# Thinking about getting a Holstein - any opinions?



## KellyHM (Apr 4, 2011)

A friend of mine is moving to Hawaii and needs to sell her 15 month old Holstein heifer.  My family has been in the beef cattle business for years, but I really don't know much about having a personal dairy cow.  My neighbors (that I get along with well) have a Holstein bull, so I would be able to breed her to him for purebred calves, or to a beef bull if I wanted to.  So what are the pros and cons?  Right now I just have my dairy goats, no dairy cows.  My family drinks milk, but not THAT much, so would it be a waste to have a whole cow?  (as opposed to half  )


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## redtailgal (Apr 5, 2011)

...............


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## Bossroo (Apr 5, 2011)

Some people down the road have 2 Holstein cows on their 5 acre pasture. They breed them to an Angus bull and then after  they calf, they go to an auction and/ or a beef ranch and pick up several drop calves.  Each cow then adopts 2-3 additional calves, so each raises 3-4 calves to weaning on pasture. They then butcher one calf for themselves and sell off the rest. Meat in the freezer, bank some mad money and no hand milking required.


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## freemotion (Apr 5, 2011)

If you were my neighbor I would be thrilled to milk for you part time and/or make cheese from the milk and split it with you.  If you were right next door, I'd milk full time.   I bet you can find someone to help if you want her, and to take the milk.  Contact your local chapter of WAPF, www.westonapricefoundation.org for chapter locator.


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## clarmayfarm (Apr 5, 2011)

I am a biased dairy farmer/Holstein breeder...but I think that it is a wonderful idea, if the heifer is healthy and walks freely, has good condition.

Most dairy cattle are pretty gentle, especially if you work around them for a week or two. They are not like beef cattle, in most cases.

One thing you could do is breed her, and when the calf comes, let her nurse the calf, and milk her for your own use. If you sanitize before you milk her, it shouldnt matter at all, and a good Holstein could easily feed 1-2 calves and your family.

dairy 
One thing I would definitely check out is if the heifer is a FREEMARTIN. Oftentimes, people end up with a lone dairy heifer at the stock sale as a calf - this could easily mean the calf was a twin to a bull, and may not be breedable (repro tract not viable).  You may want to buy her with a contigency price if she will not breed.

Good luck!

MBF


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## KellyHM (Apr 7, 2011)

Thanks for all the advice!  I went and saw the heifer yesterday.  She is super sweet and turns her head almost upside down to get you to scratch her chin and neck.    I know she'll be big, but I grew up on a beef cattle ranch and know how to handle cows, so she won't intimidate me in that way.  The woman who has her also had her mother, so I know she wasn't a twin and therefore not a freemartin...good thought though.  

My neigbors with the Holstein bull already milk my goats.    I don't have a lot of time to milk and they have 6 kids so they go through a TON of milk.  I already talked to them and they said they would love to milk a cow and use that milk too, so that part's a go.  

The woman selling her is asking $500 for her, but I'm almost sure I could get her for $400 b/c she really has to sell her before she moves to Hawaii in June.  Considering cattle prices are what they are and she weighs around 700 lbs already I think this is a good price...any opinions?


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