When people start making plans to move to the country or to grow more of their own food, many start planning to bring a family cow into their lives. A pastoral scene is etched in the minds of many homesteaders, and that picture usually contains a contented cow grazing lush pastures, and the cow comes when you call, and calmly lets her milk down for you, and you easily milk her and carry your foaming milk bucket to the house. There your rosy faced children greet you, and open the door for you, and you tend to your milk. After that, you don your prettiest apron and make butter, and all kinds of cheeses. That is all in the morning. Repeat in the afternoon, leaving out the butter and cheese part. I know, I’m being mean, it doesn’t really work like that.
It can come close though, (except I don’t wear aprons, unless I’m playing dress-up) if you truly want a family cow, and all she can provide for your family. You will be rewarded with a close relationship with an animal, plenty of fresh milk for all kinds of dairy products, and a calf that will grow into a future cow, or beef for your freezer, and the best fertilizer (according to Steiner) for your garden.
What your cow expects in reward is grass to graze, fresh water, minerals, some grain or root crops to supplement her while she is lactating, comfortable housing, and daily kind care taking from you. She expects you to buy the best hay for her that you can buy, not the cheapest or best deal. Cows can get by on cheap feed, but it will cost you in the long run.
WHERE TO BUY A COW?
Family cows can be scarcer than hens teeth. Ask around, the local Weston Price chapter may have information on raw milk producers who are selling a cow or know of someone who is. If possible, try to avoid the auction barn, usually a cow there will have health or behavior problems, she is a cull, that’s why she is there.
If you want to treat a cow organically, check organic dairies. If you practice Western veterinary medicine check conventional dairies. Dairies may have a cow that doesn’t produce enough for fluid milk sales, but will give plenty for a family cow. The dairyman will probably give you an idea too, about the cow’s manners. You are looking for a gentle, inquisitive cow. Not one that blows snot when she sees a human.
Craigslist, feed store bulletin boards, 4-H clubs are also good places to check.
BREED?
I’ll leave that one up to you. Popular breeds are Jersey, Milking Shorthorn, Dexter, Guernsey, Holstein, and crossbreeds of any of the above. Some breeds have higher butterfat, some give more milk, some are small, and some are large. And be prepared if you start asking, people will tell you that you HAVE to get the breed they have because… . I won’t list the reasons, the more questions you ask, the more questions you will have. A lot of it depends on availability, you may have your heart set on a sweet doe eyed Jersey, but you just can’t find one that fits your criteria.
HOW MUCH SHOULD I PAY?
That depends on how bad you want a cow. Registered stock costs more. Grade animals and crossbreeds will cost less. A quick check on Craigslist today showed Jersey’s going for $1500.00. One had a sketchy sounding life in the ad, and one sounded like the cow had been managed well. If you buy from a novice, you may not get the whole story on the cow because the seller really does not know what to look for in the way of problems. If you buy from an experienced person you may not get the complete story either, there may be something to hide. Ask why the cow is being sold. There are no lemon laws to protect you from a bad cow deal. You have to be informed.
And remember no matter how sweet the cow is, and how much you want her, if you have to sell her because of problems – she will only be worth what she brings at the auction barn. In other words, cow price at the stockyards, usually about $.50 a pound. If your cow weighs 900 lbs, you can plan on selling her for $450.00. Then subtract commission fees, hauling fees and heartache – you don’t end up with much.
If she gets sick and needs certain drugs, she can’t be sold into the food chain and must be put down. Depending on where you live, you may have to pay a renderer to come and get the carcass. Or you may do the deed yourself, and bury the cow if the laws in your state allow it. Just some things to think about, before bringing home Bossie.
DO I HAVE TO MILK EVERY DAY?
Yes, and most of the lactation twice a day. I share the milk with my cow’s calf, so when the calf gets old enough to take one of the milkings, I let the calf milk. I keep the calf separated and let the cow and calf together at milking time only, then separate again. Before turning the cow out I make sure the calf has drank all the milk, if not, I finish the job. Leaving milk that has been let down, in the udder, is a sure way to get an infection going. Mastitis can be hard to treat, so if you can prevent it, your milking life will go easier.
DO I REALLY HAVE TO HAVE PASTURE?
Well, I’m going to say yes, because that is the natural feed for cattle, with a little browse mixed in. You can purchase all the feed your cow will need, if you don’t have pasture, but that is how confinement dairies work, and we all know how good that works. We have more and more medicine to treat livestock with these days, and the livestock is sicker than ever. The idea of having fresh milk is more than the milk itself. The life the cow leads is important too.
I would say if you have to buy a good portion of the feed, you may as well get your milk from the store.
CAN I SELL MY SURPLUS FRESH MILK?
In most places NO. You can’t advertise. You can give it away, or sell it as pet food. But the easiest way to sell your raw milk, is to feed it to a pig or two and sell the pork, or just raise the pig for your own consumption or for barter. Perfectly legal, and tasty too!
DOES THE COW HAVE TO HAVE CALF TO GIVE MILK?
Yes, and if they are healthy they should have a calf every year. And be prepared, you will have to possibly end that calf’s life at some point. If it is a heifer (girl) and you want to increase your herd she may get a bye. If the calf is a bull, he can grow up to be your meat supply. He will have to be castrated, and that will make him a steer and a little easier to manage than a young bull.
WHAT ABOUT BREEDING?
You can rent a bull, or have Artificial Insemination done. The old fashioned way (bull) works the best, but there isn’t always a bull available. Artificial Insemination can give you a purebred replacement for a good price if that is the way you want to go.
IS IT WORTH IT?
You’re asking the wrong person! Of course I will say it is worth it, I love cows. But yes, a cow will provide you with enough manure to compost for a 1/2 acre garden. She will provide you with milk, and a calf for beef and this is every year.
But this is a personal choice, and a huge monetary and time consideration, so make sure all family members are involved in the decision – and happy milking!
Not Dabbling In Normal 
$1500 is the normal price for a registered animal. There have been many ads in my state for registered cows going cheaper because the owner has no idea how to train their cow, kicking seems to be the biggest problem. Too bad they did read my article on training and milking your cow 😉
Good post.
Even though I can’t keep animals given my living area, I loved reading this post. It really is so much to think about, and gives me a lot of respect for you and the others who raise family or small-dairy cows. I’m curious, what started your decision to jump in and get your first cows?
God bless the farmers that bring the milk to market for us so I don’t have to raise a family cow.
It’s not for me, but I do buy raw milk and manure from a farm down the road. It’s a good arrangement for me.
Okay, I have a question. Probably a naive one. Gene Logsdon wrote about an intriguing family cow idea. The cow should be a cross between a meat breed and a milk breed. He suggested this as a compromise for half-hearted milkers. The idea was that the cow *could* be milked for a small amount of milk every day or most days. But since the cow would not produce as much as a typical milk breed cow, the owner could also let the calf handle most or all of the daily milk production, which would be generous compared to a typical meat breed cow’s.
He liked the idea of largely milk-fed “baby beef” that could be slaughtered at around 10 months of age. He also liked the lighter work load as far as milking goes; no more than once per day, and you could skip a day once in a while. He noted that it would still be work to get the cow accustomed to milking, and that it was in the owner’s interest to milk regularly so that the cow was used to it. He suggested that this would produce sufficient fresh milk for a small-medium sized family, but not enough for cheese making or butter. I think he said 2-4 cups per day could be taken during the single milking while still leaving plenty for the calf.
Does this sound realistic to you?
Oh and don’t forget good minerals Matron. I know you use them since we have discussed this issue before…but so so so many people don’t realize that sometimes minerals are more than just throwing a salt lick out in the barn. Some areas are better than others but some areas (like mine) require a bit more than just the lick. It just requires a bit more thought and a tad more money for great nutrition and to have the BEST animal and the BEST milkers possible. Unfortunately many don’t put forth the effort or else they don’t realize they need to. Nutrition for animals is a “lost art” that needs to be specific to areas—not standardized across the country. All parts of the U.S are not the same.
Actually right now we are without any type of milking animal….sheep/goat or cow — Bummer. Makes for more time…but more mowing hehehehe
Phelan, I think prices vary from state to state, a friend of mine just bought a mini-jersey heifer for $2500.00 and another friend picked up a nice Dexter for $800.00. I used to be able to get registerable heifers for $25.00 (I miss those days) Cow prices are all over the place. There are some good deals to be had for sure.
A gentle and firm hand will cure most kicking, I agree. I guess they didn’t read my blog series about care, feeding and training of a milk cow either!
Mangochild, my family has always raised beef cows, and kept a family cow. We went just for a short time without a milk cow when I was teenager. My brother did not want the responsibility of milking anymore and I decided to buy a cow myself, since that time I have never not had a milk cow.
Judy in Maine, keeping a house cow isn’t for every one that is for sure. In my county there are no more dairies, and it is a long way to the store!
Chiot’s, I agree, if you can find someone who is supplying the milk and will share in the manure, it is a great way to go. It takes some acreage to support a cow. And it is good for the small farmer too.
Kate, certainly Gene’s plan is possible, but a “half-hearted” milker doesn’t really put the cow first, and I believe that is what should happen. And certainly you can eat the calf at any time, that is where you get veal. It takes as much to feed one of my beef cows and her calf, as my Guernsey, the Guernsey gets a little more supplementation and supplies me with a year’s worth of butter, milk products, and enough for cheese if I choose to make it, plus the calf. I also don’t try to push my cow to produce to her full potential, so I’m get less milk and less health problems in the cow too. This spring I may be milking a beef/dairy cross myself!
Maybe a goat would be better for someone who only wants a quart of milk a day.
Monica, I did mention minerals along with the feed and water, but I didn’t go into detail on any one aspect of actually taking care of the cow in this post. My thinking was that this post would be for people thinking of just starting.
Phelan, I think it depends on the breed. I live in Great Lakes “farm country” and you can get a registered, trained cow for way under $1500. I think it depends on breed, breeding, economic times, season, and geographical location. It varies, in other words. I just bought a champion bull, registered, for $700. My registered cow was also around $700. They are both quality and were not sold for behavior problems.
I would also not rule out crossbreeds. The man we bought out Dexter bull has an organic dairy. His cows range from the “purebred” to the crossbreeds. All of his cows are milked daily and just because they are not registered breeds, they are competent milkers. He regularly culls his stock and this could be a great opportunity for a new cow owner to get affordable, quality stock. His crossbreeds are the product of whatever bull was available for the renting (he has requirements to uphold his organic dairy status), so his mixed herd of jerseys and Irish dexters are often bred by a bull of the opposite breed thus creating a mixed breed of jersey and ID. He loves these mixes (claims they are his best behaved milkers). He has since gone all Jersey (and breeds using AI exclusively now that we have his last bull), but his mixed cows still have a place in his dairy.
Just an opinion from the another cattle nerd.
If I had the pasture, I would so have a cow. Milking in the cold is ok – I am already out there stocking the wood stove so what the hay. =)
Don’t think I have enough space for goats. =/ Goats are on the county’s ‘no-no’ list anyway. *dreams of a agriculture animals*
I love your posts on cows and always read them with a romantic glow in my eyes. Then I think about it, and about your honest descriptions of the process, and the glow dies away. I just don’t see milking in my future.
Excellent post. I don’t necessarily agree that you have to have pasture, although it certainly is better for you and the cow. We don’t have much and what we have is poor (we’re working on it). We purchase hay year round. It is still far better than buying milk at the store for many reasons. And we have all our butter & cheese too.
I know people who keep a family cow in a small lot and carry in all the feed. The cows are well cared for and happy. If you are looking for more info from lots of people keeping cows, visit http://www.keepingafamilycow.com.
We did get our first cow, a Jersey from someone that purchased her from the stock barn. We were VERY fortunate. She’s a 3 quarter cow so I guess that is the reason she was shipped out. She’s been wonderful, has given us no problems in 3 years, and gave us a heifer 2 months after purchase. The heifer is also now a milk cow for us. But I don’t recommend this route as I know some that have had major problems and disappointments.
I know locally (Tennessee) that prices on springing heifers have dropped dramatically with the drop in milk prices paid to the farmers. 2 years ago, they were going for $1800-$2100, depending on breed. Today they are selling around $1500. You’ll likely pay a LOT more for a miniature Jersey. There just aren’t that many around.
We’re experimenting with JerseyxAngus to see if we can get a cow that will produce with poorer forage and less grain. Milking Devon is another option. They are rare but there’s a breeder not 5 miles from us! They are the breed known for Devonshire Cream. The owner tells me his cows give 1 gallon a day while feeding a calf on grass alone. If I can get one of my cows down to his bull, we may try a cross.
Thanks again for posting! I think EVERYONE should have their own family cow! They’re just wonderful!
You had me up until “Not one that blows snot when she sees a human. ” 🙂
The snot blowing scared me too! lol. Not even the smallest guinea fowl is allowed where I live now and there is no room for even a goat if one wants to leave them room to romp. The move to the country is leaving me with many options. While goats would be more convenient for me (and I do love a goat!), who can resist a glass of fresh milk or the taste of new butter? Growing up with it left me spoiled for the store stuff.
Thanks for the links too. We’ll keep reading!
Gina, all good points, you make me jealous and wistful about all the dairies that used to be here. The first milk cow I bought was a Holstein/Hereford – she gave a fair amount and the butterfat was bumped up from the Hereford. 🙂 signed Western Cattle Nerd.
Annette, why are goats not allowed in your county?
Hayden, my hubby thinks I scare more people away from cows than I convince to get them – but that is OK. It is a very time consuming 365 day commitment.
Kristin, thanks, and congratulations on your cow care. She apparently had a bad case of mastitis to cause her to lose a quarter.
I guess I was reluctant to recommend bringing in all your feed for a family cow, because I feel most of the readers are here to find frugal ways to homestead, and to not produce your own livestock feed, gets expensive. In tough economic times the feed store just may go under. And I have found it is hard to get the minerals right, when you don’t know the conditions and amendments that were used on the feed. My Guernsey does just fine on grass, and grass hay in the winter. I did buy some fancy horse hay for her to supplement this winter, but she only gets one flake a day, and I had to adjust her minerals after she started getting that non-native hay.
I think you will like the Jersey X with either the Angus or the Devon. A friend has a Jersey/Angus and she is a great producer, just a little beefier than a Jersey.
I have to ask about the Keeping a Family Cow link, every time I read it, it seems that there is a lot of Banamine and heavy duty antibiotics being used, when a lot of the problems appear to be from poor feeding and lack of minerals, or maybe cleanliness issues. Maybe I just checked in on bad days or something. It reminds of my horsey friends who dose and doctor and think nothing of spending more in one month on their horses than a family of 4 spends on their food budget. Of course, most are DINKS, and it is their money, but it seems impractical to me.
My thinking is that people who want a family cow, or their own food perceive that they can produce a better product than what is available in the store – so if that is the case, why repeat industry practices in a small farm setting. So much of what happens to a dairy cow rarely happens to beef cows because most beef cows are expected to pay their way. The farmer and rancher usually does his part and tries to time birthing in spring when grass is available for the cow and calf. That being said, I saw on a blog recently, a person who was going to burger her cow because she didn’t settle with AI breeding, the cow had been given hormones to sychronize her cycle and then was expected to take – meanwhile in the picture in the back there is a fat and sassy draft horse eating away probably secure in fact that he won’t have to pay his way, because the poor cow will. I think sometimes we expect cookie cutter results with our stock, and the natural world doesn’t always work like that. Especially when we have done such a good job of messing it up. Sorry about the rant – it is not directed at you, you must be doing something right for your cow, it sounds like she is doing great.
BTW, my cow did not take with the AI, giving me a chance to rebreed her this summer and get her back on a schedule I prefer.
Paulette, the snot thing doesn’t happen too often, but when it does you get out of the way. 🙂 Our cows have to behave around us, or they are gone – they can fight among themselves, but we maintain control.
Christy ACB, I agree it is hard to beat the fresh milk and butter. I guess you can keep a cow in mind for your move. 🙂
Here are some links for more information:
http://www.penndutchcowcare.org/index.html
http://www.eatwild.com/farmers.html
While I think books can’t tell everything, these have some good points and information.
Natural Cattle Care, by Pat Coleby
Alternative Treaments Ruminant Animals, by Paul Detloff, DVM
Great post! I have 11 cows(beef and dairy) on pasture at my future homestead now and i cannot wait to have a milk cow. Your post is very informative, if it scares anyone from getting a milk cow…. they shouldn’t get one then.
Great post Nita, thanks for the advice….I sure need it!
I agree that carrying in all your feed is not ideal. But it is certainly not factory farming. My cows get some grass and mostly hay. Confinement dairy cows (and even most smaller dairies) provide a total mixed ration that is high in concentrates (i.e. grains and legumes). We feed roughly half what is recommended commercially and always mix our own feed with whole foods. The local Co-op dairy ration is highly processed and contains “animal fats”!!! I don’t know how they get away with that!
Buying feed is a BIG hole in the entire scheme as far as self sufficiency. But the milk is still far superior to to store bought. It’s raw from cows that are not confined in 12 x 12 boxes. And we can produce for a lot less than we can buy it. Of course, we make all our own butter & cheese too.
Minerals are a challenge. But I’d say, given the state of just about all the land in the U.S. and elsewhere, this will continue to be a challenge regardless of feeding methods. I do a lot of reading and research and watch my cows carefully for signs of deficiencies. Pat Coleby’s book you mention was very helpful in diagnosing a serious copper deficiency we were able to correct.
We do buy our hay locally from a former dairy farmer. It is far from ideal, nutrient wise. He is conventional although becoming more skeptical of modern methods and considering some alternatives as I feed him info from Newman Turner and Pfeiffer.
Breed has a lot to do with it. Jerseys just need a high level of nutrition. Holsteins too. It really comes down to finding and/or developing breeds of animals that fit your own needs and the needs of your farm. There are cows, etc. out there that do well on grass alone. Sounds like you got a winner! There aren’t many though. I’m unlikely to find them around here. There’s just very little organic/grass feeding dairy going on. I am happy to hear of your friend’s experience with a Jersey x Angus. I hope we get a heifer! We got another bull calf this morning.
As for Keeping A Family Cow, most folks there strive to be as natural as possible. Some more than others. If you happened to look at the “emergency” section, there may have been some extreme methods for extreme situations. I would use antibiotics and anti-inflammatories as a last resort myself rather than loose the cow. That may be what you saw. I’ve not been there in a while but learned a lot while I was visiting.
We are fencing like mad right now another area of our property to capture some more fodder (in this case, kudzu) for the cows and sheep. We do have hair sheep that eat more like goats and survive very well on some grass, honeysuckle, and privet.
I’m not offended even if your rant were directed at me. Please don’t think I’m just throwing some hay and stock feed at my cows. I put a lot of careful thought and planning into what we feed and how we handle the cows. But I think you are right. Many people do this. There’s a lot more to breeding cows than “gee, she didn’t take.” The modern homesteader really needs to know a LOT these days (on nutrition, fertility problems, health, etc.) due to all the “sins” of modern farming. BTW, I’d eat a fat horse before giving up on my dairy cow!!
I suppose one of my big points is that if we wait until all conditions are ideal, we may never become more self-sufficient. Getting a cow has helped us improve our land more rapidly than if we had tried to do it without the cow. And we get milk and meat in the process. Someone told me this about having children…..less the meat and milk….but if you wait until it is the “right time”, you’ll never have them!
I never thought we’d have cows. Goats was in the plan. And many people are intimidated by cows. I don’t want them to be. They may be larger than goats and sheep but they are generally docile and sweet. You become very attached to them, just like with other farm animals and pets.
Don’t mean to go on so much! My family is so thankful we have milk cows.
We have a small raw milk Herd Share program, and I couldn’t agree more! This post fills in a lot of information left out by the original article.
Kristin, great comment! What I was meaning to say and not able to put into words is that some people want a cow with just the end result in mind. Milk. Some people get a cow with the notion that they can just buy feed for the cow and milk it. Most don’t have the bigger picture in mind like you, to use the cow to improve their soil. I just wanted to bring out the points that it isn’t cheaper if you go that route and may cause health problems for the cow in the long run. Part of my frustration comes from people who know us, now want cow advice. Their thinking is well Gee, I have 5 acres I can get a cow – never thinking that a cow does not do well in deep conifer woods where there is no light let alone grass. When we gently suggest a cow isn’t for them, they cite the guy at the feed store selling Milkmaker, and Countryside Journal, and Backwoods Home. Dexters are usually the first choice because they can just fend for themselves they say, Right?? Now we are getting questions about mini’s.
And that is a good point about waiting for things to be perfect grass and feed-wise. They never are, each year brings different growing conditions and problems/triumphs.
I also agree about the intimidation factor for large animals, we don’t think twice about being in close quarters with our cows, but most people that visit the farm are. In all my years around cattle I have only seen several that have been a problem. And with ours if I see too much head butting or general irritation in the herd, I know to offer more minerals – in a few short hours their attitude changes immensely.
Thanks for your insight on the KFC site, I probably didn’t spend enough time going through the threads to find anymore than the downers – I’ll give it another try.
For me, keeping a family cow is so personal, I let my emotions rule and that isn’t always a good thing, but it’s not a bad thing in this world either. My time I spend with my cow is MY time and a good place for me to mull over problems/hopes/dreams, and she never once tells me my ideas suck 🙂
Thanks for the feedback Kristin!
Your last paragraph really hits home. It is so personal. I sometimes (I really try not to think about this) ponder what we will do when Lois is not longer productive. She’s nearly 7 now. I pray she lasts at least another 10! She licks me like I’m her calf. She comes to me when I call her.
People don’t realize that the Dexter breed has diverged….there’s a beefy line and a milky line. The latter is pretty scarce. Mini’s are sky high ($2000 and up is typical).
People around here have the “they can fend for themselves” attitude about a lot of animals. As you point out, it just isn’t that simple. It worked 50 years ago, perhaps, but not now.
I would like to hear more about your mineral info & expertise. I have not hear the aggressive/mineral connection before. When you get a chance, please do post more on the subject.
BTW, we have a new bull calf this morning! I’m watching Lois for milk fever. We’ve not had that problem yet but it does increases with age. I know there’s a mineral connection there too.
Have a blessed day!
My brother-in-law is obsessed with the fact that his heifers will be scared into having a miscarriage. No one is allowed to wear anything bright near the pasture or walk near the pasture if “they don’t know you”. Is this normal?
I had such a traumatic experience with my cow I have switched to milking goats and am sooo happy! 🙂 For those with limited space, consider goats! They have different nutritional requirements to cows though, as they need more minerals and browse. Well worth it, the milk is awesome!
Hi, I was just wondering how much space you would say is needed to pasture a cow? We just bought a house on an acre in the country, could we keep a cow well on an acre?
Annette, I would say you will need more than an acre of ground to keep a cow in grass.
Don’t forget that you have to be there at milking time. No more spontaneous evening run abouts with friends, etc. We always have to leave early because of chores or just not go. We are able to get our Jersey down to once a day milking pretty quickly.
Our farmer has two family cows, a Jersey/Shorthorn cross, and a purebred Jersey. The cross, with only three quarters, produces more, and better milk than the Jersey, with a much higher fat content. Everyone raves about Jerseys, but I like the cross’s milk much better.
Excellent post! We currently are milking goats, but bought our first family cow this spring. She’s a Guernsey/Brown Swiss cross and she’ll freshen in July. I. Can’t. Wait!! 🙂
This was a great overview for anyone looking into a cow of their own.
This is a great article, should be very helpful for people trying to make a decision about owning a milk cow.
However, it completely misses the point of the most important reason a person/family might want to do that; the health benefits of drinking raw milk! For more information on that subject, as well as where to find raw milk in your area if you don’t or can’t have your own cow, check out http://www.realmilk.com
I think the point I really missed was that a cow has to be healthy, and be taken care of properly all the time in order to give healthy milk. Just getting a cow and milking it doesn’t guarantee that the milk is healthy and good for you.
I know several people who sell raw milk and their customers are delighted to get this almost illegal substance…sadly, the sellers are more concerned with cashing in on this latest darling food craze than they are with just taking care of their cattle.
Getting a milk cow or buying a milk share is not to be taken lightly.