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Hi Daniel,
we bought a 4yr old in calf Jersey/Ayershire cross 5 yrs. ago
(for $350 new zealand $ = appr. 160 USD), and she has been very good for us. We
strip graze her with the use of electric fences on about 2,5 acres. By letting
her graze this way we can maximize the rotation and thus avoid parasites. She
has never been drenched with chemicals or otherwise, it has not been necessary.
Every year she produces a nice calf that in turn when 18 mths old provides us
with our years supply of meat. 10,5 mths of the year I milk her once a day, we
share the milk with the calf until it's weaned - usually when it's 6 mths. old.
Normally I take about 4 ltrs.(1 gallon?), that also supplies us with our cream
and sometimes butter needs. We separate the calf from the cow in the evening and
milk her in the morning and then the calf goes back with the cow. This also
means that while the calf is not weaned yet you can easily go away from the farm
without having to arrange for someone else to milk the cow.
The cowpats get picked up and put on the compostheap for our
market garden. We don't feed her anything but good grass and in winter hay if
necessary. Getting her in calf is sometimes tricky, but to get the years milk
supply it's really necessary for her to have a calf each year. We don't really
want to have a bull around the place, though we have 'borrowed' one
sometimes, but the last two years we have used AI and although I think it's
better if you can use a bull, this has worked well for us, also if you have
a smaller type cow, like a Jersey it can be hard to find a matching bull and so
AI may be the only choice.
Linda
----- __ ___ -----
__ __: Thursday, 23 May 2002 04:37
__: Re: Cows
Thanks for the info Markess,
I would be interested in hearing more about
milking them. Do you know if they will produce enough milk for a calf
and a family?
I don't know if we have enough land for two cows
so we might go with a cow, sheep combo. Anyone have experience with a
sheep and a cow bonding?
The other breeds we are interested in are Jerseys
and Guernsey's. I would love to hear from anyone
with those breeds.
Daniel
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Wednesday, May 22, 2002 9:08
AM
Subject: Re: Cows
Daniel,
excuse me for horning in here.
We have a
Highland Fold. They. Sir Robert Hoye in command, five gals, a 2 year old
Bull, two yearlings M&F and three calves at the moment.
They
work ~45 acres. We do not rotation graze them, for a good portion of their
job is landscaping hills sized full of wild apples and pulling &
creating paddocks would be alota work. They still do a ok job minimizing
weeds, parsnip, Buckthorn, multiflora rose, etc. but would do better a
paddock at a time.
Energetically I enjoy their seasonal and daily
routines of coming and going, RS indicates they are healthier to having
access to herbs, dirt & water to match their own needs. But if their
job was beef production rotational pasturing would produce better. We do
not milk but I know Highland cows who are and it's very high in butterfat.
If I had a barn I would consider it. They are very tamable with grain
& sweets as Allan will point out.
Your fruit trees would be in
some danger but less with cows - de bulls sit on trees for their lady
friends to graze on the tops esp on hot days. If you provided good big
scratching posts of various sizes one wrapped with barb wire! yes they
love it, the rubbing on the trees would be minimal. They love to groom
& spend a good deal grooming each other. They are amazing loving
animals with real karma & huge personalities.
In Love &
Light
Markess
From: "D"
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Reply-To:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Date: Tue, 21 May 2002 20:31:56
-0700
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Re:
Cows
Steve,
I have an opportunity to get a small highlander
cow with her a calf for a
good price. Part of the pasture I was
going to use has some small fruit
trees and I am afraid they will eat
them. Should I be concerned? Also the
cow is not very tame,
would she become easy to handle with time? How small
is your pasture
and do you provide all your own feed or do import some?
They would
probably be my first choice if we don't go with a dairy breed and
can
work the fruit tree thing out.
Thanks,
Daniel
----- Original
Message -----
From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To:
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Tuesday, May 21, 2002 7:10
PM
Subject: Re: Cows
> I have a breeding pair of Scottish
Highlander cattle. They are docile and
> very sturdy . I
only have a small pasture so I bring them leftover field
> crops and
cut h ay fresh for them in the
season...sstorch
>
>
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