[Ag-eq] introducing Bonnie

[nfoster at extremezone.com]

Hello to all:

Well, I finally made my decision about dairy sheep and dairy cows and purchased
a Jersey milk cow.  Her name is Bonnie and she is 7 years old.  She is
currently in milk and will calve in the beginning of May.  I got to see 2 of
her off spring and they were big and healthy.  I just got her home yesterday,
so she is settling in.

She can be hand milked or by a machine.  She walks on a halter and lead and
stands quietly while being milked.  I just tie her and she eats while I milk.
Sometimes she walks away when I try to catch her, but she will always come for
food.  I put a bell on her so I know where she is in the pasture.

She was shown at the fair when young and has been a family milk cow since.  She
is used to different people milking her, even children.  She likes to be
scratched, especially around her horns.  She was never dehorned, so has long
curving horns, which do not bother me.  Another woman was interested in her,
but was afraid of her horns.

  I'm going to save the cream and make butter.  I will also make some cheese.  I
already have people that want to buy any extra, which is good since she has more
than I can use.  I will stop milking her in the beginning of March.  Her body
needs a couple of months to get ready for the new calf.  She is bred to a North
Devon bull, they are red.  During the summer I will have both goat and cow milk
to sell; it will keep me busy.

I really thought about the dairy sheep, but they are so hard to find; it would
be hard to find new animals to bring into the heard.  They just aren't common
around here.  I also didn't want to deal with sheering.  Also compared to the
goats the sheep produce a pretty small quantity of milk.  My other concern
about the sheep were diseases.  There are some diseases that goats and sheep
can share and I don't want my goats getting sick.  There are few diseases that
goats and cattle can exchange.  It will be a lot easier to find bulls to breed
Bonnie with, there are several very close.

I will keep everyone posted on Bonnies progress.

Nella