I know how challenging (and maybe even stressful) it can be searching for the ‘perfect’ animal for your farm or homestead. Let me assure you that no such creature exists!
If you are looking to purchase a dairy animal in the near future, I can however, offer some information to help you decide whether a milking cow or a younger heifer would work better for your situation. Hopefully the points listed below will give you a new perspective that opens possibilities for you and your family. Please feel free to comment below and bless others with any additional wisdom you may have!
MILK COW - Advantages
She is a proven breeder. A cow cannot begin lactating naturally without having had a calf. Industry standard age at first calving is 2 years old, with a 1 year caving interval thereafter. That means, for example, that a 3 year-old cow should ideally have had 2 calves. Some people do wait to calve in first calf heifers at closer to 2.5 years, but in my experience, unless body condition (weight) is well managed, there will be breeding or metabolic problems (fatty liver/ketosis) if the heifer is older at first calving.
Consequently, if you are looking at purchasing a 3 or 4 year old cow and she has only had 1 calf in her lifetime, she may be a problem breeder. It is possible for a cow to have fertility issues or even slip (abort) a calf due to a host of factors such as: inadequate nutrition, exposure to mycotoxins, or a wide array of diseases such as Brucellosis, BVD or Leptospirosis. Since some diseases that cause abortion in cattle are zoonotic and can be transmitted to people, it would be wise to ask the seller if they have an idea why the cow they are selling has had so few calves.
She is familiar with milking and/or milking equipment. Training a first calf heifer to milk can be a challenge! A cow that is familiar with milking means one less variable if everything else is new to you :) Be sure to ask what style of milking she is used to: by hand, a bucket milker, tie stall/stanchion or a parlor. There may be little things the cow is used to having done in a particular way, which can help ease the transition from her place to yours.
Her udder conformation is obvious. Generally speaking, you should look for a cow whose udder floor (where the teat attaches to the udder) is at the hock or above. She should have a nice crease in her udder when viewed from the rear, clearly marking each half of the udder. This crease is where her median suspensory ligament is located, which is a vital anatomic structure for udder longevity. If it is weak (the rear of the udder looks flat with no crease defining right and left half) it may be more likely to rupture and give out, leaving you with a deep uddered cow whose mammary system hangs well below the hock and is near impossible to milk or keep clean.
Her udder health/milk quality can be measured. The cow you bring home should be free from mastitis, specifically Staph aureus and mycoplasma. These two organisms cause chronic mastitic infections that are near impossible to cure. Before making a visit to see an animal for sale (I would strongly advise against purchasing sight unseen!) I would ask the seller if I would be allowed to hand strip (milk) the cow so that you can assess her temperament yourself as well as visually examine the udder and milk. Consider purchasing a CMT (California Mastitis Kit) and taking it with you unless the farmer has SCC (somatic cell count) records available through DHIA (an independent milk sampling agency) or a lab. If the cow has regular test results available and consistently runs higher than a 150 SCC, I would also ask for a veterinarian to come out and collect a milk sample for culture. Plan to offer to pay for this test in addition to any other testing you may desire.
A milk sample sent to a lab that specifically handles dairy specimens should also be able to give you a milk component analysis. Although components will vary based on diet and stage of lactation, at least you will have some idea of the cow’s butterfat and protein content.
Her overall health records available. Most breeders will have records of vaccinations, deworming or will have a sensible explanation why they choose not to do those things. It is fairly common for older cows (Jerseys especially) to have had some degree of milk fever at calving, so don’t be afraid to purchase a cow with this history, but be sure to ask about the severity and if there were other health issues surrounding the episode.
Also pay close attention to subclinical health issues. These are diseases that the cow may be carrying that are not presently causing illness, but under stress may flare up. BRD (bovine respiratory disease), foot rot, Johne’s disease and Salmonella dublin are just a few that I would not want to bring back to my homestead. Testing or having a CVI (certificate of veterinary inspection) performed prior to travel is a good idea.
Her type traits are evident. Overall confirmation, or type traits, can definitely influence the longevity of your animal. The ideal Jersey conformation (and lots of other information!) can be found on the American Jersey Cattle Association website if you’d like to do a deep dive. Basically, I look for a dairy cow with a good clean set of legs that are neither too posty (straight) or sickled (curved), a nice straight topline (not swaybacked or arched), a large muzzle and a deep, wide frame including adequate width at the hip for calving ease. Most cows will be done growing by the time they are 3 years old, and unless there is a severe lameness, will not show drastic changes in overall conformation other than those that are age related.
She has an immediate ROI (Return on investment! :) Yay, you are able to enjoy milk and milk products as soon as you bring home your new milk cow. (Unless she is dry, that is…)
Her temperament can be assessed. I make this point only out of experience. When I was married and had a young family, my husband and I were milking 50 cows in a tie stall barn. Our oldest son was around 3 years old at the time and loved to toddle around in the mangers in front of the cows, usually with his tractors in hand. One day as I was sweeping up feed to the cows, I looked to see my son happily and aimlessly chattering to himself as he made his way toward me. As I was watching him, I noticed that one of our young Jerseys named Josie had started shaking her head as if annoyed as he was coming near her. This particular day, Josie decided that she indeed did not like the small stature of our son and as he walked by, lunged forward in her stall and with her head, knocked him to the ground. Thank goodness she was secured in her tie stall or I am certain she would have smashed or trampled him. It all happened so fast! Fortunately, I was right there and our son was not hurt. Also fortunate was the fact that he did not grow to be scared of cows all together! Josie was subsequently sent to market for her aggressive behavior, in addition to being a 3 quartered cow. I have no explanation as to why she exhibited such bullish/beef cow-ish behavior (shaking her head, blowing and lunging), but she is also the only cow I ever had that lifted a rear leg and reached around and to suck her own teat! So maybe she just had a screw loose. Anyway, my point is that it may be to your advantage if you have small children, for them to meet the cow for a first impression look at her temperament.
MILK COW - Disadvantages
Feeding history. If you are looking for an animal that has been given a particular type of feed (non-GMO, organic) you will have little choice but to simply begin feeding her your preferred diet when you bring her home. In addition, feed transitions can sometimes be difficult on older cows, so be prepared for a slight drop in milk production.
Bad habits have had time to develop. Like horses, cows can sometimes have ‘vices’ or bad habits. Your new cow may be in the habit of kicking the milker off before she is milked out, kicking when the milker is being placed on, or maybe kicking when stripped. She might be one-sided for milking (only used to people on one side or the other). Maybe she came from a big dairy and has never seen an electric fence, in which case she may learn to test it, or even run through it! These are minor issues that can be improved with a little time and effort, but are a nuisance and a test of patience for sure!
Difficulty bonding. Part of the reward of working with an animal every day is the bond that forms between you and the animal. Since animals have different temperaments, similar to us humans, you may find it difficult to bond with an animal that is very different from you. Some are more timid while others can be quite playful or downright brazen! If you were hoping to find the idyllic sweet Jersey cow who loves cuddles and hugs, simply be prepared that this may not not happen immediately, or at all.
Higher initial cost. Generally speaking, you will pay more for a milking animal than you will for a heifer. With a little simple math, you should be able to calculate whether paying more upfront for a dairy cow is a cost benefit over spending less on a heifer and feeding/breeding her until lactation begins.
Size may be intimidating. Cows are obviously larger than heifers, and if you have only had experience with smaller ruminants such as goats or sheep, even a small Jersey cow can be intimidating if she turns out to be a little ‘bossy’. It is good to have some knowledge of cow behavior so that you can assess whether the animal is acting out in fear or aggression toward you or your children, as we described above.
Metabolic and fresh cow problems. Although the seller will hopefully provide you with health records, the likelihood of metabolic disorders (like milk fever) increases with age and each subsequent lactation. If you do not have access to a good dairy veterinarian, or neighbors experienced with dairy cows, I would do some extra research so that you feel comfortable recognizing signs of these disorders, or perhaps give some extra thought about purchasing an older cow.
Facility preparation. It is important, especially in a colder climate (like here in Wisconsin) that you have a proper shelter, milking and feeding/watering area when you bring home a lactating cow. Lack of good lighting/electricity and environmental challenges like mud, wind, slippery ice, frozen water, frozen teats (and your frozen hands and toes) are no fun! Having a good plan and facility in place before bringing home your cow just makes everything more enjoyable!
HEIFER - Advantages
Time to bond before milking. I have found that heifers who have been exposed to children make bombproof cows. They get used to the running, flailing, jumping, delightful squealing, bicycles, runaway balls and other fast-paced activities that may spook an older cow devoid of such experiences. My kids used to ride their trikes in front of the cows as they stood or lay chewing their cud taking no notice. That was because the kids were always around them, often having helped bottle feed them as calves. While not the norm with dairy breeds, it is always possible that a new mama cow (like Josie mentioned above) will view small children as predators and act aggressively when her new calf is around, so please always be mindful of where your children are playing no matter if you bring home a heifer or a cow.
A pristine udder. Again, a big deal since you purchased a milking animal! Unless sucked on by a herd-mate or kept in filthy conditions the month or two prior to calving, your heifer should have an udder completely free of infection when she calves.
Lower initial investment. Generally speaking, a heifer will be less expensive than a milking cow. As mentioned above, with a little research, you should be able to calculate whether paying more upfront for a dairy cow is a cost benefit over spending less on a heifer and feeding/breeding her until lactation begins.
Fewer metabolic issues at calving. It is unusual for heifers to suffer from the metabolic disorders (ketosis, fatty liver, milk fever) as older dairy cows around the time of parturition. This simply gives you one less thing to be concerned about.
More breeding options. You may have the opportunity to purchase a calf or heifer that is open, or not yet bred. If this is the case, you will have complete autonomy over bull selection, which can be very advantageous. For example, if you are looking to recoup some of your initial investment by selling a milking animal, or grow your dairy herd, you can breed by AI using sexed semen and guarantee a heifer calf around 90%. Or, if you are looking for an animal to raise for meat, you can select a nice grazing beef breed such as a Devon, Belted Galloway or Murray Grey. You can also choose A2/A2 bulls, or those with desired traits such as higher butterfat and protein milk components.
Although these decisions won’t impact the animal you purchase, it will certainly give you a jump start on the next generation!
Smaller size. Because they are smaller, you or your children’s first experience with a dairy animal will be far less intimidating.
More time to build/improve facilities. Since most dairy heifers are bred to calve at 2 years of age, you may have a year or more to determine what arrangement of buildings, fences etc. works best at your property. Areas that you don’t think will be muddy, you may find out become problematic. It is much easier to make changes in your setup if you are not already milking!
Time to acclimate to facilities. Dairy cattle (especially Jerseys!) are by nature curious creatures ;) As calves, I will allow them into the milking area to explore on their own for a few minutes while I am nearby doing other chores. Eventually, our heifers are fed a small amount of grain in the manger of the milking room and simply learn to stand in the correct spot for milking without being forced to do so. This is incredibly helpful when they begin milking as it takes one scary element out of the mix. Anything they can get accustomed to (the sound of a vacuum pump, a shiny silver bucket, your hand scratching their udder while they have their snack) will be one less thing they find to be distrustful about later on.
They are raised on your feeding program. You may feel more comfortable knowing that the animal who is feeding your family has been raised by you, according to your feeding regimen. (Verus one who has had perhaps 5 years of growth on genetically altered feed that is already in her tissues.)
Less exposure to disease. Unless the heifer you are purchasing is from a closed herd (one where no new animals are coming to the farm, and those leaving are not returning) there is always the risk that she may be exposed to new pathogens over time.
HEIFER - Disadvantages
Stress and age of transport. As you probably know, it is vital that a newborn calf ingest colostrum within the first few hours of life in order for proper absorption of maternal antibodies. These maternal antibodies are what help protect the newborn calf from infection until their own bodies can begin to manufacture adequate levels of IgGs. At around 4-6 months of age, maternal antibody levels begin to wane as the calf begins to increase production of its own IgGs. This is a time of vulnerability which can often lead to respiratory disease (or other illness) if the calf is transported at this age. Although I am also wary of vaccines these days, my experience with calfhood respiratory disease in a university veterinary hospital setting over the last 22 years is quite extensive, meaning I have seen a great many cases of severe pneumonia in young dairy animals that have ended in euthanasia due to suffering and inability of the calf to respond to therapeutic treatment.
There is available an intranasal vaccine for calves (stimulating IgA in the mucosa, at the entry point of respiratory pathogen exposure) that has been around for many years. If you are going to purchase a heifer in this age range (4-6 months) and are not comfortable with an intramuscular inoculation, you may want to consider the intranasal vaccine, waiting to transport until the calf is a little older, or consider a different age animal.
Unknown udder conformation or anomalies. I know, I know, all the talk about the udder is like a broken record, but only because it’s so important. Truth be told, you can never guarantee what your heifer’s udder will look like once she calves in. All the fancy genomic bull proof data are merely calculated projections estimating the phenotypic traits like teat placement, udder depth, etc.
There are two other points to make here, apart from genetic conformation of the udder:
1. Blind Quarter(s). As young animals are often weaned and raised together, there may be one in the group that has not kicked the habit of suckling. He/she may suckle a penmates ears, navel, or teats. A heifer whose teat(s) have been consistently sucked prior to having a calf will often freshen with a ‘blind’ or ‘blank’ quarter. That quarter will never produce milk and your heifer will only have 3 working teats, or fewer if more were sucked! A responsible dairy breeder is always on the lookout for “suckers” post weaning and will deal with the issue swiftly, knowing the serious consequences!
2. Udder edema. I would say that this tends to be more of a problem in high producing commercial herds than homestead heifers, but I feel is worth mentioning. If mineral intake is not properly managed, your heifer may suffer from udder edema when she calves. This is caused by excessive fluid retention in the mammary tissues that creates a very painful udder (I am speaking from personal experience here, as I experienced this same phenomenon right after the birth of my firstborn…thank goodness for frozen bags of peas!! :) In extreme cases, I have seen edema lead to cracking and sloughing of the skin and udder sores up in the inguinal area of the rear limb. The edema can be managed with topical creams containing mint essential oils that help cool and relieve swelling, but should be recognized and managed early on.
Not necessarily a proven breeder. It is rare for heifers to have breeding problems unless there are nutritional deficiencies or weight management issues. Occasionally however, a cow will give birth to set of twins. If the twins are both heifers, there is generally no concern for reproductive issues. If a heifer is born with a twin bull, however, approximately 90 percent of the time, these females will be infertile due to hormonal influence from the male while in utero. These “free martins” as they are called, will often appear outwardly normal anatomically, but will often be missing portions of their reproductive tract or have other anomalies internally that render them infertile. A reputable breeder would never sell a free martin without identifying the heifer as such, but if you have any concerns, simply ask whether she was a twin with a bull.
You are waiting for milk/ ROI. You may be in a position where you or a child is in need of raw milk due to an allergy. If this is the case, purchasing a young calf that requires waiting another year for nutritious food may simply be out of the question.
And again as mentioned earlier, a careful calculation can help determine whether paying more upfront for a dairy cow is a cost benefit over spending less on a heifer and feeding/breeding her until lactation begins.
Estrus detection can be difficult. If your heifer is the only bovine on the farm, knowing when to breed can be tricky! Don’t let this overwhelm you, as there are lots of online resources to help you figure out when to breed your animal based on other behaviours, or with timed AI and prostaglandins, if you are open to those practices.
Training to milk can be challenging. If you don’t believe me, just do a youtube search and watch people milk their heifer for the first time. Yikes! They come up with some crazy ideas to manage unwanted behavior. Over the years, I have developed a pretty good system and happy to share if you need advice in this area.
Old Cow, Young Cow - Other Considerations
Potential calving or mothering issues. Although I have never experienced a Jersey cow or heifer reject her calf at birth, I have heard of it happening. An anxious young cow may not ‘understand’ what the new little creature is and may actually want to harm her own calf, or she may simply ignore it all together. More likely, she may fail to instinctively begin licking and chewing remnants of amnion off the calf’s face…a fatal problem resulting in suffocation if you are not present to remove the fetal membranes from the newborn’s mouth and nostrils! It is for this reason that I prefer to calve my Jerseys together as a group. Sometimes a mature cow will assist a young heifer licking her calf…just be mindful that she does not scare off the new mom from her baby!
And while Jerseys in particular do not typically have problems with dystocia due to fetal size, other breeds (or a cross-breeding…like a Jersey x Brown Swiss bull) may create a situation where the size of the calf causes the calf to become “hip-locked” in the pelvic canal during parturition. This is an emergent situation that requires a veterinarian or skilled neighbor!. Although the head and front limbs may be out, much of the natural lubricant present required to reposition the calf dries up and the surrounding maternal tissues will begin to swell. Maternal swelling along with the ‘stuck’ calf, can compress the ischiatic nerve leading to a condition known as “obturator nerve paralysis.” You can read more about that (and other things mentioned in this blog) in the Merck Veterinary Manual.