# I'm getting a Jersey Cow!!!! She's soo sweet!



## woodsie (Jun 21, 2013)

The perfect Jersey came up on our classifieds and I just had to call...got all the info and the lady was super helpful...even threw in a holstein calf that she's gonna get started nursing on her so we aren't so tied to the milking schedule and we get some meat too! 

I didn't really think I stood a chance but the hubby agreed....he must really love me as his first inclination was definitely to say no. She's a 5 year old cow, halter broke, 5 gallon/day milker that is pretty much a no nonsense kind of cow. I am going to go out next week and look her over and hand milker first to make sure everything checks out before showing up with a trailer....I sure hope everything works out. I have visions of fresh butter, cream, milk, cheese...oh yummy! I can't believe its happening - I'm over the moon!


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## chicken pickin (Jun 21, 2013)

Sounds so awesome. Very exciting for you!!!! DH and I want cows, but we have a tiny lot and just cant do it(maybe one day). Please do post pics if you decide on getting them. CONGRATS!


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## promiseacres (Jun 21, 2013)

Hope it works out sounds like a good deal


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## Cricket (Jun 21, 2013)

.  And ice cream and yogurt and frozen yogurt and you really need it to supplement pig and chicken food and what animal isn't healthier for the addition of yogurt to their diet and then you don't have to buy milk replacer and . . .  (my Jersey heifer is due in 3 weeks--can't wait, either!)  Best of luck!


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## Southern by choice (Jun 21, 2013)

woodsie... you are living my dream!!!!!!!!!!!!!    :bun 

I have all the poultry, the goats, the sheep, the LGD's.... but no cow.  

So happy for you! 

and cricket... that just wasn't right... now I am thinking of butter and ice cream,, and butter.


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## woodsie (Jun 22, 2013)

oh, just found out a new baby will be joining us...yes, the human kind! lol! 

Not so sure about the cow now...eek...I want to but is it a good idea, I so want to...


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## Southern by choice (Jun 22, 2013)

:bun 

we need more happy emoticons!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A human baby is the absolute BEST kind! Congrats!!!!!!!

Get the cow too... it's like anything in life... you adjust.


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## Cricket (Jun 23, 2013)

Southern by choice said:
			
		

> :bun
> 
> we need more happy emoticons!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
> 
> ...


x2!  When did 'your' cow calve?  It might be that she might be ready to dry off about the same time you're ready for maternity milking leave, anyway.  You could always give her a longer than 2 month dry period for this year.  Is she bred now?


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## Stubbornhillfarm (Jun 24, 2013)

Congratulations AND Congratulations!!  

Babies are a gift and cows a amazing. 

Getting your cows is a choice only you can make because you know how much time you have.  But personally I would say, if you can raise your children from the beginning having home raised food, chores, learning about responsibility and life and death the better off they will be.  Again, JMO.


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## Four Winds Ranch (Jun 24, 2013)

Congrats on the baby!!!!!!     That is soooo exciting!!!!!
GET THE COW!!!! You are only super busy with the baby for the first month or two, after that you will be well ajusted and still be at home a large percentage of the time, and ya might as well be doing something ya love!!!! Nothin' better that kids growing up on fresh products from the cow!!!!!


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## woodsie (Jun 24, 2013)

oh you guys are such enablers - I love it! Haha I'm sure the rest of the world would think I am crazy. We are going to go check her out on Wednesday and see if she checks out...I don't want to be wrestling a cow, or have her with a nasty kicking habit...but I think if she's as no-nonsense as the lady says she is, we'll go for it. Around here it is not hard to sell a milking cow so if it really is not working we can always resell her but I am really itching to give it a try. 

She hasn't been rebred yet so if I did it within a month she would be dry around the time the baby would be due...sounds like it just might work out! Boredom certainly doesn't stand a chance around here! 

Did I mention my dog's in heat too so we'll have Pyr puppies in a couple months too...I think we might have the cutest overload around here!


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## woodsie (Jun 25, 2013)

Just talked with the lady selling her and she sounds perfect. She has accepted the bull calf beautifully and is totally in love with the calf, bawling when they are seperated...too cute. That was what I was most skeptical about, I wasn't sure how easily she'd just accept another calf, since her real calf was already weaned. 

She has also been hand milking her once a day for the past 4 days and no kick, dancing, just stands there looks at you and chews her cud. Perfect!

She has also been leading her around on the halter and she is getting good at following you. A couple tugs is all it takes and she's getting better. 

It sounds perfect and I am super excited....I think I can do this!


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## Stubbornhillfarm (Jun 25, 2013)

Sounds like a wonderful family cow!  Can't wait to see pics and hear about all of the great things you make with the fresh milk!


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## woodsie (Jun 27, 2013)

Well I went to check her out yesterday and she is a lovely cow. She is not show material but she is as peaceful a cow as you will ever find. I walked up to her, pet her and then bent down and started milking, right out of the blue...she took it all in stride, no twitch, kick, nothing. The milk was right there, easy let down and PERFECT handmilking teats! Perfect little milk handles! Bag's a little low, but she is 5 years old so she's not going to look like a first freshner (its okay, after breastfeeding 3 kids I can cut the girl some slack! lol!). We will not be pushing her like a dairy and plan to have a calf on her all the time so the major weight stretching factor should be under control. 

She is VERY protective of her adopted calf, and I am a little nervous introducing her to our dogs. Any suggestions would be helpful...I was thinking of letting the dogs sniff and check out the calf first before unloading the cow so the dogs get their major sniffing done without the cow freaking out!  Good idea or is there a better way?

I put a deposit on her and the lady said she would deliver for the price of gas + $100 which seems reasonable for 2 hr transportation and I think this will be the least stressful on everyone. 

Oh this exciting! I can't wait to skip the entire dairy isle at the grocery store!!!


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## Southern by choice (Jun 27, 2013)

Will she be going into the area where the dogs are or a seperate pasture?

IMO I would have the dogs on the opposite side of any fence she is in. Allow them to see you with her and understand she is now coming into the herd/flock. Bringing the dogs up to her too quickly will bring great stress to the cow and calf esp after transport... I'd wait and after a few days of seeing each other through the fence I would do a controlled ( dog on lead) one at a time intro.

Congrats!


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## frustratedearthmother (Jun 27, 2013)

Sounds like an incredible deal!  Glad you got to see her in her home environment.  She might take a little time to settle in at your place, but at least you know that her basic personality is wonderful!

Congrats!


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## woodsie (Jun 27, 2013)

Southern by choice said:
			
		

> Will she be going into the area where the dogs are or a seperate pasture?
> 
> IMO I would have the dogs on the opposite side of any fence she is in. Allow them to see you with her and understand she is now coming into the herd/flock. Bringing the dogs up to her too quickly will bring great stress to the cow and calf esp after transport... I'd wait and after a few days of seeing each other through the fence I would do a controlled ( dog on lead) one at a time intro.
> 
> Congrats!


I was hoping you chime in with your advice.... I can easily close the gate to give them their own pasture, well they have to share with the ducks but I don't think that will be a problem. That way the dogs and cow can get a good look at each other and get used to the idea of eachother....that should work out perfectly! Thanks again for the valuable advice. 

I am a little bit nervous but very excited....I sure hope this works out.


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## Southern by choice (Jun 27, 2013)

Having cows one day is my dream!

I need more land... with pasture though... so that one stays on the prayer  list.  

Pics? anytime is good! LOL


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## brentr (Jun 28, 2013)

woodsie said:
			
		

> She is VERY protective of her adopted calf, and I am a little nervous introducing her to our dogs. Any suggestions would be helpful...I was thinking of letting the dogs sniff and check out the calf first before unloading the cow so the dogs get their major sniffing done without the cow freaking out!  Good idea or is there a better way?


If she's as attached to the calf as you say, you may have a cow freaking out in the trailer because she can't get to her calf - especially if she can see the calf/dogs.


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## chicken pickin (Jul 25, 2013)

So how is everything going? Did you get the cow and her calf yet? I one day would love a cow but that is far in the future for us. For our dairy needs we decided goats fit on our property much better. But one day. I hope all is well with your cows your dog and yourself. Your gonna have tons of baby pics to share not too far off.


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## woodsie (Jul 25, 2013)

Well Bella and her calf Beef are home and have settled in nicely. She didn't know what to do with a field full of grass at first but now she is always hiding in the weeds munching on alphafa or grazing in the field. Beef (the holstein calf) thinks he's a racehorse and runs laps and races up and down a field with incredible speed and energy. I am sure he would love to play with my dogs and goat but mama doesn't really like the racing with the dogs and goats and then is galloping with her huge udder down the field too...funny sight but not exactly good for a middle age milker so they are in their own field at the moment. 

We are planning on adding a milking machine soon as I don't mind milking by hand but the rest of the family is unable to milk her out and everyone is nervous is anything ever happened too me they'd be hooped...I say, they'd figure it out. Before I got the hang of it I was milking her 4 times a day in order to keep her from bursting...soooo much milk, for an rookie handmilker but we got through it, and now I milk 1 to 1.5 gallons twice a day and Beef gets the rest. 

We are making cheese, yogurt, butter, sour cream (to die for) and much more and loving the results. Even my mom and brother that were previously unable to drink milk have to problems with the unpasteurized milk. My 5 year old daughter faithfully comes out with her own pail and gets a few squirts in her OWN pail and is making her OWN sour cream....too cute and I am amazed at her dedication and determination. So all in all it is great, oh plus I made a new friend who comes over and helps me milk 2 times a week and then helps me in my garden in exchange for the milk....my garden is finally weeded....who knew my garden would benefit from getting a cow!


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## Cricket (Jul 25, 2013)

That's just great!  Did you ever try the new (to me, anyway) ice cream makers?  You leave the bowl part in the freezer and don't have to use rock salt, etc. or crank.  Think mine was around 30 dollars and I LOVE it!  Awesome frozen yogurt.


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## promiseacres (Jul 25, 2013)

Awesome! Glad its going so well!


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