Cow Keeping! Questions!

[Winterose]

Hi guys,

So i don't have a cow yet, but my significant other really wants one so i figured a little research wouldn't hurt. I have lots of questions!

1. Are there any good cow keeping/raising books i should check out?
2. Do cows need/use stalls like horses do? (I know horses not cows lol)
3. Would just a run in shed in the pasture be better for them to freely go in and out of?
4. Can cows and horses pasture together?

I would deff have more questions later but this is just a start point.

thanks

 

[michellemire]

We have our cows in a paster they have had horses wit them u don't need a stall for a cow most cows aren't friendly like horse except if they where bottle feed

 

[mindylee]

I bought my father in law a mini dwarf steer yrs back.

Bubba lives with a older horse and is stalled every night.
I do advise that if you get a bull to have him fixed. They can become very mean.
My FIL steer was only 18 inchs tall at 2 weeks old. As a 6yr old now he is 46inchs tall at the shoulder and weights approx 600lbs. As a baby he was perfect looking and was sold to me as a miniature bull. As he got older, I noticed he is not a miniature but really a dwarf. But hes healthy and loved and spoiled and my FIL loves him and thats all that matters.

 

[learycow]

What are your goals for this cow? (milk, meat)

That will help you figure out what breed will work best for you.

Also, how much space do you have? This will also help you figure out if you can go with a large breed or a small breed.

I see you are located in CT. I am in Maine so climate wise, we are similar. I have a stall built into my garage. I have a few acres fenced in around it and allow my horse and cow (they live together as they are pals) to go in and out as they please.
I leave them a round bale in a feeder. They are usually out there eating (this time of the year) all day. When it is really windy they will hang out in the stall together. But a lean to would work fine as long as it's big enough for all of your animals to get in out of the weather.

But if you plan to have a cow for milk, you will want more than a lean to for milking time. Especially in the winter and on rainy/windy days. That way you are comfortable when you have to do your daily chores.

Feel free to PM me if you'd like. I have a small dairy farm and raise Holsteins, Jerseys and Normandes. Plus I have my shire draft horse and his buddy Norman the Normande cross steer. We were going to beed him so pastured him with the horse to fatten him up. But the horse got attached to him and freaks out if I take the cow away. So I think Norman is destined to live with the horse until he dies of old age