Cow breeds...

[Ponyman]

Ok not only have I toyed with the idea of Chickens, since I live in Wisconsin I believe it is a state law not to have a cow sometime in your life so if I did take the big plunge and get a milk cow or 2 is there anything with a better temperment then either a Jersey, Guernsey or a Brown Swiss? I live in the land of Holsteins and know they can be a tad spooky... I want one or 2 that has a calm disposition and not suceptable to many health issues. I obviously don't need a big milker and would want to share the milk with the calf... any opinions?

Ponyman

[lost1]

Dexters !!

[AlchemyAcres]

I've worked with all the major breeds...and crosses....
Personalities vary as much from cow to cow as from breed to breed...all the major dairy breeds have health concerns....fragile genetics..

As lost1 suggested...I'd look at Dexters...they're small...maintain condition without losts of grain and are multi-purpose...meat and milk.....


~Martin :)

[Ponyman]

You folks rock! Happens in looking up Dexters there is a breeder in my old hometown, he's a vet, and is friends with my cousin and I have met him and he's a nice guy! I can't wait to go down and check them out!

Ponyman

[bookwormom]

lucky you, ponyman. we have been searching high and low over three states for either Dexters or Mini Jerseys. The best I could get was to be put on the end of a waiting list.

[lost1]

Hey Book,
Where are you and what are you looking for? I raise Dexters and if I don't have what you are looking for I bet I know who does.

[bookwormom]

we are in Central Ky, where are you? And I know two Amish families who are also looking for Dexters.

[Faye]

Lost1, do you know anyone in Alabama or Mississippi who has them. I have been thinking about checking them out but can't find anyone who has them around here.

[WileyCoyote]

Alabama:
http://www.pdca-pedigree.org/br_results.php?qn=&qs=AL&goQSearch=Go

MS:
http://www.pdca-pedigree.org/br_results.php?qn=&qs=MS&goQSearch=Go

Home Page Purebred Dexter Cattle Asso:
http://www.purebreddextercattle.org/

Hope that helps...

[Faye]

Thank you, WileyCoyote. One of those is about 45 miles from me and I will be checking them out.

[WileyCoyote]

;D No Prob. You guys piqued my interest - We want to purchase cows to run on our property in future but wanted ones that would be good for either beef or milk, and didn't want to have to deal with fragile health or sustainability in cold climates, or animals that would be too big for us to handle, so I researched the Dexters on the Web. Thank all of ya'll for showing us a viable alternative!

[WileyCoyote]

Thanks,Deberosa, I Googled them too...
Oh, well, guess I'll just have to do some traveling, exploratory and hands-on examinations of the different breeds. But at least I have a starting point - and don't have to be frustrated by a choice between milk and beef production. The refs under the Galloway breeders page really point out the differences between grain fed and pasture fed beef, too.
http://www.americangalloway.com/
I am interested in a high content of fat in milk, since I liked to make my own butter and cheese many moons ago, and plan to again. ;D
I'm starting to get excited - and impatient! LOL

[bookwormom]

good luck everyone, there is someone with Dexters an hrs drive from us, too, but there is a waiting list of at least two years.

[Ponyman]

Ok in a regular dairy herd the udder is washed and that prompts her to let her milk down and then afterwards there is teat dip put on to control mastitus or whatever nasty stuff... but in my situation I was planning on at night bringing her in, seperating her calf so she can't suck but can be close to her, then in the morning milking her... then letting baby suck the rest of the day. Should I put anything on after milking or is it best to leave everything alone? I do plan on feeding the calf a milk replacer bottle in the morning to supplement the lack of feeding throughout the night... I grew up around cows and friends who had farms but don't know that much about them so want to see how deep this pond is before I jump in!

Thanks,
Ponyman

[AlchemyAcres]

It's a matter of personal preference, dipping ain't a bad idea and certainly won't hurt the calf.

If it were me, I'd think long and hard before letting the calf suck on the cow....it can become a chore to separate them each day....milk replacer is expensive...and in the future, should you change your mind and switch to bottle feeding totally...after letting a cow nurse a calf or two...the cow may very well dry herself off if the calf is pulled away.. especially in non-dairy breeds.


~Martin :)

[WileyCoyote]

Good question, Ponyman. I'd always heard that the calves remained with the cows throughout to prevent the cow from going off production; except in a large, strictly dairy operation. Like a human baby, once taken off of the breast, it seems like the calf would not suckle the mothers' teats any more because of the comparative ease of the bottle.

But I'd like to hear other folks' knowledge and experiences, too.

[GREEN_ALIEN]

Ok in a regular dairy herd the udder is washed and that prompts her to let her milk down and then afterwards there is teat dip put on to control mastitus or whatever nasty stuff... but in my situation I was planning on at night bringing her in, seperating her calf so she can't suck but can be close to her, then in the morning milking her... then letting baby suck the rest of the day. Should I put anything on after milking or is it best to leave everything alone? I do plan on feeding the calf a milk replacer bottle in the morning to supplement the lack of feeding throughout the night... I grew up around cows and friends who had farms but don't know that much about them so want to see how deep this pond is before I jump in!

First, night separation is an old, old way of keeping a family in milk. It is easy to do, causes very little stress and works like a champ. BUT, lol there is always a but, you can run into trouble with today's higher production dairy breeds of cattle. They simply make too much milk (ten + gals a day) for one calf and even a large family to consume in the peak of their production cycle. A cow walking around with a full bag will soon develop mastitis and dramatically reduce production. A bit better way to go with a production breed is to graft a second calf on her and then only pull the calves when the family needs milk, say once a week. I have had very good luck with this method. After you take what the family needs then let the calves at her, they will clean things up nicely. There is no need for replacer on that morning as you always leave enough milk back for the calves.

If it were me, I'd think long and hard before letting the calf suck on the cow....it can become a chore to separate them each day....milk replacer is expensive...and in the future, should you change your mind and switch to bottle feeding totally...after letting a cow nurse a calf or two...the cow may very well dry herself off if the calf is pulled away.. especially in non-dairy breeds.

A 10-12 hour overnight period is not long enough to trigger a cow to dry off. As long as that milk is taken and more is demanded she will continue to work peacefully along. I have successfully grafted a calf on to a cow four days ofter the death of her calf with no milking issue at all.

Good question, Ponyman. I'd always heard that the calves remained with the cows throughout to prevent the cow from going off production; except in a large, strictly dairy operation. Like a human baby, once taken off of the breast, it seems like the calf would not suckle the mothers' teats any more because of the comparative ease of the bottle.

But I'd like to hear other folks' knowledge and experiences, too.

LOL I have had calves weaned off their mothers for six months and when they meet up again that calf will try to suck. I am pretty sure that no bottle is gonna beat out instinct...

Ted
Crabapple Ranch

[AlchemyAcres]

A 10-12 hour overnight period is not long enough to trigger a cow to dry off.

True! That's not at all what I was saying.

~Martin ;)

[gardenfay]

Green Alien:
Everything you wrote about here was certainly true of our Jersey milk cows all of my growing up. I milked her before school and turned the calf in with her afterwards. My Mom and I separated them in the evening; and Mom milked then while I did other chores. She usually got a decent amount even with the calf being with her during the day.
But don't ask about the evening Mom was milking and I was probably close to a block away over by the henhouse and could see our Angus bull jumping fences. At first, I couldn't figure out what I was seeing. Then I remembered that "Jersey" was in heat and her AI was scheduled for the next day. I remember running and yelling at Mom; who always got ticked when you tried to ask her something while she was in the milking shed. LOL It is only funny now cuz she didn't get hurt; but boy oh boy I was scared then. The bull got there before I did. Yes he did hit his head on the roof of the shed; but didn't seem to slow him down any. Yes, Mom was under the stanchion. At least my yelling gave her a little notice something was wrong. And yes, we did have a Jersey/Angus cross calf that year.

[lsg]

We have never had any luck in letting our calves run with the milk cow. *Sooner or later, the cow always started holding back her milk for the calf. *Most of the cream comes with the last of the milk, so we never get as much cream when we let the calf run with the cow. *We have always ended up separating the cow and calf. *We let the cow in twice a day and milk when we need it and let the calf in to nurse when we don't need the milk. *When the calf is young, you can milk out a couple of teats and let the calf have the other two.

[bookwormom]

One of my dexters is supposed to calf this month. we had two milkcows at home when I was a kid, but they were kept up and I really did not have anything to do with the cows. I remember the cow bellowing for a couple of days when grandmother sold a calf.
Our cows are out and really do not seem to come in even in bad weather. we have fixed a small paddock that I hope to lure her in so she will think she has her own way and not calf somewhere in a thicket and with my luck we will have a snowstorm that day. I am wondering if we put the calf in a stall away from her, will she try to tear the place apart? I am not even thinking of milking that one, she is not named Grumpy for nothing. but we want the calf to be used to us and let itself be handled and become a docile cow (hopefully). If it is a male I have no idea what to do. How do you castrate a little bull? same procedure as with goats and sheep? Guys, I just want to let you know how much I appreciate this discourse. A good feeling to know someone is around who knows a bit more than I.

[AlchemyAcres]

I am wondering if we put the calf in a stall away from her, will she try to tear the place apart?
It depends on the cow, some have a very strong mothering instinct, while some are very passive.
Probably the biggest potential problem would be if something comes close to the calf, cat or chicken or whatever, a cow with strong mothering instincts can freak out and who knows what she might do while attempting to protect the calf. They're all different.

If it is a male I have no idea what to do. How do you castrate a little bull? same procedure as with goats and sheep?
Most vets recommend a Burdizzo clamp, but I've never owned one. I've always used an elastrator without any problems.

~Martin