Carmel Farm

flowing with milk and uh... more milk

7:55, 2008-Mar-30 .. 0 comments .. Link

Well we traded our Jersey heifer yesterday. Dear Dandy just would NOT stay in the fence. She had been out so many times I thought for sure her and the neighbors accompanying escapee bull had had a rendevouz at least once. But spring arrived and her behaviour proved she was not with calf. Which meant she needed to be bred and it would be at least 9 more months without milk. Our last milk cow died of old age last fall. It has been a long milkless 6 months. So anyway last time dear Dandy got out of the fence and was standing in the middle of the road I told her I was sorry but she had to go. She got traded yesterday for a 2 yr old Holstein. I really don’t like Holsteins nearly as much as Jerseys and there won’t be as much butter, but hey, ya gotta do what ya gotta do. Holsteins give more milk so at least we will be flowing in the land of milk and more milk. For anyone who lives in the country I will tell you a family milk cow is one of the best investments we have ever made. She feeds us, and many of the animals on our farm. Worth her weight in gold. All for some grass and less than $10 a week in grain. And we should be getting at least 6-7 gallons a day, even from this young gal. Lots more as she grows up. This one was bred too young and is on the small side which is why we ended up with her rather than the production dairy she came from. Jerseys are worth more so they got the better deal but at least we got milk again