Finding Jersey Heifers

[MrsSmitho]

Zamis, you are my kind of guy. I am all organic, in growing, and I try any and all ways to be organic with my chickens...but sometimes, you have to help nature with progress
We are so new to the cow area, we don't even have a cow yet. We are a small homestead in rural East Texas and we are looking for that first cow. I would prefer an older, bred Jersey (mostly due to not wanting to wait for fresh milk!!) but I wold also like to be able to raise my perfect little pet milk machine. We will probably only ever have no more than 2 or 3 cows total.
I have to stress it is nice to see others who have the same "love story" with their animals. I am all for eating what God gave us, but do it with love and care...my philosophy, in the chicken & turkey world is "a happy chicken lays better eggs..and a happy turkey is much more tender on the table".

Is there anybody in the E. TX area who has Jersey cows for sale?? at homesteader prices...or would do a trade?? had to try!!

Thank you to this amazing new site...maybe this time I can learn a bit OUTSIDE of the usual "farming crash course 101". You guys will see a lot of me and a pardon from the beginning on all the lame/stipid questions.

MrsSmitho

[GAdairy]

I'm glad to see someone as excited about cows as I am. Good luck in finding your first cow! Exciting.

[francismilker]

Last time I was at Sulphur Springs dairy sale they were all selling at homesteader prices. If you're looking to get a family cow, now's the time!

Zamis, you are my kind of guy. I am all organic, in growing, and I try any and all ways to be organic with my chickens...but sometimes, you have to help nature with progress
We are so new to the cow area, we don't even have a cow yet. We are a small homestead in rural East Texas and we are looking for that first cow. I would prefer an older, bred Jersey (mostly due to not wanting to wait for fresh milk!!) but I wold also like to be able to raise my perfect little pet milk machine. We will probably only ever have no more than 2 or 3 cows total.
I have to stress it is nice to see others who have the same "love story" with their animals. I am all for eating what God gave us, but do it with love and care...my philosophy, in the chicken & turkey world is "a happy chicken lays better eggs..and a happy turkey is much more tender on the table".

Is there anybody in the E. TX area who has Jersey cows for sale?? at homesteader prices...or would do a trade?? had to try!!



Thank you to this amazing new site...maybe this time I can learn a bit OUTSIDE of the usual "farming crash course 101". You guys will see a lot of me and a pardon from the beginning on all the lame/stipid questions.

MrsSmitho

[mmccallum]

Last time I was at Sulphur Springs dairy sale they were all selling at homesteader prices. If you're looking to get a family cow, now's the time!

is that sale barn fairly trustworthy in that freemartins aren't passed off as calves or early heifers?

[bmvf]

is that sale barn fairly trustworthy in that freemartins aren't passed off as calves or early heifers?

Our sales barn here in Lancaster, PA has in the market reports 'non tubing heifers'. I believe these are free martins that not-as-smart-as-they-think farmers try to pass on to a sucker. Those usually sell for $10-20.

Maybe a local farm has an old cow that they are thinking of culling. Some cows may move too slow or have other minor problems that a commercial dairy herd doesn't want to deal with.

[francismilker]

mmcallum,
I've bought several heifers there that were tubed and have had 100% results with them. I've actually watched the vet work them when they're coming off the trailer. So far, I've had good results.

The age/weight of a heifer that worries me is the akward stage between weining and breeding size. These heifers are sometimes bought by "horse-trader" cattle buyers as freemartins for $10, raised on a bottle and grass for six months, and then resold and sound animals. Without blood testing them they're hard to check for sterility. This age group is also at a stage where it's hard to detect a potential blind quarter or udder problem.

If I buy a dairy cow I usually buy newborn or bred.

[mmccallum]

mmcallum,
I've bought several heifers there that were tubed and have had 100% results with them. I've actually watched the vet work them when they're coming off the trailer. So far, I've had good results.

The age/weight of a heifer that worries me is the akward stage between weining and breeding size. These heifers are sometimes bought by "horse-trader" cattle buyers as freemartins for $10, raised on a bottle and grass for six months, and then resold and sound animals. Without blood testing them they're hard to check for sterility. This age group is also at a stage where it's hard to detect a potential blind quarter or udder problem.

If I buy a dairy cow I usually buy newborn or bred.

Yeah, I'm currently watching for heifer calves and may go up to the sulfur springs sale. Its not that far from me (texarkana). I'm thinking of raising legit calves up and selling them individually to homesteaders (or anyone else). We will see if I actually do it though!!! Trying to sell a small heard of meat goats right now. Basically, these were my starter does (spanish/boer) and one of my boer bucks. figure someone will eventually buy them as a group at $600. I'm keeping my 4-5 fancy does and a fancy buck. When they get sold, I'm considering investing in the calves.

[francismilker]

I've been raising a few jerseys, jersey/MS crosses, and a few jersey/holstein crosses for the last few years and raising the heifers as future family milkers. So far, I've always been able to get rid of the heifers pretty easy in my area. (Since their are NO dairies left) Problem is, when you get a bull; (which is about 60-70% of the time for me) they don't sell very well at all. Your better off if you have grass to raise them up to butcher weight and try to market them as hanging sides of beef.

While I'm not a dairyman by trade,(haven't milked "professionally" for some years now) it's hard for me to not like colored cows that give milk. They may not have the ADG of a beef calf, but they have potential as family milker and I see lots of people "getting back to their roots" in my area that show plenty of interest in them. My most recent addition to the herd is an Ayrshire cow. She's a really good milker and she does it all on grass alone. Whenever I do milk her for the house I put a little grain in front of her to settle her in and let down well. Once she lets down she stands there just as content as ever and gives me some awful rich milk. She's keeping in excellent body condition and the steer calf she's raising is gaining like a beef calf. I think I'll put him in the freezer this time next year. I'm planning on breeding her to a milking devon next year. I've located a bull for lease and am contemplating using him on all the cows next year. (If things work out with the lease agreement.)
The only "problem" I can say I potentially have with her is her willingness to feed the whole herd. She's totally fine standing there in the pasture and letting every calf I have fight over a teat and not having a care in the world when her for teats are trying to feed six or more calves. Her temperment is very docile and she's good around my kids. I'm going to try to acquire more Ayrshires and lean toward them as my mainstay in dairy cattle and get away from my jerseys that don't do well on grass alone.

[MrsSmitho]

Hey you guys,

thank you for all the info...there is much food for thought. Sounds like there are a few folks close to us.
We were going to go to the Sulphur Springs auction, but we found a Jersey/Holstein cross from a great individual named Bear Dairy close to Gilmer. She was 5 days old and beautiful. Very great folks and full of helpful info. We also came home with 2 bull calf's, 1 Jersey and 1 jersey/Holstein cross. The J/H cross is becoming a steer as we speak and will be for the freezer. The Jersey bull will probably become a steer also, but not sure yet. We are trying to figure out if we should keep him a bull to re-sell around here. There are literally no dairys in this area till you get past Gilmer.
We will be doing AI with Jersey mini sperm when the heifer is old enough. We wanted to start out with the mini, but they are way too expensive. So we decided we would make our own Then we have the original heifer to milk while we are in the process of getting the perfect "poor man's" mini's for the E. TX area.
I have forgotten to check in here, bottle feeding 3 calves is a chore...but fun!

Anybody in this area have an opinion or advise on what to do with the Jersey bull?? Looking at re-sale value...better as a bull or a steer??

"francismilker" - I have heard - from Bear - the Ayrshires are a wonderful, docile creature. May have to lok into those in the future. Good luck and let me know if they become common in this area.

Never know what is available, but for those around here, check out beardairy.com, he may have something

Keep the info and advise coming!!!!!!!!!

Thanks Kim -Smitho- Farm

[francismilker]

IMHO, I'd strongly recommend not keeping the pure jersey a bull unless you have facilities to contain him and are practicing to be a bull fighter. I used to keep one on the place to use but have decided leasing one for a short time a year is adequate. Jersey bulls in specific are generally a royal PAIN to deal with.

[crazychicken]

Hey you guys,

thank you for all the info...there is much food for thought. Sounds like there are a few folks close to us.
We were going to go to the Sulphur Springs auction, but we found a Jersey/Holstein cross from a great individual named Bear Dairy close to Gilmer. She was 5 days old and beautiful. Very great folks and full of helpful info. We also came home with 2 bull calf's, 1 Jersey and 1 jersey/Holstein cross. The J/H cross is becoming a steer as we speak and will be for the freezer. The Jersey bull will probably become a steer also, but not sure yet. We are trying to figure out if we should keep him a bull to re-sell around here. There are literally no dairys in this area till you get past Gilmer.
We will be doing AI with Jersey mini sperm when the heifer is old enough. We wanted to start out with the mini, but they are way too expensive. So we decided we would make our own Then we have the original heifer to milk while we are in the process of getting the perfect "poor man's" mini's for the E. TX area.
I have forgotten to check in here, bottle feeding 3 calves is a chore...but fun!

Anybody in this area have an opinion or advise on what to do with the Jersey bull?? Looking at re-sale value...better as a bull or a steer??

"francismilker" - I have heard - from Bear - the Ayrshires are a wonderful, docile creature. May have to lok into those in the future. Good luck and let me know if they become common in this area.

Never know what is available, but for those around here, check out beardairy.com, he may have something

Keep the info and advise coming!!!!!!!!!

Thanks Kim -Smitho- Farm

Jersey bulls are more than a pain in the ass---they are downright dangerous. Sort of like a mule--They will be your best friend for years waiting for a chance to KILL you.

We milked Jerseys for years when I was still at home. Hurt two times by a bovine--BOTH times by a Jersey BULL.

Cut that Jersey bull today, before lunch preferably.

Rubber band works, castrating knife--a rusty tomato soup can lid-----anything.

First time hurt was as a Junior in High School. Second time I was home on leave after graduating RANGER SCHOOL, one week before shipping off to Viet Nam.

But the best of luck to you in your endeavors.

CC

[MrsSmitho]

OMG, that was hysterical!! I laughted so hard tears came!
We did band the calf...no rusty soup can lids...but it got done. We also sold him and another jersey/Holstein steer calf. We have one left..also banned His name is Meat! We can officially eat him at any time!
Thank you for the advise...have a wonderful New Year!
Kim

[MrsSmitho]

OMG, that was hysterical!! I laughed so hard tears came!
We did band the calf...no rusty soup can lids...but it got done. We also sold him and another jersey/Holstein steer calf. We have one left..also banned His name is Meat! We can officially eat him at any time!
Thank you for the advise...have a wonderful New Year!
Kim

[francismilker]

MrsSmith,
I'm not sure where in your or my area for that matter that you can obtain an Ayrshire heifer. I've got a good friend in Udall, Kansas that is slimming his herd down and has some for sale though. I'm going up there in the next month or so to pick up a couple of heifers. I'd be glad to pick one up for you and bring it to my place. It would be at the halfway point for you. I'd rather not have any input in the dealing of your dollars so you'd have to make contact with him and strike up a deal yourself. He has a website. Here's a link if you're interested let me know.
http://www.fayefarms.com/

He has a "for sale" page and you can click on the "dairy cattle". I don't think he has individual pics of what is for sale but there is contact information on the page for you to take a look at. Good luck.

[MrsSmitho]

That is so cool! A great big thank you for the offer!! Right now, we are pretty set. We have 3- 1/2 Jersey, 1/2 Holstein..1 heifer 3 months old, 1 heifer 6 months old, and a steer 6 months old. The "plan" is to AI with mini Jersey/Holstein sperm and eventually make our own mini cows. It will take years, but we will have all the milk we can stand till then.
The guys farm in Ks looks awesome! Have fun with that adventure!!