Alright dairy cow people!

[Cricket]

Why don't you contact the Guernsey association and see if they would be willing to give you an assessment? To be honest, my first thought was that she was an older cow. Her hip bones seem really prominent for a heifer. But conformation is not my thing. Can you tell if she has horns or are they scurs that are growing out?

And just a thought, not a recommendation: If you're not in a hurry for a milking cow, what about getting a registered calf? Even if you aren't into breeding stock now, if you decide in the future you have an interest, you'll have a good start. And any heifer calves you have will be more marketable. When I had beef cows, I had some kind of scrubby Herefords and my husband bought me a beautiful Angus bull. I ended up with some nice crosses and some scrubby crosses which could be sold as beef but not breeding stock. If I had it to do over again, I would have waited 'til I could afford better cows. It just gives you a lot more options.

 

[neener92]

Cricket, I'd LOVE to buy a registered guernsey heifer, but around here you NEVER see them....EVER! The woman I'm getting the two calves from said she never sees pure guernsey calves, and very rarely sees jersey/guernseys. If I wait I may wait a long time and end up paying $700 for a a baby calf that could get sick and die. She is guaranteed bred either to a guernsey bull or a holstein/jersey, they had her preg checked 2 months ago and the timing says she is bred to the guernsey. If I could get a guernsey heifer calf I might try to sell her (if I don't get too attached) bred to our angus bull. Or I might just go completely nuts and end up with 5 milk cows! Ha

The lady said we could have our vet preg check her before she came off the trailer, but since she offered that we are going to trust her. Also, our vet is an idiot, I mean he knows that type of stuff he is a large animal vet but I can't stand him!

Anyway, I've been talking with my dad and uncle about her all last week and I think we are going to go with it since its an even trade and they aren't charging for bringing her here.

 

[greybeard]

I'd recommend you personally look at the Guernsey if you haven't already, and and ask to look at the offspring of the bull they think she is bred to. This will give you a better idea of what that heifer's calf will carry traitwise. Otherwise, I've always liked the '2 fer 1s" deal. Assuming all goes well with the birth, you've nearly doubled your investment potential right out of the box.

they paid $5 to have them tubed

Not sure what you are referring to with the Jersey calves, but if it means the minimal check for Freemartin, passing the "100mm test tube test" is not a guarantee they can be successfully bred.
Sometimes, the vagina will be there with freemartin heifers, but there will be no ovaries and/or no uterous.

 

[neener92]

I asked the guernsey people for more pics. I bet they hate me! haha! We actually don't have time to go look at her, that is why we are having them deliver....We have a cattle trailer and everything, just too busy this time of year to make a whole day trip of it. I know it would be a much better idea it we did go look at her and I myself think its kinda stupid that we don't but with a farm full of critters that need tending and repairs that need mending it's hard to find time. I don't think they have any offspring of the bull, I will ask about that.

On the ad about the calves they said they are guaranteed to breed. I called and the lady said they are guaranteed to breed and they were tubed and what not, I know that still doesn't mean too much nowadays but I'll go with it, at least I'm not paying an arm and a leg for them. If one ends up being no good I would probably be ok with that, I could sell her at around 500-600lbs and get an ok price out of her at the stock yards.

Here are those other pics.

 

[Cricket]

I thought a heifer would have to be a twin to be a free martin? Where I work, we ship twin heifers at the same time we ship the bull calf.

I'll stop playing devil's advocate and just be happy for you getting her! You'll probably have a great time getting to know her before she calves.

 

[WildRoseBeef]

She's a little toed-out, but I think that's because of the long hooves that need trimming.

 

[neener92]

Well, I'm getting the calves in the morning! YAY!

 

[greybeard]

I thought a heifer would have to be a twin to be a free martin? Where I work, we ship twin heifers at the same time we ship the bull calf.

I'll stop playing devil's advocate and just be happy for you getting her! You'll probably have a great time getting to know her before she calves.

Yep, almost always twin to a bull calf, but I didn't see anything in the thread that definitely said either of the Jerseys was NOT a twin, and the mention of a "tube test" led me to wonder if the current owner might know something that hasn't yet been divulged. It pays to ask lots of questions--as long as ya don't go so far as to lose a good buy because of it.

 

[neener92]

Well, I just forgot to mention that. She said these are not freemartins, NOT twins to bulls, and not stockyard junk.

 

[neener92]

Got the babies home this morning. They are settling in nicely. The jersey heifer is freakin' adorable, she is gorgeous her eyes look like she has eye liner on them and her little butt has a big white spot in it! I'm a little sad the holstein/jersey is almost solid black I wish I would have told the lady I wanted her to be colored, oh well she's cute.

We might be getting the guernsey tomorrow, I asked the lady if she could get me papers from the vet stating the cow was preg checked and was pregnant 3 months when they did it. Hope I don't pee her off too much.