YEY.!!! I finally got to Meet My New Girl in Person! (Pics)

[paulandashia]

I met her 3 Days ago, and fell in love! :heart: She is just SO sweet and Adorable, and so TINY.
She's 5 years old, and just had her 3rd calf.
Will be Re-Bred at the End of July / Early August, whenever she goes into Season.
She's 1/2 Jersey, and 1/2 Hereford (I think).

Her name is Nellie-Belle.

She's going to be joining our family in about 2 months or so, after we move into our new home, and Hubby has time to build her a nice shelter and fence in her designated area.

I got to practice my "Milking Skills" on her, since I have not used them in over 15 years, it was hard to get started! :roll: LOL But I did manage to get about 1/4 of a small yellow bucket out before I thought my hands were going to fall off! LOL :lol2:
If anyone has any tips on how to milk faster, learn faster, etc, please :help: share, because I officially SUCK at it..!!!
I just hope that eventually, I will get as fast as the Farmer who is selling her to us..!!! LOL
(Then again, I haven't milked anything since I was 14, so almost 16 years now! LOL)

We don't have a pasture for her (as we only have an acre), but her diet will consist of Hay, Alfalfa, Pellets, Grain, crushed Barley, and occasional crushed/smashed vegetables/fruit. And fresh Grass hubby will cut each week with a non-powered mower. LOL

:banana: We are VERY excited to be getting her! :banana:

FIRST thig she is getting when we bring her home is a BATH, and a GOOD Brushing cause OMG.!!! :shock:

Anyhow, here are some Pictures of Nellie.

 

[bigbull338]

youll get faster at milking the more you do it.she is a nice looking cow.is she bred back.

 

[angie1]

Well!! Ain't she fancy! :nod:

Gosh, up until a couple of years ago, I milked goats April thru Aug twice a day. In April, I thought my hands and arms would fall off, so tired and sore! :cry2: By Aug it was a cake walk (actually by May).

I used to live in Ak, so I am curious as to where you got the cow. Only cows I knew of back then were in the Matinuska Valley, and not so many there.

5 years old ~ is a good age I am thinking. Has a few calves under her belt, will be patient with you. I can see that she needs a bath. :nod:

Anyhow ~ Good For You! In no time at all you will be milking like a pro!! :banana:

 

[paulandashia]

Thank you..!!! Thank you..!!! Thank you..!!!
I really need all the words of encouragement I can get! LOL
I dont have a lot of confidence wiith the Milking thing! LoL

She has been hand-milked for a few months with her first calf, but on a machine since then, so she will need to get re-adjusted to the idea of my (temporarily) inexperienced hands tugging on her for a long while! LOL
She did good though when I was practicing, although had to keep on muching on stuff to take her mind off of me pulling on her! LOL
I felt REALLY stupid! LOL

I got her from a man who runs a "Share" program up in Palmer.

She is the fattest cow they have, she was going to be sent to the slaugher, because she was not producing as much as they require (4 gallons + per day). She is producing just a bit over 2, which in turn, is PERFECT for our family
They were teasing me that I took their BBQ away from them for this summer! (I did NOT find that particularly amusing.! I got attached to the little goober already!)

In any case, he said that I can come by there every Friday evening, and "Practice" my Milking.
We are also going to have to work on her "Haltering" and Leading, apparently, she has not been haltered in a long while either.
So it looks like we have a bit of work cut out for us..!!! Me and her BOTH..!!! LoL

As to if she was bred Black, well, I dont know. I was told however, that she has been bred to the same bull for 3 years running, and all 3 calves were born white as snow..! (Except 1 had 4 black socks, a black tip of the tail, and a black star on her forehead) LOL So that'll be interesting to see..!!! LOL

Anyways, I am VERY exciting to be bringing her home.
She will make a wonderful addition, and will be well fed and loved.

 

[Double R Brangus]

Beautiful cow! Congratulations and good luck. I bet she starts giving you 3 + per day just because of the extra attention. :cboy:

 

[iowafarmer]

nice cow but not a herford jersey cross. Id say it is a holstien crossed with a black angus or lowline since she is smaller. Hope she works out for you.

 

[paulandashia]

Oh no..!!!!
OMG, I really want a Jersey-Cross!

Are you absolutely certain?

The man who is selling her to me assures me she is 1/2 Jersey, and 1/2 something else, I just cant remember what else. LOL

 

[milkmaid]

Maybe Jersey/Holstein... though it could be any combination of things. Brown swiss, angus, etc. Unless an animal is purebred it's pretty hard to tell what breed they are for certain. If she's thrown some oddly marked calves she could have something really odd in the woodpile... white park maybe.

Her breed is much less important than her disposition and how well she fits with your family. She sounds like a nice quiet little cow. I think you'll be happy with her.

FWIW, she ought to be in heat again within 45-60 days after calving, and should be rebred for the first time around 60 days. She may be producing 2 gallons/day now, but that'll drop pretty quick and you'll want her bred back and freshened again ASAP. The less time she's non-productive the less money she'll cost to maintain.

 

[KNERSIE]

Oh no..!!!!
OMG, I really want a Jersey-Cross!

Are you absolutely certain?

The man who is selling her to me assures me she is 1/2 Jersey, and 1/2 something else, I just cant remember what else. LOL

There is definately some jersey in her as can be seen in the dished face with the slightly bug eyes. The other part is definately not hereford, most likely holstein, could even be angus or simmental

 

[Chris H]

As stout as she is, I'd think she's only 1/4 Jersey and maybe 3/4 Angus. We had a friend breed some of his Jersey's to Angus and they were beefy looking until they calved, then the dairy in them really showed. The next cross to Angus resulted in a heavy milking cow that beefed up very nicely. I'd highly doubt a Hereford Jersey cross would result in a black animal or without a white face.

Have you tasted her milk? If it's rich enough for your taste, and she gives the quantity you want, don't worry about what breed she is.

 

[Chuckie]

Seems if you crossed a Jersey and an Angus you would get chocolate milk.
Chuckie

 

[Jovid]

Seems if you crossed a Jersey and an Angus you would get chocolate milk.
Chuckie

Well you would get CAM.... :lol2: :lol2: :banana:

 

[CattleHand]

How old is that cow? have you mouthed her?

 

[paulandashia]

She is about 5 years old, and recently had her 3rd Calf.
There are 12 cows there, 10 are his, and 2 are on lease from someone else (the one I am buying being one of them).
The man who is selling her to me told me a bit of history on each of them, and a few days later, he said that the guy who owned this one was going to sell her, and we decided we would buy her, so I knew how old she was even before I found out she was for sale.

Mouthed? What does that mean?
(I'm sorry guys, I am really new to this Cow thing)

 

[dun]

Mouthed? What does that mean?
(I'm sorry guys, I am really new to this Cow thing)

Mouthed is checking the teeth to (roughly) ascertain the age. If you know how old she is, that's pretty much OBE.