# Milk Cow



## muleskinner2 (Oct 7, 2007)

As if I don't have enough to do. I saw a Jersey milk cow, in milk, on Craigslist. I should have went outside and chopped some wood, but I didn't. I made the call, and am now the owner of a four year old Jersey. I can't get to the bank until Monday, so that is when I will pick her up. 

Now I need to find someone within one hundred miles who has a Jersey bull. I would like a new calf next spring. Now I need to build a three sided shed with a milking stall. 

Why didn't I just go outside and split some fire wood?


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## po boy (Jul 12, 2010)

muleskinner2 said:


> As if I don't have enough to do. I saw a Jersey milk cow, in milk, on Craigslist. I should have went outside and chopped some wood, but I didn't. I made the call, and am now the owner of a four year old Jersey. I can't get to the bank until Monday, so that is when I will pick her up.
> 
> Now I need to find someone within one hundred miles who has a Jersey bull. I would like a new calf next spring. Now I need to build a three sided shed with a milking stall.
> 
> Why didn't I just go outside and split some fire wood?


Too warm>


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## G. Seddon (May 16, 2005)

muleskinner2 said:


> As if I don't have enough to do. I saw a Jersey milk cow, in milk, on Craigslist. I should have went outside and chopped some wood, but I didn't. I made the call, and am now the owner of a four year old Jersey. I can't get to the bank until Monday, so that is when I will pick her up.
> 
> Now I need to find someone within one hundred miles who has a Jersey bull. I would like a new calf next spring. Now I need to build a three sided shed with a milking stall.
> 
> Why didn't I just go outside and split some fire wood?


Once she's bred, I have a feeling you'll love anticipating a new calf and a new responsibility! (But I think it might be next fall/winter.) Then you can obsess about chopping wood. Now all of us here can look forward to your new lease on life! Yippee!


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## muleskinner2 (Oct 7, 2007)

po boy said:


> Too warm>


It was 27 degrees here this morning.


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## altair (Jul 23, 2011)

You don't to try AI?

I am slightly jealous. I see some Randall cattle, think of our mostly empty hay pastures and get wistful.


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## Forcast (Apr 15, 2014)

Congratulations.
Get you one of the Swiss Maids a milking out fits and youtube


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## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

I totally understand. I didn’t NEED Nubian orphan kids, but the ad kept showing up.

They are almost three months old now. I am really looking forward to the end of bottles.


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## nchobbyfarm (Apr 10, 2011)

I'm genuinely jealous. Nice score!


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## haypoint (Oct 4, 2006)

So much easier to just get an AI tech to save you the trucking. You'll get the use of a far better bull and have a better, and more valuable, calf.


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## Tom Horn (Feb 10, 2021)

You show to be in New Mexico.

Since you only have one cow, artificial insemination would be my suggestion

This might be a starting place.

8 Cattle Veterinarians - New Mexico - Artificial Insemination (vetswift.com)

Four-year-old would indicate possibly third calf, second at least, so you could possibly breed her to a larger breed local/neighborhood bull, trusting that her pelvic opening would handle the calf at birth, if not.... You're screwed.

If you use AI and a vet, you could go the hormone therapy route in order synchronize her ovulation to get her bred, possibly even going for Embryo Transfer, rather than hoping to catch her in a natural heat and coordinating a vet/farm visit within the optimum breeding/conception window.

Not a big fan of hormonally assisted breeding outside of ET applications, however, you are the one who did say that you probably should have gone and chopped some wood. 



A city boy, Kenny, moved to the country and bought a donkey from an old farmer for $100.00. The farmer agreed to deliver the donkey the next day.
The next day the farmer drove up in an old pickup, pulling a trailer and said, "Sorry son, but I have some bad news, the donkey died."

Kenny: "Well then, just give me my money back."

Farmer: "Can't do that. I went and spent it already."

Kenny: "OK then, just unload the donkey."

Farmer: "What ya gonna do with him?"

Kenny: "I'm going to raffle him off."

Farmer: "You can't raffle off a dead donkey!"

Kenny: "Sure I can. Watch me. I just won't tell anybody that he's dead."

A month later the farmer met up with Kenny at the feed store and asked, "What happened with that dead donkey?"

Kenny: "I raffled him off. I sold 500 tickets at two dollars apiece and made a profit of $898.00."

Farmer: "Didn't anyone complain?"

Kenny: "Just the guy that won, so I gave him his two dollars back."


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## muleskinner2 (Oct 7, 2007)

The cost of AI here is about $300.00, or I could just let her outside my fence for a few days and she will be bred by my neighbors Angus bull. Angus throw small calves, about the size of a medium size dog, so she shouldn't have a problem. Her first two calves were from Angus bulls.

My county extension agent said I could do AI with a guaranteed heifer calf for only $500.00, so neighbors bull it is.


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## haypoint (Oct 4, 2006)

muleskinner2 said:


> The cost of AI here is about $300.00, or I could just let her outside my fence for a few days and she will be bred by my neighbors Angus bull. Angus throw small calves, about the size of a medium size dog, so she shouldn't have a problem. Her first two calves were from Angus bulls.
> 
> My county extension agent said I could do AI with a guaranteed heifer calf for only $500.00, so neighbors bull it is.


Sort of. But there are also many Angus bulls that throw large calves. By using AI, they have the data for "Calving Ease", so you reduce your risks. With the past 20 years of "Angus Advantage", anything Black must be an Angus. Some are, but some are part Holstein, too. Once you pull an oversized calf out in several pieces or lose a cow with a hip locked calf, you get real cautious.


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## muleskinner2 (Oct 7, 2007)

haypoint said:


> Sort of. But there are also many Angus bulls that throw large calves. By using AI, they have the data for "Calving Ease", so you reduce your risks. With the past 20 years of "Angus Advantage", anything Black must be an Angus. Some are, but some are part Holstein, too. Once you pull an oversized calf out in several pieces or lose a cow with a hip locked calf, you get real cautious.


When I was a kid, my father got a Durham bull. I know all I need to about pulling calves, in several pieces. The Angus bull that my neighbor has right now throws small calves. They look like large puppies when they are born.


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## muleskinner2 (Oct 7, 2007)

I brought her home yesterday, she bellowed all night calling for her calf. This morning she was bagged up tighter than Dick's hat band. So I tied her to the fence and went to work. They had not been feeding her anything but poor cow hay, so she is thin. The doggie calf on her was as big as she was. Right now she is full of alfalfa, and a scoop of dry COB (corn, oats, and barley). 

I have two quarts of fresh milk in the refrigerator, and my poor dog has drank all she can handle. I milked about two gallons out on the ground.


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## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

sounds wonderful!!


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## muleskinner2 (Oct 7, 2007)

Alice In TX/MO said:


> sounds wonderful!!


Thanks, it's a lot of work for two quarts of milk. As soon as I can get a pen built, I will buy five or six feeder pigs. In six months they should weigh two hundred pounds each, and sell for enough to pay for the cow and her feed.


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## Tom Horn (Feb 10, 2021)

muleskinner2 said:


> Thanks, it's a lot of work for two quarts of milk. As soon as I can get a pen built, I will buy five or six feeder pigs. In six months they should weigh two hundred pounds each, and sell for enough to pay for the cow and her feed.


If you don't want the milk, why don't you make a nurse cow out of her?

Once she adopts the calf, (calves) all you need to do is feed her.

At six months of a full milk diet (I'd grain them too.), you could butcher the calf, (calves) for veal.

What is Rose veal?


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## muleskinner2 (Oct 7, 2007)

Tom Horn said:


> If you don't want the milk, why don't you make a nurse cow out of her?
> 
> Once she adopts the calf, (calves) all you need to do is feed her.
> 
> At six months of a full milk diet (I'd grain them too.), you could butcher the calf, (calves) for veal.


Because six feeder pigs raised on the same amount of milk and grain, will bring twice the money of one calf.


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## 67drake (May 6, 2020)




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## 67drake (May 6, 2020)

The cream looks yummy!


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## Pony (Jan 6, 2003)

Occasionally, seeing a milch cow makes me wonder if I should have a cow instead of goats... 

Only occasionally, though.

@muleskinner2, I wish you all the best with your cow, and look forward to reading more about your adventures in cow wrangling.


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## muleskinner2 (Oct 7, 2007)

67drake said:


> View attachment 106452
> View attachment 106453


The calf left some teeth marks on her teats, so she is a little touchy.


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## muleskinner2 (Oct 7, 2007)

67drake said:


> The cream looks yummy!
> View attachment 106454
> View attachment 106455
> View attachment 106456


The top photo is some of my state of the art, dairy equipment. The two quarts of fresh milk are in the fridge, waiting for the cream to raise to the top. And I am milking into this coffee pot because I can hold with my left hand, and milk with my right.


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## G. Seddon (May 16, 2005)

I am happy for her -- and you -- that you've brought her home! And you have a plan. Can we see a photo of the entire cow? I know you said she's thin, but we've all seen thin cows before. And then in a month or so, you can share a photo of her not-so-thin and we can all cheer! Congratulations to you and to her. What is her name???


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## muleskinner2 (Oct 7, 2007)

G. Seddon said:


> What is her name???


That depends, if she is standing still when I milk, or putting her foot in the pot. 

I just came in from doing chores, feeding the horses, mules, and milking. The calf that was on her was drinking about two and a half quarts at a time. Because that is how much she is letting down. Tonight when I gave her the pellets and grain, I poured two quarts of milk over it. And she dove on it like a fat girl on a candy bar.


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## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

Teetie Pie!


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## muleskinner2 (Oct 7, 2007)

Pony said:


> and look forward to reading more about your adventures in cow wrangling.


The cow is tied to the fence, the only thing I am wrangling are her t.... Did I just say that out loud?


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## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

Dangly bits?


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## Pony (Jan 6, 2003)

muleskinner2 said:


> The cow is tied to the fence, the only thing I am wrangling are her t.... Did I just say that out loud?


Did you say teats or tits?


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## 67drake (May 6, 2020)




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## G. Seddon (May 16, 2005)

Oh good, a photo of the whole cow. Yeah, thin, but she'll pick up in no time. Have you officially named her yet?


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## muleskinner2 (Oct 7, 2007)

G. Seddon said:


> Oh good, a photo of the whole cow. Yeah, thin, but she'll pick up in no time. Have you officially named her yet?


I name all of my livestock the same. Come here, and git.


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## muleskinner2 (Oct 7, 2007)

Pony said:


> Did you say teats or tits?


I don't remember.


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## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

She is definitely named Teetie Pie.


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## muleskinner2 (Oct 7, 2007)

Just finished putting up this mornings milk. When I first milked her, she was giving two and a half quarts per milking. This tells me that two and a half quarts is how much the calf was getting each time she nursed. The last two days she has let down three quarts per milking. This morning I got three and a third quarts, and she still had more. But my hands gave out. I haven't done this much milking since I was a teenager. It will take a while for my hands to build up more strength.


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## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

She is likely letting down more because you are her new baby.


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## muleskinner2 (Oct 7, 2007)

Alice In TX/MO said:


> She is likely letting down more because you are her new baby.


And I am taking all the available milk, so she is increasing the supply. From the size of her udder, she could give one and a half gallons, six quarts per milking. I am taking milk into town and give it away this morning. I can't bring myself to pour it on the ground. I need to hurry up and get five or six feeder pigs.


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## altair (Jul 23, 2011)

And her diet has surely improved too. Thanks for the updates!


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## muleskinner2 (Oct 7, 2007)

Alice In TX/MO said:


> She is likely letting down more because you are her new baby.


Well, she does come running to the gate and bellowing when she sees me.


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## rbelfield (Mar 30, 2015)

I love this story! I've thought about having a milk cow but we just don't drink enough to warrant it. She's lovely! Thanks for sharing!


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## muleskinner2 (Oct 7, 2007)

Just finished feeding and milking. I stopped at three quarts, she had a little more but my hands gave out. In a month she will be giving six quarts each milking, and my hands will be stronger.


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## 1032swiss (Nov 24, 2021)

muleskinner2 said:


> The cost of AI here is about $300.00, or I could just let her outside my fence for a few days and she will be bred by my neighbors Angus bull. Angus throw small calves, about the size of a medium size dog, so she shouldn't have a problem. Her first two calves were from Angus bulls.
> 
> My county extension agent said I could do AI with a guaranteed heifer calf for only $500.00, so neighbors bull it is.


I can't understand why the cost is so high. Here in PA *Premier Select Sires* provides arm service for $20 + a unit of sexed female semen for $45-$60

Check around and ask a dairy farmer if you have any nearby.


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## muleskinner2 (Oct 7, 2007)

1032swiss said:


> I can't understand why the cost is so high. Here in PA *Premier Select Sires* provides arm service for $20 + a unit of sexed female semen for $45-$60
> 
> Check around and ask a dairy farmer if you have any nearby.


I'ts the shipping, the closest Dairy Farmer is three hundred miles away.


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## muleskinner2 (Oct 7, 2007)

I got four quarts this morning till my hands gave out, and my little bucket was over flowing. She still had enough left on board to nurse a calf. I have created a monster. I poured a quart of yesterdays milk over her grain. Figured I would put some of the butter fat back in her system.


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## KSALguy (Feb 14, 2006)

Do they make Milking machines you can use by hand for cows? I know a guy that milks his goats with a small one.


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## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

They aren’t any better. You still have to squeeze.


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## G. Seddon (May 16, 2005)

I want to give a "hats off" to 67Drake for providing all the photos. Thank you, 67Drake!


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## 67drake (May 6, 2020)

One thing I CAN do technology wise-post a picture from someone’s text. I have it down to a science. 
Don’t ask me about loading pictures from my camera, to this website. Something about a cloud, files, blah blah blah


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## 67drake (May 6, 2020)

Latest pics!


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## muleskinner2 (Oct 7, 2007)

67drake said:


> View attachment 106859
> View attachment 106860
> View attachment 106861
> Latest pics!


Ok, top picture is from this morning. Everything ready to go for milking.

The 2nd picture is her morning cereal, pellets, COB (corn, oats, and barley), and a quart of milk. I think she is eating better than I do.

3rd picture is the load of hay I hauled home yesterday. When I was paying $14.50 per bale, it cost me $29.00 a day to feed all of my critters. Now at $20.00 per bale it's up to $40.00 per day. I don't know how much longer I can stand all of this progressive goodness.


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

At least she is looking better. Her ribs don't show as much as they did.


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## muleskinner2 (Oct 7, 2007)

Danaus29 said:


> At least she is looking better. Her ribs don't show as much as they did.


Yes, it's amazing what ten days of good feed will doo.


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## muleskinner2 (Oct 7, 2007)

I just finished feeding and milking. Ah, nothing like a glass of warm milk, straight from the source.

It takes me about fifteen minutes to finishing milking. When I started the sun was shining, when I finished it was snowing.


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## muleskinner2 (Oct 7, 2007)

When I sat down to milk this morning, there was one inch of fresh snow, and it was 21F. When I pulled off my gloves my fingers tried to shrink, really makes you appreciate two warm tits.


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## G. Seddon (May 16, 2005)

Another thanks to 67drake. Great pics. I love the milking stool!


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## muleskinner2 (Oct 7, 2007)

Well, I am no longer pouring milk down the drain. The word has gotten out that I have a milk cow, and I am supplying milk to three of my neighbors. I can't sell raw milk, so I am giving it away, and telling them it is not for humans. A gallon of milk at the local mom and pop grocery is $5.49 per gallon. On Tuesday I paid $4.79 for diesel, today it is up to $5.49 for diesel. By fall milk could be $20.00 per gallon.


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

I was surprised to see milk was over $3 a gallon a couple days ago. It's usually cheaper here than in most of the US. 

At least you have a use for the milk now. If the neighbors want to "pay" for the milk you could tell them bales of hay would be great for the cow.


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## muleskinner2 (Oct 7, 2007)

Danaus29 said:


> I was surprised to see milk was over $3 a gallon a couple days ago. It's usually cheaper here than in most of the US.
> 
> At least you have a use for the milk now. If the neighbors want to "pay" for the milk you could tell them bales of hay would be great for the cow.


The only hay they have around here is half grass and half weeds. I wouldn't feed it to any of my critters.


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

I keep forgetting, you have to truck good hay in. A bag of oats maybe or a tip jar for Cow? If I was getting good fresh milk like that I would want to pay her back somehow.


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## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

Back when I didn't sell goat milk, sometimes folks would buy me a sack of feed out of the goodness of their hearts.


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## muleskinner2 (Oct 7, 2007)

Danaus29 said:


> I keep forgetting, you have to truck good hay in. A bag of oats maybe or a tip jar for Cow? If I was getting good fresh milk like that I would want to pay her back somehow.


She eating better than she ever has in her life. One of my neighbors buys those five hundred pound square bales for her horses. She orders a semi load at a time. She said that one of the bales was too dusty to feed to her horses, she was going to dump it in a pit and burn it. So I took it home, cut it open and couldn't find any mold or dust, now the cow is knee deep in hay. And she gets a scoop of grain, with warm milk poured over top twice a day. She is eating better than I do.


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## 67drake (May 6, 2020)

Here’s one of my personal favorites!
“ Scooter don't understand why he can't help the cow eat her hay. ”


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

I read the post above the Scooter pic and was thinking you were going to make Scooter jealous.


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## muleskinner2 (Oct 7, 2007)

I am milking ten quarts a day, and she still has enough milk on board to nurse a calf if she had one. She is gaining weight, and in the morning when it is 28F, she thinks I have cold hands.


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## Forcast (Apr 15, 2014)

Hear you can milk to chickens. Pigs always got some but i never added it to chickens feed


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## altair (Jul 23, 2011)

Keep the updates coming. I'd love one someday. Our land abuts wetlands so it does get a little punchy. But if I can find an inexpensive roller...


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## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

My Czech mother in law gave it to chickens. She let it clabber first.


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## muleskinner2 (Oct 7, 2007)

No chickens yet. She gets a quart of warm milk poured over her pellets and grain, twice a day. My LGD gets a quart of milk over her feed. And I put a quart in the refrigerator. Do they make electric warming gloves to wear while milking?


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## muleskinner2 (Oct 7, 2007)

Today I pulled a cart into the cow pen to haul off the cow patties. As I was filling the cart, she was running around me and the cart, bucking and kicking up her heals. Then she stopped and shook her head at me until I scratched behind her ears. Now she just follows me around wanting her ears scratched.


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## altair (Jul 23, 2011)

Gotta love animal help. When I was removing goat waste earlier this morning from the cement pad, I had them jumping into the wheelbarrow.


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## 67drake (May 6, 2020)

altair said:


> Gotta love animal help. When I was removing goat waste earlier this morning from the cement pad, I had them jumping into the wheelbarrow.


Take us for a ride ma!


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## altair (Jul 23, 2011)

It was only one goat, but she would jump the fence and land in the wheelbarrow outside the fence. I had to move fast it didn't tip over: goat, poop, barrow, (and me)


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## muleskinner2 (Oct 7, 2007)

muleskinner2 said:


> As if I don't have enough to do. I saw a Jersey milk cow, in milk, on Craigslist. I should have went outside and chopped some wood, but I didn't. I made the call, and am now the owner of a four year old Jersey. I can't get to the bank until Monday, so that is when I will pick her up.
> 
> Now I need to find someone within one hundred miles who has a Jersey bull. I would like a new calf next spring. Now I need to build a three sided shed with a milking stall.
> 
> Why didn't I just go outside and split some fire wood?


Well, I found someone with a Jersey Bull. I will take her to her new boyfriend in September and leave her for a week. That should give us a calf in May.


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## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

Are you still milking her?


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## muleskinner2 (Oct 7, 2007)

Alice In TX/MO said:


> Are you still milking her?


I stopped a few weeks ago. I want her to dry up and rest. And the flies are so bad, she could accidently kick me to death.


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