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Breeding / Calving Issues
Best Nurse Cow?
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<blockquote data-quote="milkmaid" data-source="post: 315034" data-attributes="member: 852"><p>I haven't personally worked with Jersey cows, but I've heard some comments from folks that do work with them, that they can be downright ornery. Which makes sense -- Jersey bulls are some of the meanest around, so it doesn't add up that the Jersey cows would be the gentlest dairy breed. LOL.</p><p></p><p>Holsteins don't neccessarily give too much milk. I've had ones here that can only support two calves. Especially if you're not supplementing her, and she has to work on pasture with no grain. So you might be better off with a Holstein... a Jersey on pasture might only be able to feed one calf, and that's a lousy nurse cow. My only nurse cow right now has a set of four, six month old calves with a 2.36 ADG <u>each</u> -- which is better than some folks get from one cow with one calf.</p><p></p><p>Granted, I've only worked with Holstein nurse cows, but I haven't found them neccessarily hard to handle. I've gotten them all as older, 2nd+ lactation cows, and they transitioned fine (some of them took to it immediately) and I've halter broke a lot of them without undue trouble. BTW, I like a 1300-1400lb nurse cow, don't really care for one larger than that. I don't know what your definetion of "very large" is, but a 1300lb cow isn't that big to me.</p><p></p><p>Jerseys and Holsteins are by far the most common -- I wouldn't get too particular looking for any of the other less common dairy breeds. Tough enough to find a good cull without wanting a rare breed on top of it.</p><p></p><p>Hope my idle rambling helped you a little! <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite7" alt=":p" title="Stick out tongue :p" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":p" /></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="milkmaid, post: 315034, member: 852"] I haven't personally worked with Jersey cows, but I've heard some comments from folks that do work with them, that they can be downright ornery. Which makes sense -- Jersey bulls are some of the meanest around, so it doesn't add up that the Jersey cows would be the gentlest dairy breed. LOL. Holsteins don't neccessarily give too much milk. I've had ones here that can only support two calves. Especially if you're not supplementing her, and she has to work on pasture with no grain. So you might be better off with a Holstein... a Jersey on pasture might only be able to feed one calf, and that's a lousy nurse cow. My only nurse cow right now has a set of four, six month old calves with a 2.36 ADG [u]each[/u] -- which is better than some folks get from one cow with one calf. Granted, I've only worked with Holstein nurse cows, but I haven't found them neccessarily hard to handle. I've gotten them all as older, 2nd+ lactation cows, and they transitioned fine (some of them took to it immediately) and I've halter broke a lot of them without undue trouble. BTW, I like a 1300-1400lb nurse cow, don't really care for one larger than that. I don't know what your definetion of "very large" is, but a 1300lb cow isn't that big to me. Jerseys and Holsteins are by far the most common -- I wouldn't get too particular looking for any of the other less common dairy breeds. Tough enough to find a good cull without wanting a rare breed on top of it. Hope my idle rambling helped you a little! :P [/QUOTE]
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