Cows....Again

I used to breed and show registered Shorthorn beef cattle and my Father and I raised commercial beef cattle before that. All my life there had been cows some where around me. As a little girl I remember the arrival of Samantha the Jersey Milk cow, with a bow on her neck, a gift from my Father to Mom, because she always wanted a Jersey and Rosie our  Shorthorn x Hereford milk cow was getting old.

I have milked cows for family use, learning on Samantha who was a sweet tempered little cow. Then moving on to Candy {Holstein x Angus] who loved peppermints and Karen who was turned into a Milk cow when she lost her first calf. She was a purebred Angus cow and when in the mood stood still and when not in the mood could kick like a freight train!

My Father and I used to enjoy fresh milk, pinched from a gentle show cow called Grace. A lovely red, polled shorthorn who would stand in the pasture and  let me get a gallon of milk if I needed it.

Ralph and I had talked milk cows for our farm but had decided they were too big and we really didn't need cows at all. We would get goats and sheep. Well it seems Kentucky had other ideas. One of the biggest things we have learned here is the prolific growth of vegetation. Bush hogging cannot keep up with the grass and then the weeds take over. To bush hog grass seems a waste to us and to let it just grow kills out the good grass and turns functioning, useful pastures into weed patches a rabbit cannot get through.

So adjustments were made. Cows again have entered  my life. Our "Feed Guy' told us of a dairy not far from here that has outstanding Jersey cattle, well bred show stock. They sell their mature cows to make room for up and coming young stock. Dan gave us the number and said they always have a few for sale.

We went up to see Mr. Rider after a phone call discussing what we were looking for. It was early December. He had picked out a 7 year old who was a solid cow. He runs 300 head of Registered Jersey's and they are beautiful. The cow he had pulled from the herd for us to look at looked at us with big, dark, liquid Jersey eyes and we liked her right away. I asked about her age, the average age of an American commercial milk cow is 5. He said that for family use she would produce well for another 10 years [ I felt a bit of the used car salesman in that statement but if she produced well for 5 more years it would be just fine.]

We made a deal and the cow would be delivered between Christmas and New Years. Well that didn't happen. The delays of barn repair and fence build due to weather dragged all the projects on for weeks longer than expected. Mr. Rider had said he would give us a bull calf for company for the cow, and that he would call us when he was going to deliver her. No call came...we were not too worried because we really were not ready. Ralph had found a lovely heifer calf, a Holstein x Angus, that one of the young barn builders had for sale. We decided the price was right and decided to buy her. She got delivered in the middle of the construction. We put her in the Apple orchard and she adjusted quite well although the first attempt at getting her up to the barn could have gone better.

We called her Mischief and she is the very first cow Ralph has ever owned. He is quite taken with her and spent a lot of time talking to her. In just three trips up from the orchard she learned which stall was hers, she would run and buck, acting like she was never going to come in, then follow Ralph right to the barn.

Ralph talking to 'His' cow.

The  first week of January saw Ralph call Mike. He had had several unforeseen crisis and would deliver the cow as soon as possible but it would be closed to the end of the month. That was fine by us because of our delays.

Well this week saw the arrival of our new Jersey. She was supposed to arrive Wednesday but got here on Thursday. She looked so thin...he had taken her off feed the day before to get preg tested, then missed the vet. So she got here after a delayed preg test and worming as well as 8 way and about as empty as a cow could be. The bull calf had just been castrated and was the saddest sight. I cannot say I was particularly pleased at this moment.

 A very very empty cow, but you can see she has class!

Then I realized that I was seeing her at her all time worst. We got her in the barn and then herded the poor little steer into the barn as well.

Its going to take time, this cow has come from a commercial dairy and is not really used to hand milking. She is quiet though and as we gently handle her she seems to realize that we can scratch her itchy spots and brushing feels pretty good.

Somehow it felt good to know they would only look better as time goes on.
Now we have three bovines...I  have had three milking sessions and I think things are getting better. We are not using the milk yet because of the pour on Wormers and shots that she had.  The barn cats took just one pan of milk to figure out milking is a terrific thing! The Jersey has decided that Mischief is okay but she does miss her herd.

The herd out in the South Pasture for the first time.

So our adventure continues...We have named the cow "Kate" after a dear friend of mine who things I am slightly crazy. The calf is now "Ben" although Ralph calls him Bambi half the time. The sound of a cow mooing when you reach the barn is pretty cool. We still have a long way to go to get this "dairy Rescue" turned into a farm milk cow but we think it will be worth it. Watching them out grazing in the pasture beside our new fence then bringing them into the repaired barn at night through the new gates and sliding doors is immeasurably satisfying to us.

Remember plans have to be flexible, we had no idea that we would need more livestock to keep our pastures healthy, now we have seen the growth capability of this region the cattle fit the plans perfectly. I have to evaluate how turning a commercial trained milk cow into a Family milk cow goes, it is not going to be trouble free but I believe it is doable. Not getting to attached to Ben is going to be a bit difficult....but we could use an ox, right? Mischief will be halter broken this next week and since she is four months old we will have time to gentle her to become our next milk cow.

We are so blessed to have this chance to try things. Take care and don't be afraid to try things you might not have expected to do.....like have cows....again!