Jersey cow supplemental feed question

[istareatsquirrels]

A family member is gifting me a pregnant, lactating Jersey cow that is very small and I’m having a hard time figuring out how much supplemental feed I’ll need for her. I’ve never had a cow, let alone milked one. We have about an acre of grazing space but how much hay/feed should I expect to buy for her monthly? We’re in central Texas and have tall grass. Any other advice is appreciated!!

 

[Alaskan]

When you say she is small....

Is she perfectly healthy just a small size, or is she small as in super skinny, or small as in very young and not full grown?

My grandfather bought a jersey once, but just to mix in with his beef cattle...

So sadly I know little about milking a dairy cow and keeping her in good shape.

Do you know what she was eating before you got her? An idea of where to start/ what she is used to would be nice. (Or, I guess you don't have her yet... so what is she currently eating)

 

[Mini Horses]

I currently have no cattle but, I'd sure take what you describe -- for free!!

Ask what she's eating, being fed now.

 

[Baymule]

@farmerjan is our Jersey expert!

 

[istareatsquirrels]

When you say she is small....

Is she perfectly healthy just a small size, or is she small as in super skinny, or small as in very young and not full grown?

My grandfather bought a jersey once, but just to mix in with his beef cattle...

So sadly I know little about milking a dairy cow and keeping her in good shape.

Do you know what she was eating before you got her? An idea of where to start/ what she is used to would be nice. (Or, I guess you don't have her yet... so what is she currently eating)

She is small size wise, not skinny. She is perfectly healthy and well taken care of. I believe she’s around 8 years old and already has had a couple calves of her own. He’s retiring her as their nanny cow so he offered her to me. Next phone call with him(he’s a busy cattle man haha) I’m going to write down everything he’s currently feeding her so I can start there. I don’t want to disrupt her diet.

 

[istareatsquirrels]

I currently have no cattle but, I'd sure take what you describe -- for free!!

Ask what she's eating, being fed now.

I’m leaning towards this as well! We’d love to have her just to have a cow around haha. Especially in the current world climate.

 

[istareatsquirrels]

@farmerjan is our Jersey expert!

Oh great! I just signed up for this forum. Can I just message them and ask for advice? Or will they see they were tagged in something?

 

[Alaskan]

She is small size wise, not skinny. She is perfectly healthy and well taken care of. I believe she’s around 8 years old and already has had a couple calves of her own. He’s retiring her as their nanny cow so he offered her to me. Next phone call with him(he’s a busy cattle man haha) I’m going to write down everything he’s currently feeding her so I can start there. I don’t want to disrupt her diet.

Well nice! Normal small is perfect!

I am afraid with mammals I just feed... depending on how they look...

Look good... don't change, a bit skinny increase calories, a bit fat, reduce calories increase roughage


With milk goats I would give them a bit of supplements the month to week before birthing.. just some more trace minerals stuff, and balanced calcium.

But every area of the country has different issues... like east Texas with all of that rain... they need to supplement their cattle a bit more... too many nutrients are washed out of the grass, and poor sand soils too....

Up here in Alaska there is close to zero copper and selenium ... so all grazers have to be supplemented.

 

[Alaskan]

Oh great! I just signed up for this forum. Can I just message them and ask for advice? Or will they see they were tagged in something?

They will see that they were tagged

 

[farmerjan]

Hello and from Va . Sorry to not get right back to your questions, it has been a very busy and tiring couple of days.
I don't think I am an expert, but I have a few years and cows "under my belt" so to speak.

Re reading your thread, I have to totally agree with @Alaskan as far as not changing from what the previous person was doing for the immediate future. ,
You say she is small size wise.... but small in comparison to what? Jerseys as a whole are getting bigger, too big in my opinion; in order to compete in the commercial dairy world. Since I work in the dairy industry, I can understand it to a point... but doesn't mean I think it is all good.
A normal sized jersey cow, should weigh in the 800-1000 range overall. They are the most "delicate looking" but are not frail cattle. Their angular build is common to all dairy cattle, and will look "thin " to someone who is used to beef breeds of cattle.
Since you have never had a cow, I hope this family member is willing to mentor you a bit.
I have several that I have used for milk for the house, and have used as nurse cows to raise calves on. They will feed 3-4 calves.... their own and then others I foster/graft on to them to feed. I am assuming that is what was meant by her being a nanny cow.
1 acre is not going to supply much of the requirements for the cow unless you can split it into a couple of smaller paddocks to rotational graze her. It'll be great in the spring when growth is fast and lush, but that will be offset by the animals getting more "water" from the grass, than just nutrition.
I keep hay in front of my animals... a good grass hay.... orchard grass, timothy, or something similar. You need to find out what she has been getting fed. I am not familiar with the different kinds of grasses grown in Tx as it is alot hotter with alot less winter than we have here in Va. We probably have alot more rain more evenly spread out over the year. In the summer if the pastures have good growth, they don't eat much or any hay. If they are dry, then they don't need supplementation. If they are lactating (milking) then they need more nutrition if you want decent production.
Find out what she was getting fed, and what they did as far as when she was in milk. Work from that as a starting point.
I will be glad to try to help.
For an example.....I feed about 1/2 of a 5 gallon bucket (approx 10 lbs ) of a 16% grain, when my jerseys are fresh. That is when they come in the barn to be milked OR when they have calves on them. I raise from 2 -4 calves at a time on them....depending on how good a producer she is...... and that is in the neighborhood of 1/2 to 2 gallons of milk per calf , per day. But they suck the cow any time as they will run with her once they are grafted on her. I also feed 1-2 flakes (sections) of a sq bale of hay while she is eating in the barn. It will take her about 1/2 to one hour to clean it up. Then she will have free choice grass hay available or if the pasture/grazing is good, then free access to grazing. They are always allowed out to graze but from Nov to Mar the pastures/grasses are not always available. If we stock pile (save back) some pasture that has not been grazed for 30-60 days before a frost, they can get alot out of that stockpiled forage. That is where rotational grazing come in. And you don't need to think that you need to be an expert to do it. Just section some off so they cannot get to all the pasture to graze it. Let them have smaller areas at a time so they eat more of it and not eat their favorite grass and let the other get too mature.
There are lots of websites and books that explain it.
But in essence,,,,, split the available area into say 4 sections.... let them have 1 section for a week at a time..... then move to the next section. by the end of 4 weeks, they will be back to the first section and it will have regrown some nice tender grass to regraze. It will not provide all their needs by a long shot.... but you can maybe get the gist of what I am trying to say.
It also helps with parasites in their system.... to get them off the "same patch" of grass all the time.... keeps them from overgrazing their favorite grass which will die off if grazed down to the roots, and the weeds will grow and shade out the ground so then you are perpetuating the weeds and "junk" rather than improving the area.....
If you cut your lawn regularly, it will look nicer and the better grass will grow.... if you cut it once a month, the weeds will grow faster, shade out the nice grass, and reseed back to make more weeds. Same very basic principals or rotational grazing. They will eat "all the grass" if it is young and tender... even some of the weeds, if they aren't old and tough....
Hope this gives you a starting point.... ask away... I will try to help.