Homesteading for Dingbats: DAIRY Animals - part 1

So you are thinking of adding a dairy animal to your farm or maybe you have

already bitten the bullet and have done so.

 I find dairy animals the most complex of all farm livestock

The learning curve is high. The differences in breeds is vast.

The things you need to know create a list a mile long.

There is so much I have learned, and there is so much I wish

I had been aware of 3 years ago.

I would have done things quite a bit different, but that is all

water under the bridge, and it helped to teach me a great deal

that have proven invaluable.

First the question you should ask yourself is why do you

want the dairy animal?

These animals have been bred for production, and almost

all require milking daily, some even with the offspring

are on them, though not all.

Are you ready for milking 1-2 times a day, like clockwork?

If not, if you feel unsure about dedication

to milking, then look into a herd share program,

if your state allows them. Contact

a local Weston A Price chapter leader for info.

What will you do with the milk? How many animals do you

need to fulfill the farm needs? Are you in a state where

herdshares or raw milk farm sales are legal? Do you have

chickens, pigs or dogs you can give excess milk to?

Do you want to make butter, soap and cheese? Do

you plan to breed to sales and for a quality animal

in addition to breeding for milk for your farm?

Dairy goats are easier and better suited to most farms

when compared to dairy cattle. They are easier on the land,

wallet and easier to milk and handle. They produce, if

well bred for production, more than enough for most

families, though making butter is not easy without a

pricey cream separator with goat's milk.

Goat's milk is fragile. Some folks just

don't like the taste. If it is handled right,

it taste like cow's milk. Many people do

not handle it right, and you do not have to

be as careful in the cooling of cow's milk.

The problem with many dairy goats is that

many dairy herds carry CL and CAE, which

are two things you do NOT want to deal with.

CL is a Zoonotic disease. This means people

can catch CL from drinking an infected goat's

milk. CAE is not contagious to humans, but

it is transmitted to goat kids from colostrum,

is fatal and painful for the goat. CL and CAE

are found is more than 50% of goat herds.

You do have diseases to be concerned about dairy

cattle, but it does not appear nearly as

rampant as what you find in the goat world.

Many Breeders of goats, because they are cheaper

than dairy cattle, breed anything. They do not

regard quality, conformation, milk production

or hardiness. Dairy cattle typically run higher

in cost, do not come in flashy colors and

leave folks less room to breed for pets

or without thought. Also, keeping a

dairy bull is so dangerous, many people

use AI to breed their cows. This assures

at least half of many heifers brought great

genetics to the table. Goat breeders are

notorious for breeding pets, flashy colors

and for blue eyes in Nigerians. So many 

do not often seem to regard the importance

of milkable udders, good production

and hardiness!

All of that said, dairy cows are massive

creatures to feed. Jersey cows are

prone to milk fever, Holsteins

give enough milk to flood a family

out for weeks on end. Cattle do not

seem as forgiving as goats when

nutrition is not exact. They seem to

have a much, much higher incidence

of mastitis. They really do not

given as much milk considering

body size and feed amounts when

compared to a mega production dairy

goat, either. Milking a cow is a much

longer affair, messier and even a bit

dangerous compared to milking a

goat. Goats rarely share bodily

functions while on the stand, but

cows will do so quite often. One

can deal better with a pint of pee

and a cup of pelleted poop easier

than runny cow pies and so forth.

Still, many goats have very difficult

to milk teats, where cows typically

will have easy to milk teats.

If you're looking to buy a bucket milker,

then this will not matter, but few homestead

folks have $800 to buy something

to milk a single animal or

even a few. Besides, with the

proper teat size, milking by hand

is quicker than machine milking.

Dairy goats must have grain

to produce. Please do not believe

otherwise. They have been altered

by selective breeding for so long,

there is no possible way to avoid

a good amount of grain during

lactation. There are some dairy

cattle, especially milking

Dexters and Jerseys, which can milk

on only forage. This is less

expensive and more sustainable.

Holsteins and many Jerseys, as

well as Guernseys and Ashires,

are not typically able to milk

without some level of grain.

But Milking Shorthorns, Minis and Dexters,

to name a few, are often able to milk

on grass alone, if it is of good quality.

I have found goats to be, on average,

much higher maintenance in regards

to health when compared to cattle.

They have serious mineral

requirements, and they have a much

larger problem with parasites. They

are likely to have more kidding 

problem, fall victim to issues from

feed changes, too much grain,

founder, mold and so forth.   

Milking a goat is easier on the back when

compared to milking a cow,

and I must say, the goat is a lot

easier to handle all around when milking!

If I am to be frank, for the average homesteader

that doesn't feel the call of dairy production

in her soul, the Dexter Cow or low production Mini Jersey
or Dual purpose smaller breed cow
is likely the BEST choice.

Obviously, I am a dairy fanatic with

not enough sense to fill a spoon because

not only do I have several breeds of Dairy goats,

but I also have a Mini Jersey cow.

Don't ask what I do with all of the milk.

I have not a clue.

Pick a direction, go that way UNLESS

Your last name is, like mine,

CREAMER and you have

dairy written all over you!

The reason I argue for the Low production
cows for most homesteaders, like a Dexter, is

you can leave a calf on her and

milk as needed. She isn't going to give so

much that you're doing to harm her

by not milking and allowing her calf

to take all of the milk. She doesn't make

so much milk, like a real full size Dairy cow, that a calf

can't consume it all. She can be dried up

quickly if need be. She can produce on only

grass/hay if high quality. The size is small

when compared to a full size Jersey.

NOW, if you are really more into the

goats for their personalities,

cheese making, small size (esp. when

talking Nigerians), ease of impact

on the land or so forth, then

YOU DO NOT want to miss my next

HOMESTEADING FOR DINGBATS BLOG

Dairy Animals: Part 2

This next blog with explain all you need

to know about buying goats, why goats,

things to look out for and what breeds

you want to consider and why!!

I will not further address cattle beyond this blog

in the Homesteading for Dingbats series (ha ha!).

My expertise, little as it may be, lies more with goats.

 I believe, for now,

I've given the average homesteader

A LOT to mull over and certainly enough

to decide which dairy animal she or he would like

to bring to the farm. Heck, you might realize

you are like us "Creamer's" and you need them all!

Gosh, I hope not - for your sake!

PART TWO