New to Cattle

[riggers]

Please forgive me if I say something stupid due to my inexperience but I started w/ one jersey for farm fresh milk and got a bit deep I think. LOL.

My cow had her second calf (first was born somewhere else) 3 months ago and I got a second calf to keep on her so I didn't have to milk out 6 gallons a day. Plus I got a first time Guernsey that had a little heifer and I got her an extra dairy calf too. So anyway. I am just realizing as I am weaning the calves and sending to auction that jersey calves are not worth the time and energy I put into them. The heifer did a little better but not a whole lot. Plus like I said previously I really did not need 6+ gallons a day per cow.

I find my Jersey to be a little more stubborn and skittish than the Guernsey. Plus she requires a lot more feed to keep her weight on. The Guernsey holds weight much better. So I got to thinking that I'd like to cross my Guernsey w/ either a Hereford or a Charolais. I think the Charolais would make a prettier cross but I'd like some advice.

My intent is to get rid of the Jersey and to grow up a cross w/ the Guernsey w/ one of those two breeds to try and make a better milk cow for my needs. One that has a decent milk production but not so much that it requires a sack of sweet feed plus per day and still loses weight. One that produces a calf that will put on weight faster than these little jersey calves and that will actually be worth keeping alive to send to auction. But most importantly one that will have a really calm disposition. I am not sure of these two breeds which is generally a more gentle cattle.

I've heard Hereford are very gentle. I would try and cross the Jersey but I was told by the guy here at auction if the buyers see ANY sign of it being a jersey calf that'll it'll go for dirt cheap because they don't gain weight well and they tend to be aggressive (the bulls anyway) and their bone/meat ratio is really bad. So... suggestion advice please!

 

[cowman52]

Bet I know where you might send the jersey.

 

[Denny]

I'd get rid of the Guernsey before that jersey would leave. Our neighbors had a bunch of Hereford X Jersey cows they bred them black and the raised some whopping big calves that sold well and the cows lived into their late teens and twenties. Otherwise I'd just buy an angus x Holstein and breed that black.

 

[Soapweed]

Just buy milk to drink and raise beef cattle. The offspring from beef cows are much more saleable, and will probably give you enough extra profit to pay for the milk. This plan will also save a lot of stress and keep you in a better frame of mind. :wink:

 

[sandtrap]

If you some milk but 6 gallons get a goat.

 

[jodywy]

Charolaise cross cow, saddling a horse in a blizzard to get half a herd off a feed ground into a corral in the middle of the night so she can calve. letting her out next morning then grabbing calf and it had not suckled, get horse get whole herd of droppers into big corral just to get cow in squeeze chute to suckle calf. That afternoon she waded a mile down a creek with 3 feet of hard snow on each side. I walk down on top of snow chase her back grab calf and leaded it to the gate for pairs , cow comes hit me while in 6 inches melt water on top of ice. She and calf go thru gate I get a hour ride home on sleigh. Two hours later after an anesthesiologist knocks me out and him a male nurse a doctor and one more nurse pull my shoulder back in socket. Used up all deductible then some, years of cortisone shots, short nights of sleep then 10-12 years shoulder surgery only this time really high deductible, This spring breach calf, Charolaise cross I all the way up to the shoulder laying on my side trying to bring leg up past push back head.... cow roll.....in a sling again.....so either get a Holstein or buy milk....

 

[Silver]

I'd buy a good milking simmental and milk that if your heart is set on raw milk. Simmie calves sell well and the only time simmental breeding ever hurt a cow is when she doesnt have any in her.

 

[jigs]

my wife milks a jersey cross cow and we get 2-3 gallons a day. the calves she throws are half Hereford, and have very little dairy look to them.

do not let anyone talk you out of that fresh milk. it is worth every dime you put into it. health wise, it can not be beat!

 

[Soapweed]

my wife milks a jersey cross cow and we get 2-3 gallons a day. the calves she throws are half Hereford, and have very little dairy look to them.

do not let anyone talk you out of that fresh milk. it is worth every dime you put into it. health wise, it can not be beat!

There lies the secret, jigs. If your wife wants to do it, fine. If you or I have to do it, not so fine. :wink:

 

[R A]

I'm working towards getting a milk cow or two for sure! Mine will be bred to a Hereford bull because that's what I'll have around. My extra milk will go to my pigs, if there is any extra... . I'm excited to experience the benefits of it!

 

[LazyWP]

my wife milks a jersey cross cow and we get 2-3 gallons a day. the calves she throws are half Hereford, and have very little dairy look to them.

do not let anyone talk you out of that fresh milk. it is worth every dime you put into it. health wise, it can not be beat!

Thats why Jigs has to toe the line. His wife milks the cow, and has built up her forearms to the point she can whup him. :lol: I would and still do ANYTHING so I don't have to milk a cow. I hated scraping cream off of the milk, and despised chunks of cream on my cereal!!! To this day I refuse to drink milk. I can hear my folks saying if you drink the milk, you have to go milk the cow!!

 

[George]

For most of my high school days my step father was hospitalized for 3 or 4 back surgeries and I had to support the family ( no insurance in the early 1960s )

I kept a flock of laying hens and 2 cows that were a cross between Guernsey and Jersey - - - I sold eggs and whole milk, skim milk and cream.

Poured it thru a filter and put it in the frig - - - don't think you could get by like that now without going to jail but I was able to keep food for 2 younger sisters and a younger brother - - - we had waiting list of people willing to drive quite a ways for the whole milk and the cream. Bought a Sears electric churn and started selling real butter.

A neighbor had Herefords and allowed me to breed to his bull when needed. The calves always looked Hereford. My dad got back on his feet when I was a senior and my sisters started helping but when I joined the Corps they sold the cows and chickens - - - claimed they were to much work.

I wonder if the world would be a better place if we stopped the handouts - - - we made it and I feel it made me a better person.

 

[riggers]

I'm glad a few of you "get it" lol.

I guess Hereford is what y'all are suggesting? I heard they are one of the most gentle breeds. I also LIKE the work, because I think it teaches my kids a work ethic that they won't get otherwise. They realize that things in life are not free and you have to get up and work for something if you want it. We also eat farm fresh eggs and hogs for meat. We are living what you might call a self-sustaining lifestyle. One free of GMOs, another reason I'd like to get the cattle off of feed---GMO's!

Simmental is interesting. I like the look of them, not sure how good they are at putting on weight and holding it? Or how their temperament is. I just found this chart of cattle dispositions and Hereford and Guernsey were both listed as some of the calmest. Maybe I can find it again and look at Simmental. Does anyone know the butterfat content of all these other breeds?

 

[LazyWP]

I'd go with Pinzgauer. Great milk, and excellent carcass. Ought to be cheap, because the Pinzgauer association stinks!!

 

[littlejoe]

Charolaise cross cow, saddling a horse in a blizzard to get half a herd off a feed ground into a corral in the middle of the night so she can calve. letting her out next morning then grabbing calf and it had not suckled, get horse get whole herd of droppers into big corral just to get cow in squeeze chute to suckle calf. That afternoon she waded a mile down a creek with 3 feet of hard snow on each side. I walk down on top of snow chase her back grab calf and leaded it to the gate for pairs , cow comes hit me while in 6 inches melt water on top of ice. She and calf go thru gate I get a hour ride home on sleigh. Two hours later after an anesthesiologist knocks me out and him a male nurse a doctor and one more nurse pull my shoulder back in socket. Used up all deductible then some, years of cortisone shots, short nights of sleep then 10-12 years shoulder surgery only this time really high deductible, This spring breach calf, Charolaise cross I all the way up to the shoulder laying on my side trying to bring leg up past push back head.... cow roll.....in a sling again.....so either get a Holstein or buy milk....

a Charolais cross feeder heifer is one of the finest females to feed--and butcher--- in the whirld.

a Charolais cross cow? see above.

 

[Faster horses]

For most of my high school days my step father was hospitalized for 3 or 4 back surgeries and I had to support the family ( no insurance in the early 1960s )

I kept a flock of laying hens and 2 cows that were a cross between Guernsey and Jersey - - - I sold eggs and whole milk, skim milk and cream.

Poured it thru a filter and put it in the frig - - - don't think you could get by like that now without going to jail but I was able to keep food for 2 younger sisters and a younger brother - - - we had waiting list of people willing to drive quite a ways for the whole milk and the cream. Bought a Sears electric churn and started selling real butter.

We didn't sell butter, but we milked a cow for years and sold the raw whole milk. I had laying hens that I raised from day olds, and sold eggs. I had a regular milk and egg route. We put the milk in gallon glass jars. Mr. FH made a wooden milk carrier with a divider in the middle. We had an electric seperater, and the homemade butter we used ourselves. On occasion I did take buttermilk to the hospital if the doctors called because someone had taken antibiotics for a long stretch of time.

The best milk cow we had was Shorthorn and Holstein. We called her 'Blue'.
Her milk was delicious. We had a couple of Guernsey; Guernsey x Shorthorn; Holstein and even a Black Angus cow throughout the years.

Selling milk and eggs bought our groceries and probably more in those
years. That would have been from 1965 to 1982. It didn't matter that we
hand milked a cow those years, we couldn't afford to go anywhere anyway!

The worse part of the whole thing was cleaning that doggone separator.
It had all those discs and of course, the only dishwasher we had was me.
I wouldn't wish that job on anyone. :wink:

Looking back, those were good times, when we all worked hard. We never thought we were poor, because everyone was in the same boat. We had
ice skating parties on the creek and BBQ's where everyone got together. I guess we had more TIME then...or our priorities were different. Anyhow,
I wouldn't mind going back to those days with a couple exceptions.

 

[rancher rick]

My experience suggests "just buy milk". A number of years ago a city gal moved near us & acquired a jersey for milking. I made the mistake one day of telling her that I used to milk cows occasionaly for an older neighbor. A few wks later I got the call "We have to go away this wkend, could you milk our cow?" I said, "Yes" & this jersey was just spoiled rotten & hard to milk to boot. I got a call a few more times that summer but I was always "busy"

 

[leanin' H]

It's better to have loved and lost than to marry a dairy farmer. :lol: :lol:

 

[George]

For our ice skating parties I would just put the sprinkler out on the lawn in a fairly flat spot and let it run.

The only thing I had to do was keep the sprinkler and hose up on small rods and the ice would be quite smooth and level and when warm weather got here solar power would clean up the mess.

Great fun and never had to worry about falling thru. If we got it to roughed up just run the sprinkler again for a couple of hours and let it set over night and good to go again.

 

[Soapweed]

For most of my high school days my step father was hospitalized for 3 or 4 back surgeries and I had to support the family ( no insurance in the early 1960s )

I kept a flock of laying hens and 2 cows that were a cross between Guernsey and Jersey - - - I sold eggs and whole milk, skim milk and cream.

Poured it thru a filter and put it in the frig - - - don't think you could get by like that now without going to jail but I was able to keep food for 2 younger sisters and a younger brother - - - we had waiting list of people willing to drive quite a ways for the whole milk and the cream. Bought a Sears electric churn and started selling real butter.

We didn't sell butter, but we milked a cow for years and sold the raw whole milk. I had laying hens that I raised from day olds, and sold eggs. I had a regular milk and egg route. We put the milk in gallon glass jars. Mr. FH made a wooden milk carrier with a divider in the middle. We had an electric seperater, and the homemade butter we used ourselves. On occasion I did take buttermilk to the hospital if the doctors called because someone had taken antibiotics for a long stretch of time.

The best milk cow we had was Shorthorn and Holstein. We called her 'Blue'.
Her milk was delicious. We had a couple of Guernsey; Guernsey x Shorthorn; Holstein and even a Black Angus cow throughout the years.

Selling milk and eggs bought our groceries and probably more in those
years. That would have been from 1965 to 1982. It didn't matter that we
hand milked a cow those years, we couldn't afford to go anywhere anyway!

The worse part of the whole thing was cleaning that doggone separator.
It had all those discs and of course, the only dishwasher we had was me.
I wouldn't wish that job on anyone. :wink:

Looking back, those were good times, when we all worked hard. We never thought we were poor, because everyone was in the same boat. We had
ice skating parties on the creek and BBQ's where everyone got together. I guess we had more TIME then...or our priorities were different. Anyhow,
I wouldn't mind going back to those days with a couple exceptions.

There was an elderly couple who ranched in this area for many years. They had no children, only one hired man, and ran about fifteen hundred cows on close to twenty thousand acres. It was kind of a survival of the fittest sort of operation, but they ran small framed Angus cows and got by better than you'd think. They never branded their calves, and didn't vaccinate or castrate. Each fall some neighbors would help gather cattle and send the calves off to the sale barn. They also had a couple milk cows, a feathered flock of chickens, and a multitude of dogs, cats, and three-legged fawns. The lady peddled milk and eggs around town, and my grandmother was one of her customers. Even though they had a good big ranch and lots of beef cows in their favor, this lady one time told my grandmother that if it wasn't for selling milk, cream, and eggs, they just wouldn't be able to survive. :roll: