Dairy Cow

[ederob]

Hi. I am geting a Jersey milk cow. Is there any thing special I need to knew about keeping them? Thanks!

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

There is a good book called the Family Cow that I heard was highly recommended back when we investigated getting a cow (but never did):
http://www.amazon.com/The-Family-Ga...TF8&qid=1358716671&sr=8-1&keywords=family+cow

Take my advice with a grain of salt though as we never did get one.

 

[ederob]

Thanks i will look for it.

 

[RoostersCrow HensDeliver!]

Plant a good pasture and keep it in good condition, that is #1.She should maintain good body condition just on pasture during the growing season with minimal grain.

A clean constant supply of water is very important. She's going to need a LOT of water to produce all that milk. That means investing in a water heater for your trough if you get winter weather below freezing.

Buy good quality hay for winter; alfalfa for when she's in milk and grass for when she's dry.

Have free choice mineral supplement, so her diet is balanced.

Find a good (local) large animal vet that is knowledgable, you never know when you might have an emergency.

Visit the "Keeping A Family Cow" forum online for more knowledge, they are really great over there too.

 

[ederob]

Ok!! Thanks!!

 

[kakhan]

Have you got it?Very good and easy to keep breed.

 

[ederob]

I got the cow yesterday. We tried to milk her today but it did not go very well. Any tips for milking? Oh and by the way we have a bucket milker. Thanks!!

 

[ederob]

Oh and we got the book and we got on the website.

 

[RoostersCrow HensDeliver!]

Hopefully you have a stanchion that you milk her in. Sometimes its just the new atmosphere will get them wound up. She's going to take time to adjust to how and when you milk.

Here's a few questions for you that would help me give you some advice:
Is she a first calf cow or a more experienced cow?
Did she come from a dairy or was she a house cow ?
Is she used to being hand milked or did they use a machine milker?
How long ago did she calve?

 

[ederob]

Yes we have a stanchoin. She has had one calve. She is three years old. We got her from some ones house. She was machine milked. And we don't know when she had her calf we will have to ask the old owner.