The lone cow.

[asy]

Splitting off from the thread on Chicken... 

jjmk98k said:

ON A SIDE NOTE.

for the last three years we have been buying our milk from a local dairy ( 15 miles away or 35 stoplights, however you want to look at it)

This milk is from cows that are fed all natural hormone free feed. This milk is so DanG good , even the 2% stuff...... and we like supporting a local farm, a rarity around here anymore.

when we run out and buy some "emergency milk" from the store.... YUK!!!! HUGE taste difference......

I'd love to know, just how much work is having one cow? Just a 'house cow' (no jokes please...  I'm not talking about myself... )...

I was thinking maybe a miniature cow (do they give less milk???) just for this purpose.

Oh, and, how long can a cow go between milkings???

You can see I'm already an expert!  :  So no info is too simple!!! 

Thanks heaps!!!

asy :D

[Furby]

I don't recall ever seeing a "miniature cow".
Does anyone have a pic ???

[DanG]

Having a family milk cow can really tie you down.  They generally need to be milked twice a day.  Not only is that a lot of trouble, but you'll have more milk than you can possibly use.  My thought is, if you can get a cow that will accept calves that are not her own, (some will, some won't)  you could buy calves that she could care for, and only milk her when YOU needed, instead of catering to HER needs.  When she wean's the calves, you can buy more calves for her to raise.  A good Jersey or Guernsey should be able to support 2 calves and still provide for your table.

[Tom]

Never saw a miniture cow but I know that a "Lone cow gives no milk".   ......sounds like it oughta be a song. :-\

You gotta let her visit the neighborhood bull and get in a family way.  Then you got to let her have her calf and get get rid of it before it drinks all of the milk.  Then you got to milk that big old cow twice a day.......  on her schedule, pretty much.........    She'll let you know if you miss the time .........'cause it hurts. :D

You got to clean and sterilize all of the faucets (teats) and refrigerate the milk.  Pasturization is a good thing.

You got to feed her well and keep her happy and healthy or you and her both might get sick.

then you gotta move all that fertilizer around to the garden where it'll do the most good.

No, you don't get Saturday and Sunday off.  :D

[Quartlow]

Speaking of cows we had the first calf of the season today,

MMMMMMMMMMMMM BEEF

One cow make slots of milk Asy
typical Guernsey , brown swiss or Jersy will produce 50 pounds or more a day, you better like milk

[Tom]

Well, I'll be dogged.  I just Googled up a bunch of Miniature Cow sites.   Y'all should try it.  :D

[Ianab]

Another option is milk the cow(s) and then feed mulitple calves. Like the others said a dairy cow can give enough milk for multiple calves. A Holstein Fresian should be able to feed 4 or 5. In fact we had problems with only 2 calves not physically being able to drink enough milk to keep the pressure down for the poor cows   The calves got crook from too much milk, the cows got crook because they weren't milked properly...  We didn't milk ours, just bought them in each day to feed their 3 or 4 calves in a pen. Then wean those after 12 weeks, and get another 4 calves. We ran about 20 or 30 assorted cows, some were beef breeds and just went out with their own calf, some went out with 2 or 3, and the best ones did multiples in the yards.
But it is a tie, twice a day, every day.  It's a big hassle do do with one cow  :

[pigman]

I wonder, do those minature cows  put milk in those small milk bottles? ;D
Do black cows give chocolate milk? :  I don't know why I wonder such things. :P

[asy]

Thanks everyone...

Tom, I knew that thing about the lone cow...  hehe

I have heard all about dry cows and wet cows, having been there myself... 

Here's a link about miniature cattle:  http://www.minicattle.com/

Hmmm...  it's sounding like far too much work...  Tom, areya sure they won't let me sleep in on weekends and push the <off> button if we need to go away for the weekend...  ???

Still it's an interesting topic to talk about...

He pigman, My kids have asked about the chocolate milk thing too!!!

asy :D

[Andy Mack]

the Lone cow sounds like more trouble than the loan goat  :D :D :D

[Furby]

Well I'll be Danged!
Ya learn sumtin new every day! 8) 8) 8)


L-plate, I have never had a cow (no pun intended  ;) ), but after dealing with a pair of pigmy goats, I figure a cow would be better.  ;) ;) My Mom still don't have any plants in her backyard.

[asy]

the Lone cow sounds like more trouble than the loan goat  :D :D :D

YOU ARE NOT GETTING A GOAT!!!!!

Listen to Furby!

The goat will NOT  just eat the lantana....   It will eat EVERYTHING in sight...

asy 

[Furby]

Yeah...... it will!!!

Of course they weren't milkers..........................on second thought, go ahead and give it a try, let me know how it works out.  ;)

[Andy Mack]

I'm enough of a goat for her     ;D :D :D

[etat]

 :D :D :D :D

I got a couple a cows I'd be GLAD to let anybody come over and milk.  I would like just a little warning of just exactly what day and time yer coming cause i feel like i could sell a TON of tickets to the event! 8) 8) 8)

[asy]

:D :D :D :D

I got a couple a cows I'd be GLAD to let anybody come over and milk.  I would like just a little warning of just exactly what day and time yer coming cause i feel like i could sell a TON of tickets to the event! 8) 8) 8)

OI!

I CAN tell the differrence between a Cow and a Bull...  (and between a story and Bull.. too...)   :D

Ya won't catch me trying to milk the wrong thing...

Must say, when I was about 14 I did 'work experience' with the Animal Research Institute in Melb, and we were at the Sheep breeding facility...

I was in the truck with two animal carers, and these guys were happy to take advantage of my naivete... 

Anyhow, we were there to pick up a ram and take him over to a paddock of ewes.

These guys told me that rams get really randy, and their 'boy bits' swell  (trying to maintain family rating)... They pointed out the football size of his bits...

They told me that the ram would go for anything female, sheep or not...  Well, I didn't believe them, so I got out of the truck to help catch the ram...

First thing it did was ran straight toward me.

The guys yelled in a panic...   HE'S COMING FOR YOU!!!!

Well...  NEVER did I move so fast!!!!!

They fell about laughing...  the DanG b@$t@rds...

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHA

Stayed in the truck and let them catch the darned thing.

They were calling me to help get him on the truck, but I said.. "No, I'm to SCARED"...   

First break I'd had all day! lol

asy :D

[etat]

Not kidding with ya at all asy!   These here I'm talking about are real cows, with bags and teats and everything.  Heck fire, one of em I just took a calf off of and she looks like she NEEDS milking.  Her name's Mrs. Bramah and I've had her about 6 or 7 years.  Huge, huge mama cow.  Pretty sure she's not pure bramah, maybe bramah and texas longhorn mixed judging from the size of her horns and her spotted color!  GREAT BIG gentle cow, always has been.  The other two are whiteface withoug a ounce of bramah in em. And I'd STILL pay someone to come and try to milk her or them and I'll just bet I COULD sell tickets to the event! 8) 8)

Ya think I should mention these are BEEF cows and not MILK cows? ???

[asy]

I'm enough of a goat for her     ;D :D :D

Pity you don't eat Lantana...

Although I suspect if I fried it in onions....  :D

asy :D

[redpowerd]

ckate, you got a bramish cow? does she look bramish? thread went from mini cows to bramish :
you dont want a pet cow. cows arnt pets, very few of them are smart enough to know you, yourself. and thats personally being with them three times a day. my goat milks out about a gallon a day, thats about enough milk for a conservative family of four.
did you folks see how much them mini cows weigh? it would be like having a stupid overweight dog that eats grass and leaves 'gifts' on your back door.

[Weekend_Sawyer]

Happy Birthday asy!! 8) 8)

What I want to know, is it true that if you tickle a cow would milk come snortin out it's nose!

[asy]

hehe Thanks for the good wishes...

OK...  Guys...

Here's a ONCE OFF NEVER TO BE REPEATED OFFER:

I promise and offer to ATTEMPT TO MILK CK's COW.

ON the following conditions:

• That it's done at a piggy roasting
• That Charles can assert to me that there's no more danger to my person than would be milking any other cow.
• That All Sales of All Tickets go to the CFI Benevolent fund or the MUDD project.
• That you bvggers don't laugh at me too much. (OK, you can break this one)

When deciding whether or not to accept this ONCE-ONLY OFFER...  Please keep in mind that I have NEVER MILKED A COW. (or a Goat or any other beast of farm, did milk a cat once, but that's another story).

Why? I can hear you asking???  WHy would I make such an offer???   Well...   Simply because I want you guys to put the hard word on Andrew to agree to taking me to the USA...  :D

AND for that reason, and that reason alone, I am willing to humiliate, and possibly maim, myself.

Also, sounds like a heap of fun!

asy :D

[Quartlow]

you dont want a pet cow. cows arnt pets, very few of them are smart enough to know you,

Cows is smart!! the cousins  beefers can tell when the 2940 we use to haul round bales is started they all run for the hay feeder. you start any of the other 4 tractors and they don't bat an eyelash. If they see you with a 5 gallon bucket in your hand they think they ar getting fed.

[redpowerd]

thats cause its food, thats all they know, food. oh and letric fences. they have their rutine and their habits, day in and day out. and they revolve around food.

guess they'd feel right at home here.

[pigman]

asy,
I doubt that cktate can assert to you that the cow will not hurt your body. If I have to milk a beef cow that has never been milked, she has to be in a squeeze shoot and back legs tied. Cows have eyes on the side of their head so the can see when to kick the person milking them.
Bob

[redpowerd]

its allmost like they have built in rearview mirrors.
friend of mine has wild angus. 60 or so run rampant over 180 acres of grass and 100 acres of woods. when they freshen you have to get them into a hedgerow, rope them into a tree then either put the calf on it or prepare for a milkin. you need a few guys to pinch her against the tree so she cant kick your hat off. ;D fresh heifers are allways great fun! >:( >:(