Jersey cross suckler cows.

[NZDan]

This is an older study, but given the results who would consider using a Jersey cross cow?
I saw some on steep North Island hill country many years ago and was really impressed, they were putting Jersey bulls over their Heifers and keeping the calves, steers were finished and Heifers were mated to Charolais bulls.

 

[M-J-G]

Great cows if administering calcium and suckling calves onto the low slung udders of older cows is has you like to spend your calving time.

 

[NZDan]

Great cows if administering calcium and suckling calves onto the low slung udders of older cows is has you like to spend your calving time.

One of the strengths of a jersey is her udder support though? Sure you're not mistaking them for HFs?

 

[Cowcalf]

best cows I have had over 40 years would be Jersey cross BB no problems with feet ( last 2 lasted till they were 16 years old producing twins at last calving ! ) or calving back to a BBx as for udder they have very neat udders producing powerful milk, easy fed over winter as well.Getting hold of replacements not day now as a lot of herd seem to have Johne s

 

[Derrick Hughes]

Goodness me

Listen and learn

 

[Weasel]

Great cows if administering calcium and suckling calves onto the low slung udders of older cows is has you like to spend your calving time.

Some people must like making work for themselves

 

[M-J-G]

One of the strengths of a jersey is her udder support though? Sure you're not mistaking them for HFs?

It's the height that it's supported from the problem.

Had a few in the past, they demanded too much labour and the difference in value of the calf would have fed a Charolais cow for a year.

I'm sure this topic has been done several times on TFF.

 

[M-J-G]

best cows I have had over 40 years would be Jersey cross BB no problems with feet ( last 2 lasted till they were 16 years old producing twins at last calving ! ) or calving back to a BBx as for udder they have very neat udders producing powerful milk, easy fed over winter as well.Getting hold of replacements not day now as a lot of herd seem to have Johne s

There are 3 herds adding up to around 1000 Jersey cows in a 40 mile radius of here, 2 of which are using BB and 1 uses Lim on some of them.
They would supply you I'm sure.

Interestingly one of them is a pedigree beef breeder too, but he sources SimXSaler heifers for recipients, as opposed to using his own Jersey crosses.

 

[NZDan]

It's the height that it's supported from the problem.

Had a few in the past, they demanded too much labour and the difference in value of the calf would have fed a Charolais cow for a year.

I'm sure this topic has been done several times on TFF.

I had a look to see if it was done on TFF but couldn't find any reference. Interesting that you say they are more work, as the few folk I've spoken to in the past say they are less work.

 

[Nithsdale]

Jerseys are all the rage around here at the moment (I'm guessing that's a general trend in dairy??)... a friend has just agreed to take Jersey X Angus heifers @ 4 weeks old to rear up and retain as cows. The dairy is low in the valley, my friend sits on the very top
Intentions are to put them to a Saler the first year then Charollais thereafter.


I have my popcorn ready to watch this unfold

 

[JP1]

Jerseys are all the rage around here at the moment (I'm guessing that's a general trend in dairy??)... a friend has just agreed to take Jersey X Angus heifers @ 4 weeks old to rear up and retain as cows. The dairy is low in the valley, my friend sits on the very top
Intentions are to put them to a Saler the first year then Charollais thereafter.


I have my popcorn ready to watch this unfold

I have a friend and new customer setting up a Galloway herd alongside an existing Jersey herd. The Jerseys are for a retail raw milk operation and milked once a day with calf left on the cow. They have been using BB AI on them and are retaining the heifers for breeding.

 

[JP1]

I have a friend and new customer setting up a Galloway herd alongside an existing Jersey herd. The Jerseys are for a retail raw milk operation and milked once a day with calf left on the cow. They have been using BB AI on them and are retaining the heifers for breeding.

I hasten to add the native pure beef was a consideration but the main thing was to get a sweeper bull as I gather Jerseys are fairly infamous for being difficult to hold to AI

 

[AGN76]

I hasten to add the native pure beef was a consideration but the main thing was to get a sweeper bull as I gather Jerseys are fairly infamous for being difficult to hold to AI

Where on earth did you hear that?!

 

[JP1]

Where on earth did you hear that?!

Two breeders experience

 

[M-J-G]

I had a look to see if it was done on TFF but couldn't find any reference. Interesting that you say they are more work, as the few folk I've spoken to in the past say they are less work.

A couple that I recall

https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/hereford.8425/page-7#post-134532

https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index...e-best-suckler-cow.227770/page-3#post-5107008

I guess if they are as good as is claimed, there will be a lot of them around, after all there are plenty of Jersey cows to get calves off and they are cheap.
So nothing to stop people from having herds of them.

 

[CharcoalWally]

There are 3 herds adding up to around 1000 Jersey cows in a 40 mile radius of here, 2 of which are using BB and 1 uses Lim on some of them.
They would supply you I'm sure.

Interestingly one of them is a pedigree beef breeder too, but he sources SimXSaler heifers for recipients, as opposed to using his own Jersey crosses.

Oh, I'm sure he would take them without Salers blood too .

Another point of note is that as a pedigree herd, he has his Johnes status to protect . If his homebred Jersey crosses were that good, why would he not use them instead of bringing outside cattle into his herd?

 

[M-J-G]

Oh, I'm sure he would take them without Salers blood too .

Another point of note is that as a pedigree herd, he has his Johnes status to protect . If his homebred Jersey crosses were that good, why would he not use them instead of bringing outside cattle into his herd?

I forgot about the ones that were SIM x Saler minus the saler part.

 

[NZDan]

Oh, I'm sure he would take them without Salers blood too .

Another point of note is that as a pedigree herd, he has his Johnes status to protect . If his homebred Jersey crosses were that good, why would he not use them instead of bringing outside cattle into his herd?

I wondered that myself. I know that for a while many pedigree boys would ET or foster onto Jersey cows so they got extra milk for the potential show/sale bulls.
My grandfather used to swap Jer/Shorthorn heifers with H/F heifers and steers from the Neighbour because he reckoned they made better hill cows. But that was a good few years ago.

 

[NZDan]

A couple that I recall

https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/hereford.8425/page-7#post-134532

https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index...e-best-suckler-cow.227770/page-3#post-5107008

I guess if they are as good as is claimed, there will be a lot of them around, after all there are plenty of Jersey cows to get calves off and they are cheap.
So nothing to stop people from having herds of them.

You've a better memory than me!!!![emoji15]

 

[Pieces_of_Eight]

Great cows if administering calcium and suckling calves onto the low slung udders of older cows is has you like to spend your calving time.

Whilst keeping one eye looking out for where the Jersey bull is.

Anyone who keeps a dairy bull on farm these days needs their head testing.