# need advice about buying cows...dislocated hip...



## comfortacres (Mar 8, 2006)

hey all,

I found two cows to buy here in Virginia, and I would love to hear everyone's thoughts.

The first is Millie. She is with a homesteading family that takes great care of her and have gentled and haltered her. She is due to calve any day now,bred to jersey. She is 3/4 jersey, 1/4 holstein. She has 3 good teats, and a decent bag. Millie is 4 years old. I will get her, with calf at side, delivered for 800.

The second girl is a first calf heifer from a grass fed dairy, (who I would call either Havarti or Buttercup) who has a dislocated hip, from being bull bred. She is also 800. She is due around June. This girl has been gentled since she was hurt. Her dislocated hip is the side I milk on so she cant kick, and she is a registered jersey, bred to jersey. Her bag is not perfect, but all 4 teats are good and she is a good (but not high, which I do not want, because we only want to do once a day milking) producer.

I am interested in them both, and the only reason I wouldn't buy Millie is is there is a fluke and she is not bred.

As for the other cow, has anyone ever dealt with a dislocated hip? She comes from a really nice herd (I was drooling over the other cows he had there- they were so pretty!) and she compensates and keeps up with them just fine. I am concerned about her calving ok and just being ok over time (arthritis???) 

She got hurt about 4 months ago. Is there any way to get her fixed back? 

I will be seeing my vet next Monday and will be getting his opinion about her then.

I know that if she is open I would not buy her.

Any opinions would be mighty helpful!

thank you, 
natasha 
Comfort Acres Farm


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## DaleK (Sep 23, 2004)

I have seen and been around cows with dislocated hips. I wouldn't pay anything for one. I'd take one for free but only to put her in the freezer. As for the other one, she might be worth $800 with a heifer calf. A 3/4 cow with a bull calf, no way.


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## ozark_jewels (Oct 7, 2005)

We have a Jersey cow with either a previously broken hip or else its dislocated. She was in a dairy and the large holstien cows rode her when she was in season and crushed her on the concrete holding pen. She gets around fine, though a little slower than the rest. She has NO trouble calving and is a wonderful milk cow. Her hips are at a permenant slant, so you can tell she was injured, and she limps, but she is a good cow. We wouldn't trade her for anything. Here is Prissie:










I'm not sure would pay $800 for a cow with a dislocated hip, though. Especially if she has not calved since it was dislocated........its a bit of a risk, I would think. Prissie was absolutely a bag of bones when we bought her, and open. We paid $250, working it off as we were relief milkers at that dairy. I'm sure your cow isn't in anything like the condition Prissie was in, but I'd still say that $800 is steep for a cow with a bad hip. This was Prissie when we bought her, you can see the slanted hips and the way she holds the one leg differently:










The other cow sounds like a good deal if she is producing well in her other 3 quarters. A fresh cow with calf at side(heifer or bull), would go for more than $800 around here. And if its a heifer, $800 is a really good deal! The heifer alone is worth between $200-$400 if she is full dairy......


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## Jennifer L. (May 10, 2002)

I think the dislocated hip cow would be ok in a family cow situation, but $800 for a cow like that due in June (long ways off) seems high to me. Frankly, she's a cull cow and you shouldn't be paying much over beef price for her. I'd ask if they'd take $600 and if not, get the other cow. The other cow is also a cull, but she's a cull that's going to freshen right off. I don't think the 3 quarters is so much of a problem with a family cow, but she is older, so I'd make sure the three good quarters really are good.

Jennifer


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## animalfarmer (Feb 14, 2006)

I dont think that I would buy the cow with the dislocated hip for any more than jersey beef price.Remember that Jersey beef has a yellow fat,and that is an issue for some.On the good side however,you mentioned that she was bred.A heifer or cow ,a little pregant and fat,makes some of the best beef.If you can buy her for the right price you could milk her down and out ,then slaughter her and dress her out,and her carcase should generate some good beef for your familys needs.Best of luck.Regards,John.


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## Paula (Jun 3, 2002)

I don't think meat price would be $600 for a Jersey with a dislocated hip. Around here one that looks healthy will only bring around .40/lb. I'd bet one with a dislocated hip would only bring around a quarter.
We have a Dexter who has a dislocated hip from being bred. It happened 3 years ago. She's had 2 calves since then and raised them fine, but she's pitiful looking the way she gimps around. We expect it will significantly shorten her life. She's always just a little thin, and is on good grass. 
I wouldn't buy the one with the dislocated hip, seems like buying trouble to me. You don't even know how she'll handle having a calf.
The price for the other one seems ok to me, even with a bull calf, as long as her other 3 quarters are ok (no chronic mastitis.)


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

The dislocation will come to cause you problems. Calving seems to irritate it yearly, or it did with the cow I had and you really do have to consider AI instead of natural service breeding because the weight of a bull irritates the hip and arthritis can be a problem. I found that it seems to shorten their life expectancy and I'm not so sure that they aren't uncomfortable. If I were you, I would pass on her and look for a fully sound cow.


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## Up North (Nov 29, 2005)

Question is, would a cow with a dislocated hip even make the trip to your farm?...Or would she be down in the trailer on arrival and never walk again?


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## ozark_jewels (Oct 7, 2005)

Up North said:


> Question is, would a cow with a dislocated hip even make the trip to your farm?...Or would she be down in the trailer on arrival and never walk again?


Our Prissie did fine on the trailer and she had some very bad curvy, potholed roads.......dunno about this gal. :shrug:


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## 65284 (Sep 17, 2003)

I have 2 cows with dislocated hips. One was bred too young by a neighbor's rogue fence crashing Anus bull that broke her down, the other fell on the ice. My vet said it's very, very difficult to put a hip back in and get it to stay, that they would form a false hip joint and usually get along fine, and probably didnât suffer much. He was correct, they have gotten along fine and Iâm glad I didnât put them down. 

They are now the oldest cows in my herd, 13 and 14. They do get around a little slower than the rest of the herd but have no trouble grazing and stay in good condition. I keep a close watch on them, make sure they get enough to eat in the winter and shut them in the barn in icy or snowy weather. They have both calved multiple times with no problems. 

For what itâs worth, my opinion is: if you want the Jersey I think you should dicker with the owner and buy her as cheaply as possible. IF he will preg check her and guarantee her safe in calf, transfer her registration papers to you, and provide registration papers if the calf is a heifer. Pay in full only on safe delivery of the cow. 

She is young enough to give you several calves, so if you were fortunate to get a few heifers out of her she would be a steal in my opinion. Without knowing more about, or seeing the cow, itâs hard to say for sure. But, my experience says this is appears to be a moderate risk-high reward situation. As expensive as milk and dairy products and meat are it wonât take this cow long to pay for herself.

If I were closer and you didnât want her I would try to buy her, as cheaply as possible of course, but take her in a heartbeat, even at $800.00.


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## Country Doc (Oct 26, 2005)

The dislocated hip cow is worth about 25 cents a pound at auction. Not worth near $800. I bought one for $275 and sold her a year later . She had trouble keeping weight on when nursing and limping on the bad hip. If she tried to kick me while milking you would hear a creaking sound as the leg slowly came at you and so she never landed one on me. I guess you call that a positive.


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