerseys are small and from what I have heard, very sweet. I have a Guernsey and she is a big pet.

Claire

 

[ajabj]

Any bull is a danger. Dairy breed bulls tend to be worse and Jersey bulls are supposed to be the most aggressive.

Heifers of any bred are kinda high strung, cows of any breed have varying personalities. Jerseys are small and from what I have heard, very sweet. I have a Guernsey and she is a big pet.

Claire

I know any bull is a dnager but when reading some posts about a Jersey being mean I thought of a small framed rodeo bull. One that snorts and scratches his foot ready to buck, kick, and plow down anything in front of him.

That was part of the reason we traded off the Jersey cow she was just as sweet as she could be when she got pregnant, and when in labor she let me pet her bring her water and rub all over her she was like that for the longest time even after she had the calf, (her first). She had twins but one of them was a stillborn. After her calf got about 6 months old she became aggressive towards her, and towards everyone. In the last couple of months she has gotten even worse. We tried spending more time with her petting her giving her treats like range cubes, and alfapha cubes for when she is good. Now you can't hardly get the feed to the feeder before she is trying to knock you down and anything in front of her.

 

[MullersLaneFarm]

ajabj,
We don't keep a Jersey bull around here (with just 2 cows, it isn't worth the feed). I have heard ANY dairy bull is generally meaner than a beef bull.

Both our Jerseys are Love Junkies! The older cow (6 year old) was never handled her first 4 years except for hand milking. The 7 month old yearling was never handled at all before coming to us. The cow, Dolly, has horns, the heifer, Daisey, had her horns removed. Dolly has never threatened us with her horns. She knows exactly where the very tips of her horns are.

We handle our cows multiple times every day.

 

[Jim in MO]

Ok, I'm either doing something very very right or else I found a really really uninformed dairyman.

I bought my Jersy/Holstein heifer cross for 150.00 last April, and just bought a trio (Jersey cow 2nd lactation our Miss Mollie who is about the best cow I've ever owned) dairy shorthorn heifer and bull calves from different mothers for $850.00 a around late May.

Everyone is healthy and sound and growing like weeds, Millie is still giving 4 gallons a day and that's with a slow quarter. She's gentle dosen't need a stanchion and is patient as Job.

Is this area that much cheaper for dairy cows? I thought I was paying top dollar but it seems like I really got a bargain.

 

[MullersLaneFarm]

We gave $450 for a 4 yo Jersey cow two years ago. Took it out in trade actually. This summer we paid $350 for a 6 month old Jersey heifer (also a trade deal). Worked into sale/trade of a registered QH gelding, cash $ and a couple week old Angus X bull calves (about $50 each).

Friends about 45 minutes east of us just paid $600 for a registered pregnant Jersey cow (without papers). She's looking at another Jersey cow for about the same price.

 

[DaleK]

Too bad you dont know a back way through the border, Jersey calves on the north side are practically giveaways. Bull calves at a sale bring less than the trucking and commission so they're getting shot instead, grade heifer calves $50 or less.

 

[Mel-]

dale,

what's the reason for them going so cheap (and being shot !).

mel-

 

[Haggis]

I phoned my farmer friend this morning and told him I'd come and pick up the little calf on the 31st. He said that he had told me it was 3 weeks old but it will be 4 weeks old tomorrow, and that he was currently giving it a gallon of fresh milk per day. My Dorsey is only giving 3 gallons fo milk a day just now and we're using or selling every drop.

Anyone out there know of a good milk substitute? How long would you gentlefolk give it milk substitute? We always weaned a calf at 2 months, but the fellow down in Wisconsin says he'd go a bit longer.

She'll make a good cow, if she lives, and I'd like to get her started the right way.

Thank you folks in advance.

 

[Jim in MO]

Haggis, I have had excellent results with nutrena dairyway milk replacer;

Here is the speil from their site;
The path to high milk production requires proper nutrition right from the start. For the young calf this means high quality colostrum for the first 3 days of life followed by Nutrena DairyWay Milk Replacer and Nutrena DairyWay Calf Starter. A high quality milk replacer must provide the calf with the nutrients it needs to grow and remain healthy. Amino acids, carbohydrates, and fat are needed in the correct proportion to assure proper tissue growth. Minerals and vitamins are needed to keep the bones strong and keep the calf healthy. All of these things must be provided in a form that the young calf can utilize. With Nutrena DairyWay Milk Replacer you can rest assured that the nutrition needed by the calf to grow and thrive is in the bag.

Feeding Directions

Newborn calves must receive colostrum as soon after birth as possible (<1 hour). Feed two quarts (1.9 liters) of colostrum immediately after birth, followed by an additional two quarts (1.9 liters) within 12 hours. Colostrum is required for disease-fighting antibodies that will help protect the health of the calf early in life. Never assume the calf has suckled.

Start calves on Nutrena DairyWay Milk Replacer when colostrum feeding is complete.

For best mixing of Nutrena DairyWay Milk Replacer, add powder to water at 110 degrees F (43 degrees C) and stir with a wire whip. Best feeding temperature is100 degrees F (38 degrees C).

Provide fresh clean water continuously beginning at day four.

Begin feeding Nutrena DairyWay Calf Starter by day four, in addition to Nutrena DairyWay Milk Replacer.

Wean calves once they consume 2 pounds (0.9 KG) of Nutrena DairyWay Starter per day for at least 3 consecutive days.

Keep all feeding utensils, equipment, and calf pens clean.

The key to a successful calf-rearing program is a healthy calf in a stress-free environment.

Just make sure you get a good quality milk replacer and not that soy junk.

 

[chrisnev]

I was reading some back posts about jersey cows mostly bulls. Some was in regards to the pricing of the bulls wow the price of them there is worth the travel to Michigan or elsewhere than it is to purchase a calf here period. A day old calf here if you are lucky you can get it for $65 and that is if you know someone to help you get the bull calf for that price. Any older and you are looking at $200.

Back to my subject.. some were saying that a jersey bull was mean. I don't want to have to deal with a mean cow. We have been caring for a Jersey cow who had a calf last year and she is a mean heifer. I thought it was just her temperment because of her being the older cow and pushing the younger ones around but now we can't do anything with her.

I don't want to get my family involved in a situation where we are dealing wtih a heavy animal that is also going to be more of a dangerous risk. My grandfather always had a jersey he milked and spoke about how they were such friendly tame animals. He even let us kids try and learn to milk on her and he would tell her not to hurt us and she would mind him better than any child does.

Any of you raising jersey bulls?

I would prefer not to have a breed that has horns, and one that has a good temperment any experience in something of that clabar.

I have 3 Jersey bulls I am raising. I also have 2 Guernseys approx. 8 wks.old They are eating grain and hay and drinking milk. They are hand held and touched on a daily basis by my two children and my husband who is there caretakers. So far they are sweet,a little playful (they hop)

 

[Haggis]

The little six week old Jersey heifer came home with me last evening. She is a beauty. She is a nice yellow/fawn with white speckles on both hips.

I feed her in a bucket using the "let 'em suck a finger and pull their head down to the milk" method. After a bit of a struggle she started getting the hang of it. Maybe after a feeding or two she will be able to manage on her own.

The farmer in Wisconsin said he never feed his calves any pellets; just milk and very good hay. I'm going today to get her some pellets and start to wean her off of the milk. We don't have the extra milk just now anyway, and I had rather feed her pellets than worry sick over cleaning her bottles or bucket; I do tend to obsess.

An interesting side note.
While I was talking to the farmer, he mentioned that one of his neighbors told him that some guy on the internet had mentioned a Wisconsin daity famer who hand milked 12 Jersey cows.

The farmer told me that making a fair trade will come home in one way or another. Here I am telling the story about some farmer in Wisconsin, and his neighbor figured out who it was, and told him that I had nothing but good things to say about him. He truly is an honost man just trying to make a living in a world of not so honest people trying to get rich.

Anyway, the calf is healthy and omw with me. Now if I can just keep it that way.

 

[Haggis]

The little calf is doing well. I wimped out and gave it a bottle and Jersey milk rather than the store bought stuff. "Wasting" milk on a calf was not met with smiles by my consumers.

On the up side she is eating her hay and 16% calf starter concentrates very well. I'm giving her 2 lbs. of feed per day and she eats most of it; the peafowl and the chickens have found her feed bucket. She likes chasing them around her pen so they don't get much of her feed and it keeps her busy. I think Jim in Mo. mentioned that at 2 pounds of the starter a day she could be weaned, so I can see her weaned before too long.

She is a big hit with the Grand-Darlings. They have a list of 25 possible names for her; they are waiting until everyone is her so they can vote. They also all want to lead her around the yard on a leash. I need to make a small halter for her; as of now she just has a collar.

My 7 year old Jersey is due to drop her calf the first week of January so there will hopefully be another young calf before too long. Maybe we'll get lucky and it will be a heifer too?