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Tractor Talk Discussion Forum

O/T Best type of Dairy cow to get

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george flores

08-31-2007 14:51:15




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I am in south texas and am trying to find the best type of Dairy cow for my dad. We used to have a old black and white cow for years when I was a kid and I would like to buy one for my Dad now that he is retired and living on the farm again. We have lots of acreage and other cows on the farm already. thanks for the input.




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Lee in Iowa

09-01-2007 21:23:42




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 Re: O/T Best type of Dairy cow to get in reply to george flores, 08-31-2007 14:51:15  
I know very little about dairy, but have milked out my share of first calf beef heifers to feed the calf and get it going, and I second all the advice to get one with big enough teats to get a hold and milk comfortably. Also have read about some people who leave the calf with the cow until they need milk and then pen up the calf 12 hours so they can milk the cow and then put the calf back with her until they need more milk.

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barnrat

09-01-2007 18:50:06




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 Re: O/T Best type of Dairy cow to get in reply to george flores, 08-31-2007 14:51:15  
I've never fed my Jersey's alfalfa. Heck the stuff don't even grow on my farm. Jerseys are money in the bank, they milk just fine off of grass pasture and a bit of grain. You sound like my in laws, all down on jersey cows. Of course they shut up when we bought their farm with all the money we made off of milking jerseys.



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RodInNS

09-01-2007 14:52:56




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 Re: O/T Best type of Dairy cow to get in reply to george flores, 08-31-2007 14:51:15  
If yer pullin' teats, get a holstein. There's a reason why the rest are endangered... The others are nice and all, but from a production standpoint, black and white is about the only way to go.
Ofcourse, for a hobby, you get what makes you happy... There isn't really a wrong answer there.

Rod



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Bill(Wis)

09-01-2007 06:13:55




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 Re: O/T Best type of Dairy cow to get in reply to george flores, 08-31-2007 14:51:15  
You sure are getting a lot of free advice. Here's some more. Why not experiment a little? I'd like to see someone try a holstein/charolais cross in country such as yours. Get the heat tolerance of the charolais and the milk production of the holstein. The Jerseyites didn't mention how finicky those little creatures are about what they eat. They'll go off their feed in a heartbeat if you don't show up with premium second/third cutting alfalfa with "no stems, thank you". A holstein will eat brush. In fact you have to keep them away from brush:>). They love it. Jerseys are jumpy little cows that you'll end up being a servant to. They're fussy little things, but cute. If you want cute cows, buy jersey. If you want a real bovine, get a holstein. All free advice.

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BLinWMi

08-31-2007 21:25:02




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 Re: O/T Best type of Dairy cow to get in reply to george flores, 08-31-2007 14:51:15  
I really have to disagree with suggesting a Jersey for your father. If he plans on milking by hand, that is the worst breed to consider. True they do not make as much milk but the small diamater short teats are not condusive to "operator comfort". I would have to suggest Brown Swiss. I have milked one herd of Holsteins and am now raising up a herd of Swiss and a few Jerseys. Swiss are the best pasture dairy animal from the research I have done and most of the time they have larger teats. I only milk one by hand right now, rest are heifers still coming up but I truely enjoy my Swiss animals and their at home nature in the field. I don't even have a barn, the cattle spend all year outside and have done amazing, even in West Michigan winters. A big Swiss momma would be my choice for a family daory animal.

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J.C.in AZ.

08-31-2007 20:15:07




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 Re: O/T Best type of Dairy cow to get in reply to george flores, 08-31-2007 14:51:15  
I know they are a Breed that is on the verge of extinction but I would suggest to get your Dad a nice Guernsey Cow of about 4 years of age. Have her bred Artificial to a good Guernsey Bull and the benefits are amazing. Holstiens/Ayshires are great in a commercial set up and Jerseys are a some times a little touchy to work with,but a nice Guernsey Cow will reward him with a lifetime of pleasure. I was raised with a milking herd of about 60 Guernseys along with all the other Springing Stock,Bulls, Calves, Dry Cows for a total of about 125 Head of the Breed. We never had a mean one in the whole bunch.

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Matt from CT

08-31-2007 21:41:08




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 Re: O/T Best type of Dairy cow to get in reply to J.C.in AZ., 08-31-2007 20:15:07  
Neighboring dairy farm (last one left milking in town -- though several others rent crop land) milks Guernseys. 'bout 80 head.

Pipeline milking system in a tie-stall barn that was built for Guernseys, so they would've had to invest in new facilities to switch to Holsteins, and they're very much "It's not what you gross, it's what you net" type farmers.

I figure when they retire and a Home Cheapo goes up on the farm it'll be about time for me to look for greener pastures in a more rural area again.

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J.C.in AZ.

09-01-2007 10:52:27




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 Re: O/T Best type of Dairy cow to get in reply to Matt from CT, 08-31-2007 21:41:08  
Good luck if you can find it. I've been all the way across this great country Coast to Coast-Border to ,Well I don't have a clue what you call that strip of no man's land to the south of us, and Housing is eating away at all the parts that are Hospitable. Along with Housing comes Commercial and all the ugly Human things that are going on in the modern world. I live in a Comparitivly rural area of Az. but at night the lights of the Phoenix Monster lights up the sky and Construction Mess is running rampant across the Desert with no answer to the Water situation but "The Government will take care of it". One Winter of no Snow on the Rocky Mt. West slope and see how much water means. My rant for the day. Good Luck. JC.

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msb

08-31-2007 20:16:51




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 Re: O/T Best type of Dairy cow to get in reply to J.C.in AZ., 08-31-2007 20:15:07  
Sure makes GOOD gravy !



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iowa_tire_guy

08-31-2007 19:51:59




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 Re: O/T Best type of Dairy cow to get in reply to george flores, 08-31-2007 14:51:15  
Okay since your Dad is asking for it I would say this: I assume he is planning on milking her by hand. Now my experience with this is that the individual cow and how easy she milks is more important than breed. Almost all dairy cows are breed for milking with machines and where the teats don't need to be real long to work good. But a good hand milker needs a four finger grip or the thumb and forefinger get real tired. Also she needs too not be real hard to milk. I learned all this in one week when a neighbor had me milk bossy will he was gone. I had milked many a cow with milkers but it was a whole different game by hand. The upside was we had some mighty good ice cream that week.

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Dairy farmer in WI

08-31-2007 18:56:30




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 Re: O/T Best type of Dairy cow to get in reply to george flores, 08-31-2007 14:51:15  
Get a Holstine or a Gurnsy. Holsines produce good but then again they don't put up with the heat as well. Gurnsys have a higher butterfatBUT not as high as Jersys but they produce more that Jersys. I got a mix of all 3 and am happy with them. i could be wrong sice i'm a youngin'but that's my opinion
DF in WI



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jimNCal

08-31-2007 18:34:55




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 Re: O/T Best type of Dairy cow to get in reply to george flores, 08-31-2007 14:51:15  
Just a side should be plenty for a retired couple. Too much at one time tends to freezer burn B4 it gets 'qued.



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rrlund

08-31-2007 18:26:37




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 Re: O/T Best type of Dairy cow to get in reply to george flores, 08-31-2007 14:51:15  
Don't ya think the guy deserves a rest in his old age? :) I got rid of my dairy cows 3 and a half years ago. If any of the kids brought one home,they'd better be here twice a day,seven days a week to milk the miserable thing.



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barnrat

08-31-2007 17:50:16




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 Re: O/T Best type of Dairy cow to get in reply to george flores, 08-31-2007 14:51:15  
Being you are in Texas you can't beat a jersey cow they take the heat much better then any other dairy cow out there. And that extra fat and protein from those jerseys wouldn't hurt anybody s heart. Although I'm a bit bias, I milk about 40 of them.

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J.C.in AZ.

08-31-2007 20:19:35




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 Re: O/T Best type of Dairy cow to get in reply to barnrat, 08-31-2007 17:50:16  
Gotcha some nice Cows there but that Black/White is bringing up the rear. Doing the Quantity/Butter Fat thing I guess. I like to see Dairy Cows on the "Grass". Here in Az. they are all in big lots and piles of dried out Manure is all the bedding they will ever see.



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low budget

09-01-2007 03:35:32




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 Re: O/T Best type of Dairy cow to get in reply to J.C.in AZ., 08-31-2007 20:19:35  
I have mostly Jerseys too. I keep a Holstein just to rinse out the pipeline. :>)



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rodgernbama

08-31-2007 17:35:22




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 Re: O/T Best type of Dairy cow to get in reply to george flores, 08-31-2007 14:51:15  
I'd go with a Jersey milk cow. My dad had them growing up on the farm. That was what he had to do after plowing with mules all day.(Milk them that is.)



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george flores

08-31-2007 17:15:46




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 Re: O/T Best type of Dairy cow to get in reply to george flores, 08-31-2007 14:51:15  
Dad has wanted to get another cow for Milking just like the old days and now that the grandkids go down to visit very very often it would be nice to have fresh milk again without having to drive 40 miles to the local town. He would also use it to supplemental feed some calves that we get from the market on occassion. I would like to buy him one as a gift, it would mean more to him than another widescreen TV,.

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RobMD

08-31-2007 16:16:27




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 Re: O/T Best type of Dairy cow to get in reply to george flores, 08-31-2007 14:51:15  
A real purty one :)



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T.K. in PA

08-31-2007 16:15:12




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 Re: O/T Best type of Dairy cow to get in reply to george flores, 08-31-2007 14:51:15  
buy a Dry Cow



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mike in new mexico

08-31-2007 19:07:47




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 Re: O/T Best type of Dairy cow to get in reply to T.K. in PA, 08-31-2007 16:15:12  
I bought a dry jersey cow to help keep some weeds and grass down around my place and at the same time look pretty doing it, I bought her at auction around 4 months ago. now what a shock-she's going to calf anyday now !! My kids are all grown up,just me and the wife, I guess I know what I'll be doing twice a day...mike



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iowa_tire_guy

08-31-2007 15:54:19




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 Re: O/T Best type of Dairy cow to get in reply to george flores, 08-31-2007 14:51:15  
You have mentioned this to your Dad haven't you? This isn't a surprise is it?



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Walt Davies

08-31-2007 15:04:46




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 Re: O/T Best type of Dairy cow to get in reply to george flores, 08-31-2007 14:51:15  
if you want milk an lots of it get Holstein if you want butter and all the other things that come with milk then get Guernsey or Jersey 40 to 48 butter fat. But remember he's getting on in age an all that butter won't help his heart any to much.
Walt



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Jimmy King

08-31-2007 23:31:03




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 Re: O/T Best type of Dairy cow to get in reply to Walt Davies, 08-31-2007 15:04:46  
A good Jersey will produce 80% of what a Holstein will produce on 1/2 the feed.



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