# Help! Am I really such a silly cow?????



## Joanna (Feb 19, 2010)

Hi everyone 
Totally new here and sent across by the great people over at Back Yard Chickens. I've been left a property and land in the South Island of New Zealand with poultry and a pig. I have now returned home after a wee while away and have some young cows ( I don't think I'd call them calves) grazing in the end paddock. One of the people in the community, who is away for a week, has left word that he has bought these animals but hasn't enough grazing for them and thought that if I could graze them on my land until they're big enough he would leave me one as a goodwill gesture. At the moment I have done nothing more than look at them, five in all , and have made no commitment either way. Firstly, do you think I should go along with this offer? Will the cows look after themselves while there here? How long is it before they ARE big enough? and is keeping one a good idea? Do tell me if I'm biting off far more than I can chew or is it and easy ride? It would be really great to get some feedback.






 Joanna

http://gardencottageblog.ruqqa.com/


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## WildRoseBeef (Feb 20, 2010)

It's kinda hard to tell the age from the picture, but they seem like they are yearlings.   As for grazing, how big is/are your pasture, or property available for grazing?  They _can_ look after themselves so long as they have a fresh water source and mineral as well as plenty of grass to graze.  In the winter (if you get winters like we Canucks do here), be sure to provide hay. Cattle tend to be easier to care for than other livestock, I'll tell you that much.

The three Angus girls and Hereford-Angus X heifer (I assume they are females since it is also hard to tell in that picture) will definately grow a little bit bigger than the Jersey at the bottom.  Early maturing breeds like Angus and Jersey will stop growing by the time they are 2 to 3 years of age.  Hard to say how big they will grow to, but for sure the little Jersey will grow to around 900 lbs, the average weight for a Jersey cow.  But _are they all females_, that's the question I'd like answered.

If you have plenty of pasture to share, enough land that is more than enough for your other stock (which evidently definately looks that way), then I say it's an offer that may be hard to refuse.  Keep in mind though that cattle are herd animals, and one animal would certainly appreciate the 24/7 company of another one or two.  But if you do buy one or three animals, what plans to you have for them? Are you going to simply keep them as lawn/pasture ornaments? use the for milk? use them for beef? or do you want to breed them to create a little back-yard cattle breeding operation? If you breed heifers you may have a train-wreck waiting for a place to happen.  Heifers are harder to calve out than older cows, plus they need way more time spent making sure they calve out alright.  However if you are raising these animals for the freezer, then you have little else to worry about except providing adequate food and water until its time to slaughter them.  For milk, you have to have some sort of set-up where you can bring the cow or cows in once or twice a day for milking, like a barn or shed with a milking stall, for instance.

Though cattle don't take as much care, you still have to be prepared and have some sort of plan of what you eventually want to do with them.


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## lupinfarm (Feb 20, 2010)

I don't think in the OP's part of NZ they get winters like we do in Canada. 

I think I might like to move there now, its like northern Ontario light 

I can't say I've owned a pair of dungarees since I was a child, and my wellies are insulated for the cold weather lol. Hmm.


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## Joanna (Feb 21, 2010)

Ha! You'd be right lupinfarm. I think your Canadian winters are colder than the inside of  my fridge!...
Thanks for all that help and info Karin, gives me a lot to think over. The chart is real useful too. There's plenty of room for them. I have fifteen acres and twelve are in pasture. It's a long property that has the road running one side and the river along the other coming to a point where they meet at the bridge. At present I only have chickens, a pig and a couple of goats so there's no competition for the grass. Thanks again for your tips and I'll let you know what I decide.

 Joanna.


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## WildRoseBeef (Feb 21, 2010)

In that case, in your area you wouldn't have to worry about supplying them with hay.  Lucky you!!   Seriously, you have the ideal climate that allows for year-round grazing, something that is somewhat unheard-of for most cattlefolks up here.  Just make sure you have a good stocking rate number that won't allow you to have any problems with overgrazing.  With five head at the moment, and the quality of your pasture looking in good condition from what I can see, over-grazing shouldn't be anything to worry about.  

By the way, you still haven't gotten back to me on what the gender is for those five.


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## Joanna (Feb 22, 2010)

They are all girls ... and you're right about the  pasture too, there's heaps of it. The grass was cut just recently, ever before they arrived, simply to get it down a bit. There's maybe some frost in the winter but no snow where I am. We do get snow in New Zealand but it's further south from me. I've been thinking about it all and will take them on for now. There's nothing else grazing in the paddocks as I said and it will give me an idea of what's in store if I decide to keep one. I know now all the others are being bred for their beef. I'd be inclined to keep the Jersey for no other reason than I think she's the prettiest!!
 ( I know ... cringe cringe but I can't help it) .. Just over a year ago I was working in a fashion magazine in London now look at me. ... but do you know what ?... I'm loving it!

Thanks again.

Joanna


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## lupinfarm (Feb 22, 2010)

Ohh Joanna, you live in the beauty of Canada without our winters. I think I'm moving now LOL. NZ is like the lovechild of Newfoundland and Northern Ontario, without either winter. 

My family lives in a place called Twizel. No idea where on earth that is, but they have mountainous type backgrounds in most of their photos and I think they do get some snow.


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## Joanna (Feb 23, 2010)

Twizel? Is your family connected with New Zealand then? Twizel is about 4 or 500 miles south of where I am so no wonder they get the snow and it would be colder too. Nowhere near as cold as you would experience. I must head Canads way one year.

Joanna


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## lupinfarm (Feb 23, 2010)

My family in Twizel are Kent transplants  I'm not directly related to them, my only connection to them is my cousin who lives back in Kent still, its her mother and stepfather and halfsister. Her dad was my mums cousin, but I call her just my cousin. We have so little family lol that we consider 2nd cousins, cousins, and so on. 

Ohh My family is Essex born 'n' bred  My mum is from Stansted, dad is from Harlow, the only family not from Essex is my nan who is from Wales.


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