 Today there are 15 Jerseys registered with the 'Birdsong' herd prefix, but it all started with a cow named Blossom...
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 I'm doing research on the best calf feeding program for raising my Jersey heifers, and since I've received quite a few requests about the best way to raise calves I'm going to share my research with you in this month's CowTales post.
 I often read questions on discussion forums and Facebook groups from individuals asking if they should buy a calf or a cow as their family's future milker. There is not a black-and-white answer to that question, and what works great for one family might not work at all for you.
My first milk cow started out as a 9-month-old heifer; my second cow was a 2-year-old that was already milking. In this post my goal is to give you a few of the pros of buying a cow versus buying a calf.  I've known for many years that I was born to be a farmer. Every day is hard work, and there are countless highs and lows, but it's a lifestyle that I wouldn't trade in for all the money in the world.
Last year I came across a cute barn board plaque on Pinterest entitled "I was born to be a Farmer", and it became the inspiration for this post. These are the musings of a Modern Milkmaid™. 
I began keeping milking records when my first cow, Blossom, started milking in September 2004. I milked her twice a day and would weigh her milk every morning and evening and record the weight on my paper chart.
My paper charts worked well, but I needed to add the daily totals at the end of every day and then the monthly totals at the end of every month--all by hand. Shortly after I discovered Microsoft Excel I spent a weekend programming a new milking chart that did all the math for me. If you are milking a family cow--or a dozen on a small dairy--and want to keep daily milk records, I trust that my milking chart will be a handy resource for your farm. |
