Why are almostall the jersey cows I see for sale bred to other breeds?

[ChickensAreSweet]

Does anyone know why almost all the jersey cows I see for sale on craigslist are "bred back" to anguses, herefords, and other breeds?

I was thinking about getting a milk cow. But I would want it to be a jersey- and the baby to also be a jersey. Why is this so hard to find?

 

[scrambledmess]

Many use the calves for their freezers, so they want to "beef" up the baby to something that was designed for the freezer aka angus, hereford, etc.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Hate to say it. That is why they are for sale.

A good keeper/breeder of jereys even though not GREAT, purebred, show cows, would still prefer to maintain the breed.
Sometimes, crossed with Guernsey, which does make a nice cross.

Crossing to beef makes little sense. Speculating, but some of this is careless breeding, some of it expediency.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Well, there is another thought. The Jersey cow needed to be freshened and a) the angus was just available? b) owner though perhaps the calf would provide a little beef? Could ask them, of course.

 

[Hound]

Possibly they have a vet like mine that never gets around to ordering the right semen?

I'm about to give up and just breed her to an Angus before we're without milk for an eternity.

They probably have enough milk with the one cow and don't want another to milk. Also a Jersey/Angus bull calf is a lot easier to market than a Jersey bull. Most people (and dairies) AI for convenience, so a bull calf sadly is 'useless'. Jersey/Angus cows can make fine milkers. They're hedging their bets.

 

[sourland]

Back "in the day" first calf heifers were routinely bred to angus bulls for smaller calves. Jersey bulls are the meanest farm creatures that I have ever been around. When I was in college the ag school had a herd of show jerseys. The bulls were kept in box stalls when not on pasture. They would come up the sides of the stalls and try to hook you much like Spanish fighting bulls. I don't know if all Jersey bulls are this aggressive, but these were monsters. I don't know how routinely available semen from Jersey bulls is for AI.

 

[Hound]

Jersey semen is widely available from a good selection of bulls.

 

[Beekissed]

No one keeps Jersey bulls anymore....you can find Jersey bull calves at the stock sales just about anytime, if you just need a Jersey bull calf and are not particular. For folks like me, I preferred to have a beef cross calf for butcher or for sale, as opposed to a Jersey full blood calf. If you get a heifer, you can make a little money off her but not with a bull calf.

It's much easier and cheaper to just to AI with some quality Jersey semen...they have wonderful sales! When you are wanting to replace your milk cow with a young heifer calf of the same breed, just do AI until you get what you want. Until then, if you just need her freshened, your best bet is to breed back to beef...this is a calf you can do something with, be it eating or selling.

And because the babies look like this little girl!

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

I think the main reason is to refreshen the milk cow, which they are keeping, but using the baby for slaughter, therefore that cross would have more meat on it.

 

[Cowgirl71]

Most people don't want to go through the work and expense of insemenating their cow with Jersey semen.

Dairy bulls can be very dangerous. I am much more comfortable around our 2200# Angus bulls than the average Jersey bull. When we had the 500# Jersey bull over the summer, I never felt comfortable turning my back on him even though I'm pretty experienced with bulls. He also was really destructive. Dairy bulls are known for this.

Dairy bulls can be hard to find. Beef bulls are usually much easier to find. Often times the owner of the milk cow has a friend who owns a beef bull.

A half beef half Jersey steer is worth a lot more at auction and is much better for beef.

A half beef half Jersey heifer can be used as a milk cow for someone who doesn't want gallons and gallons of milk, or she can be a good momma cow, or good for beef.

Many times the owner just wants to freshen their milk cow, and breeds her to any bull easily available.