Anyone had experience of post dairy housecows? Anyone know of a good jersey for sale?

Discussion in 'Breeding, Raising, Feeding and Caring for Animals' started by Janine, Feb 6, 2011.

  1. Janine

    Janine Junior Member

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    Hi there,

    I am considering buying an X dairy jersey.
    Haven't actually met her yet, but wonder if her ginormous udder, or probable receiving of
    who knows what chemicals/treatment would mean she may not be suitable as a house cow?
    Would prefer to purchase from an organic dairy but none available as far as I can see.
    On the other hand maybe she could have a lovely life here with less stress than the dairy production line.
    I am in love with my current jersey but it would seem that she has become barren :(.

    If you know of any jerseys for sale at the moment I can afford to $600.

    thanks
     
  2. purecajn

    purecajn Junior Member

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    Why a cow? As I understand it the milk from goats is more healthy than a cow (not having Lactose).
     
  3. pebble

    pebble Junior Member

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    Organic raw cow's milk is a very nutritious food for many people. True lactose intolerance is not that common in Caucasian descendants, not sure about other people. Intolerance to homogenised and pasteurised milk on the other hand...
     
  4. Janine

    Janine Junior Member

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    Purecadjn and Pebble,
    I appreciate your interest in the merits/health of cow v goat's milk, lactose intolerance, raw verses homog/past etc,
    but it's not really responding to my questions on this thread and to be honest it's dismissing my situation entirely. Please discuss elsewhere.
    Goats and a cow are at my home... I love both milks as do my friends and neighbours.
    Am simply wondering about the questions I have given... want to get on with getting another cow and making yummy things from both milks raw!..
     
  5. purecajn

    purecajn Junior Member

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    point taken, I'm off
     
  6. Terra

    Terra Moderator

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    I Cant see too many problems , however they are selected for volume mainly so you might end up with a large task morning and night , how old is she , being sold for age or low production if its the latter then she would be excellent , if you need her go and pick her up .
     
  7. Janine

    Janine Junior Member

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    Thanks Terra,
    Yes she has a huge udder, is in calf and is currently fostering 2 calves so is probably giving loads of milk. I think the job will be to make lots of cheese/yoghurt/butter in the first fortnight
    as I reduce what is taken... Have heard she is from a ticky area and we have ticks here, so that is a good point, otherwise she could succumb to tick bite within a couple of days apparently.
    I will meet her, see if she kicks when I squeeze her teats and if she doesn't and all is well otherwise, shall buy her.

    Thanks again for your thoughts/advice.
    :)
     
  8. sun burn

    sun burn Junior Member

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    Now that the Janine's problem has been answered, we can carry on with the other matter.

    What exactly is unhealthy about lactose? As far as I know its only a problem for those who intolerant of it. Its not unhealthy for the rest of us so there's no superiority of goats milk over cows from that point of view, though i don't know but there may be other minor points of greater merit. I quite like the taste but i don't like the price. Cows cream is definiltey better than buffalo cream which is actually quite awful. But frankly given how much food people have access to in our countries i can hardly see that the point of which is better needs to be laboured over . The benefits of goat's milk argument seems to me just a beat-up like so many other health claims in circulation about our food and nutrition.
     
  9. purecajn

    purecajn Junior Member

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  10. pebble

    pebble Junior Member

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    Can you please start a new thread on the lactose/health issues?
     
  11. Janine

    Janine Junior Member

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    Why don't you guys start your own thread?

    Have read fairly extensively about this issue and it is not what I am asking on this thread. You are both keen to discuss it, so do discuss it but please somewhere else.
    Please go for it all by setting up your own thread, then you will attract people who are interested in this issue. Then again, you might get someone who wants to discuss the merits of yak or chihuahua milk and then you may have a sense of how I feel looking forward to discussion about something pertinent to me which I have opened and having something quite off the dial repeatedly intruding.

    I will post the new thread if you have good reason not to do it yourself, but I am not interested in that topic at this time so why should I post a thread for you both?

    You are putting me off using this site!
    I may be put off for example putting up a thread on how to grow green beens only to be asked 'Why beans?... Cabbages have more minerals!
    Then someone else might pop in saying they love Cabbages and then someone may retort but I cannot eat beans, read this about this!
    P lease!
    I will not respond to either of you any more unless you have some real problem with setting up your thread for yourself/ves or have something helpful in response to what I am asking... Don't mean top be too rude, but there you go.
     
  12. floot

    floot Junior Member

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    Janine,

    You so rightfully ask the opinionated to shift their questions elsewhere.

    Some years ago on this forum I posted a thread about 'milking rabbits'. You are very much on the right track with this post. My first reaction about anyone buying a Jersey is that do you want that much milk/that many calves/ and for how long. Jerseys live for many years.

    Jerseys, are so long lived, very productive and can raise calves and an entire family on their production. I was fed on cross-bred on a angus mallee cow that milked well, raised a calf a year and when we forgot to milk her, the calf would 'clean her up'.

    Taking on any milk cow is beyond hobby, it requires at least an hour a day, every day and some good tucker to support her. If you are prepared to do this then you will reap massive rewards that extend to the near infinite healthy products that you can generate. [if all else fails, you can raise great calves too!!]

    And as for buying a Jersey. I cant really advise you, they were not anything on my horizon. We had X angus, X murray grey etc. We used what was available and friendly.

    Only thing I can recommend is that Jersey cows are wonderful but NEVER assume that a Jersey Bull can be 'nice'. They can and do maim people. I do wish to share this though, as a young person, about 19.. I remember a Murray Grey/Jersey we were milking at the time... the perfect cow... catch anywhere, stand to milk etc etc..

    She was very pregnant and still lactating and we were milking her once a day, such a sweet cow.

    In birth, we had an issue so I called the vet. Anyway, before the vet arrived she had a tough birth [my first]. Understand this cow wasn't really a house cow, just a sweet personality that often lived in a state forest, and also near the farmhouse etc etc..

    The vet arrived, walked up and took one look at the calf and this darling of cows chased the vet and dog all over a 5 acre paddock whilst I laughed and 'looked after' the calf.

    Cows are all about personality and from my small experience Jerseys have it in spades.

    My advice would be to ask yourself. Can you handle 10l of milk a day? Do you have the fridge space? A jersey with a calf can feed a calf AND 10l a day. Do you have yard/stable/stall space? Yes, a decent goat can produce 10l of milk a day too. A lactating cow needs proper pasture and a lot of food.

    The reason 'we' [the farmer and I ] milked angus and other crosses is cos they were on farm and 'we' didnt need that much milk. This was from a place that produced all its own butter, milk, cream etc and fed dogs, chooks and pigs on the by-products.

    I would encourage anyone to get a milk cow but be prepared that they will eat, test your patience, produce, annoy you, produce more, and then.... then... they refuse to take holidays.... that is really when you realise that a milk cow is absolutely dependent on you the human. They will respond in so many ways but at the end of the day, they depend on you... A milk cow depends on you. Maybe I should repeat that a few times. A milker depends on you. When you convert an animal from being a mother to being a family milker, they depend on you. It is not a generic 'you', it is actually you.

    If you want serious milk etc. Cows are more reliable than the milkman so it is a 24/7 commitment to the animal - they have already made that commitement to you and of course there are strategies that can help you.. LEARN THEM FIRST.

    Once that cow starts lactating it is about an 8 month [naturally] commitment they make to YOU. You really need to understand and be committed to this process before you get the cow sucked in. They really such gorgeous beasties, amiable, personable and so very reliable.

    You have to be too. Get online and research the needs of a milker, a calf, your family and see if you have the time EVERY DAY to respond to the cow. For many this is a labour of love and rightfully so, the cow has no choice.

    Cows will and do produce.

    Ever considered a goat? ........:)

    cheers,







    cheers,



    If you can honestly say yes, then a Jersey X cow is for you.
     
  13. purecajn

    purecajn Junior Member

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    Sorry again, I thought it was resolved. Won't see me on this thread any longer. Best of luck in your endeavors.
     
  14. Janine

    Janine Junior Member

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    thanks very much to both Purecajn and Floot.
    My current cow is Jetty who is an absolute darling, much loved and provided us and neighbours with cheese, butter, yoghurt etc for 4 few years but sadly she has become barren. (extension to or growth on her cervix, hard as a rock but she is fine otherwise, AI woman and vet both consider treatment impossible).. so I am looking for a cow with milk. I will not send Jetty off to the meatworks/market... will be looking for a new home as lawn mower for her otherwise will regretfully kill her at home while she is munching on her favourite food (Awful, I will go for a rare but stiff drink at the pub or somewhere well out of earshot) while neighbours do the deed.
    Very interesting Floot what you are saying about a quiet but not 'dairy' cow providing you with yummy milk. That is good and I will tell my neighbours who have considered doing just that.
    I'm going to look at the X dairy jersey today.
     
  15. Janine

    Janine Junior Member

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    It may be that some people would like to discuss lactose intolerance in cow's milk, other health issues etc and there is a thread:
    Lactose Cows Milk Intolerance; prostate & other problems... on this site if you want to take a look!
     
  16. Fozzie

    Fozzie Junior Member

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    I'd love to have a jersey cow for the exact same reason as you. I am personally bias over cows as I'm not a fan of animals that don't stay behind their fence. I have lined up a nice, quiet jersey from the dairy farm that I relief milk for to retire her when the time comes... she is just lovely!!

    What some people will often do, to relieve the burden of having to milk the cow once or twice a day is to use her to raise her own calf, as well as perhaps another calf or two if she will handle it. Then whenever you want milk, cream, cheese etc you can bring her in and milk her.

    It sounds like you've got the experience to know that it is a cow that you want. Hope the one you looked at turns out well and that you get lots of lovely, fresh milk from her! :)
     
  17. Janine

    Janine Junior Member

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    Many thanks Fozzie
     

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