Hi everyone, I'm new here!
I am a 4H member, and have been interested in raising a dairy heifer (preferably Jersey) for the past few years. I have never raised a young calf (let alone any cattle, in general).
I live in a small town, but am somewhat close to neighbors. It's too small to have "city limits".
Now, I cannot keep this calf forever. So, I have decided I will sell her back to a dairy once she is ready to be bred. From what I've read, Jersey's are faster at maturing than other breeds. Thus, this means coming into heat at a younger age, in theory. Does this mean they can be bred earlier, or should they still wait till they are 1year+? I want to raise 1 calf (with the company of my goats). Will she still have the regular signs of heat (like bawling, pacing, etc.), even though she'd be the only bovine around? How long will she be showing these signs of heat?
I know it's pretty much impossible to avoid complete noise from an animal, but I was just hoping to hear some experiences with this. Some things I've heard about heifers in heat (bawling day+night for 24 hours... sleepless nights...) seem pretty intense. Is that normal for all heifers/cows?
Thank you for your help! I'm pretty much on my own for this decision, and don't want to jump into it unprepared!
I am a 4H member, and have been interested in raising a dairy heifer (preferably Jersey) for the past few years. I have never raised a young calf (let alone any cattle, in general).
I live in a small town, but am somewhat close to neighbors. It's too small to have "city limits".
Now, I cannot keep this calf forever. So, I have decided I will sell her back to a dairy once she is ready to be bred. From what I've read, Jersey's are faster at maturing than other breeds. Thus, this means coming into heat at a younger age, in theory. Does this mean they can be bred earlier, or should they still wait till they are 1year+? I want to raise 1 calf (with the company of my goats). Will she still have the regular signs of heat (like bawling, pacing, etc.), even though she'd be the only bovine around? How long will she be showing these signs of heat?
I know it's pretty much impossible to avoid complete noise from an animal, but I was just hoping to hear some experiences with this. Some things I've heard about heifers in heat (bawling day+night for 24 hours... sleepless nights...) seem pretty intense. Is that normal for all heifers/cows?
Thank you for your help! I'm pretty much on my own for this decision, and don't want to jump into it unprepared!