| Author |
Barnyard Buddies:  Question about cows  |
|
|
Room To Grow
True Blue Farmgirl
974 Posts
Deborah
Kingston
Georgia
USA
974 Posts |
 Posted - Aug 04 2008 : 5:49:12 PM
|
My husband and I are looking to get a few cows. Mostly for milk and to have a bull to have a few calves to grow to butcher. I was just wondering what cows are good to just let graze on the grass in our pastures. Or do you have to give them grain of any kind. I know of one that can graze only on grass and nothing else...That is Devons. Also, we have an auction nearby once a month. Can we get good stock there or are the ones for auction just the animals that are not good for anything but lawn ornaments? Any help will be greatful
Thanks
Deborah
we have moved to our farm...and love it |
|
|
Aunt Jenny
True Blue Farmgirl
11381 Posts
Jenny
middle of
Utah
USA
11381 Posts |
Posted - Aug 04 2008 : 7:12:29 PM
|
I love my Jersey cow and would recomend the breed..they arn't very big, give wonderful creamy milk, and are calm and sweet. That said, I DO give my cow grain when she is giving me milk (some people don't) and good hay in winter. (I don't have pasture so she gets hay year round) alfalfa/grass hay is what I feed her.
I personally won't buy animals from auction, but then alot of folks do. I just worry about bringing home disease to my other beloved critters. I have seen some pretty icky animals in with the good ones at auction ...so it is hard to tell what they have been exposed to.
I have never seen Devons in person..but they are sure cute.
A great website all about family cows is www.keepingafamilycow.com they have a wonderful forum and a book available (my FAVORITE cow book) written by a woman who keeps a cow herself..and has for years...really alot of knowledge there..I love to visit there. Good luck! I have never regretted getting my cow!
Jenny in Utah
Proud Farmgirl sister #24
Inside me there is a skinny woman crying to get out...but I can usually shut her up with cookies
http://www.auntjennysworld.blogspot.com/ visit my little online shop at www.auntjenny.etsy.com |
 |
|
|
Room To Grow
True Blue Farmgirl
974 Posts
Deborah
Kingston
Georgia
USA
974 Posts |
Posted - Aug 05 2008 : 6:45:52 PM
|
Hello Jenny, Thanks for the information. Do you do anything special to your milk from your cow? This will be the first time we will have cows...And we are not sure how to deal with the milk. Also, Can you milk a cow when she is not with a calf?
Thanks
Deborah
we have moved to our farm...and love it |
|
|
|
Aunt Jenny
True Blue Farmgirl
11381 Posts
Jenny
middle of
Utah
USA
11381 Posts |
Posted - Aug 05 2008 : 8:17:28 PM
|
Okay..last question first...yes. You don't get milk until after she has the calf, but keep milking her until she is about 2 months or so from her due date. I quit sooner this year since Mona was getting thin and she was bred late. I milked her for a year straight. Her last calf was born in May of 20007. She isn't due until Halloween this year unless I am wrong and she got bred on one of the first two tries...she is fat and sassy and really big now. Even the earliest breeding....which I truly don't think took..would put her at Sept 1. So..they don't have to be in calf..they just have to have had a calf. Some people don't breed the cow back and just keep milking for 2 years if her milk stays up. I need to sell the calf to help with paying for hay so that isn't practical for me.
Besides..they get so thin. I like a fat cow.
Okay...I filter the milk..with a regular milk filter (available cheap in boxes at the feed store) using a big 2 part milk funnel that holds about a half gallon at a time. I chill it quickly and keep it cold. When the cream has risen to the top (this will be about 1/4 of the jar or more with jerseys) I skim that cream off into quart jars and use this for making butter and using for cream.
What is left still is about like regular whole milk in the store..very tasty. Some folks use a cream separator. I don't have one..and don't want one..too much trouble for the milk from one cow..there are about a billion little tiny parts to clean in one and milking is a twice a day thing!! I don't pastuerize my milk at all..just keep things very clean and chill it and keep it cold. EAsy peasy!!
Jenny in Utah
Proud Farmgirl sister #24
Inside me there is a skinny woman crying to get out...but I can usually shut her up with cookies
http://www.auntjennysworld.blogspot.com/ visit my little online shop at www.auntjenny.etsy.com |
|
|
|
Room To Grow
True Blue Farmgirl
974 Posts
Deborah
Kingston
Georgia
USA
974 Posts |
Posted - Aug 06 2008 : 7:42:52 PM
|
Jenny, Thanks...I will be asking more questions I am sure after we getthe cows....Until then thanks and God Bless
Deborah
we have moved to our farm...and love it |
|
|
|
Aunt Jenny
True Blue Farmgirl
11381 Posts
Jenny
middle of
Utah
USA
11381 Posts |
|
|
fiddlegirl89
True Blue Farmgirl
232 Posts
Kayla
Dunnville
KY
USA
232 Posts |
Posted - Aug 07 2008 : 11:53:29 PM
|
We also have a Jersey, or two :), and I am very happy with the quality and quantity of milk from them. I feed them grain at milking time, and they are rotated to fresh grass every other day. I still have trouble keeping one of them looking good (as far as fat.) No matter what I feed her, she still looks sickly thin. I also give them alfalfa cubes while milking.
Aunt Jenny....what is your KFC username?....I'm fiddlegirl!
http://www.custerfamilyfarm.com |
|
|
|
Aunt Jenny
True Blue Farmgirl
11381 Posts
Jenny
middle of
Utah
USA
11381 Posts |
Posted - Aug 08 2008 : 12:38:43 AM
|
I am Aunt Jenny over there too. Havn't been on much the past couple months..I will look for you over there when I visit though!
Mona is hard to keep weight on..she gives alot of milk for her size and it just takes alot out of her I guess. But since being dry longer than usual this year she has really put on the condition..she looks really good right now.
I give Mona corn/barley mix, calf manna, Alfalfa pellets and top that with dried mollasses at milking time. She is off grain for now..will start her up again to get her ready for calving in mid Sept...since she still has quite awhile. After she was completly dry I gave her alfalfa pellets and a little calf manna in the mornings...her breakfast bucket...after she ate most of her hay...then added more hay to her feeder too..it really helped. I think some just "milk off their backs" more than others no matter what you do though. She has always been really healthy..I am sure thankful for that.
How old are your cows Kayla?
Jenny in Utah
Proud Farmgirl sister #24
Inside me there is a skinny woman crying to get out...but I can usually shut her up with cookies
http://www.auntjennysworld.blogspot.com/ visit my little online shop at www.auntjenny.etsy.com |
|
|
|
mrsmorgen
True Blue Farmgirl
146 Posts
morgen
coudersport
pa
USA
146 Posts |
Posted - Aug 08 2008 : 06:43:23 AM
|
Oh how exciting for you! I hope to get a cow soon when we finally sell our house and get our farm. I am gleaning from all your information. Thanks for asking about it. I love jerseys too but I am going to look up Devons right now!
Morgen
I am beginning to learn that it is the sweet, simple things of life which are the real ones after all..
laura ingalls wilder
www.laubers.blogspot.com |
|
|
|
fiddlegirl89
True Blue Farmgirl
232 Posts
Kayla
Dunnville
KY
USA
232 Posts |
Posted - Aug 08 2008 : 09:56:37 AM
|
I'm not really sure how old my cows are!!! We got both of them from different guys, both of which got them from someone else. We were told that our first was a heifer, but more experienced folks said that she wasn't. She may be around 5 yo. The other cow looks younger to me, but I really have no idea about her. We recently moved away from our more experienced friend, so we don't have his expertise this time around! She may or may not be pregnant...we have to get her vet checked. Minnie (the skinny one) has a 9 month old heifer that we (hopefully) will milk one day. We are trying to get Minnie bred, but last month we waited too long to load her up and take her to the bull.....this month she was later than planned (I guess the heat) and she came in the day my parents left for their anniversary trip. I really wasn't up for trying to line everything up and take her.
This is my first, Minnie
Lucy....the one I think is younger
And Sabine...the heifer
http://www.custerfamilyfarm.com |
|
|
|
Aunt Jenny
True Blue Farmgirl
11381 Posts
Jenny
middle of
Utah
USA
11381 Posts |
Posted - Aug 08 2008 : 11:02:07 AM
|
They are just beautiful Kayla. I do love cows!! I wish we had alot more space. I would love to keep one of Mona's calves but havn't been able to so far. It would mean the sheep leaving and I am not quite ready for that yet.
Jenny in Utah
Proud Farmgirl sister #24
Inside me there is a skinny woman crying to get out...but I can usually shut her up with cookies
http://www.auntjennysworld.blogspot.com/ visit my little online shop at www.auntjenny.etsy.com |
|
|
|
Room To Grow
True Blue Farmgirl
974 Posts
Deborah
Kingston
Georgia
USA
974 Posts |
Posted - Aug 09 2008 : 6:19:25 PM
|
Jenny, We have 10 acres...9 is pasture. I hope the Devons do well on this much land. Still looking on sites about them.
Deborah
we have moved to our farm...and love it |
|
|
|
Aunt Jenny
True Blue Farmgirl
11381 Posts
Jenny
middle of
Utah
USA
11381 Posts |
|
|
Room To Grow
True Blue Farmgirl
974 Posts
Deborah
Kingston
Georgia
USA
974 Posts |
Posted - Aug 17 2008 : 7:34:07 PM
|
Jenny, I have just joined the Keeping A family Cow....I will be asking questions I am sure.
Thanks
Deborah
we have moved to our farm...and love it |
|
|
|
therealshari
True Blue Farmgirl
235 Posts
Shari
Beryl
UT
USA
235 Posts |
Posted - Aug 18 2008 : 10:44:20 AM
|
Congrats on both your new cow and your new farm!
We're adding a cow (due to calve in 3 weeks) to our little farm. She's a Corriente/Longhorn cross bred to a GREAT BIG 2000lb Hereford. As usual, we're scrambling around go get her new home ready... this wasn't planned for this year.
Shari Thomas
Got lambs? Got fleece? We do, and you can too! Check our our new "Fleece For Sale" page. |
|
|
| |
Barnyard Buddies: Question about cows |
|
Question about cows
