Finally! Our wait is over! Jersey cow had her calf!

**frugalfarmwife** · 10-08-2007, 09:43 AM

Goat is eaten a lot by certain ethnic groups in our areas (especially Cleveland) so there is a good market for it here.

That said, we don't eat goat, and only have one, Jose', we call him our Amish weed eater, we just stake him out around the farm and he cleans up the fence lines.

kj

**Odilia** · 10-08-2007, 05:25 PM

I'm so excited to report that Norman's milk came in. Tonight's milking will go into the fridge, and tomorrow we'll have fresh milk and cream on the table!!!!

I know I'm wierd, but having a milk cow makes me feel rich -- even when I have to go out in the middle of winter to milk her.

**brainyblonde** · 10-08-2007, 07:47 PM

That little calf is a cutie.

I so admire your way of life.

**miss_thrifty** · 10-08-2007, 09:57 PM

what a cutie!!! I was brought up in the country per say too so its was normal to b raise a bout 25 turkeys and chickens to slaughter for the fall and laying hens for eggs.
we never had acow but hubby had all the animals living on his farm. It does make you grow up faster living and working on a farm.

**lullaby80** · 11-01-2007, 07:50 AM

What a cutie! I also like the way you take responsibility for the food you eat at your house. So much different than buying that pack of beef at the grocer store. WTG! Enjoy the milk.

**JustJoy** · 11-01-2007, 08:06 AM

Awwww...too cute! I LOVE cows! I've been collecting them for years

**annymoll** · 11-01-2007, 10:18 AM

Originally Posted by Odilia

It's not very practical to keep a steer as a pet. If we don't eat him, the other option is to sell him at auction. He'd go to a feedlot with hundreds of other feeder calves and be sent off with a huge batch of finished feeder calves to a slaughter house. It is hard, but that's the way it is. All those nice, neat packages of beef in the meat department coolers started off as beautiful little calves.

I guarantee this guy will have a MUCH better life than a feedlot calf, and his death will be in a calm environment -- not the stressed and smelly, messy slaughterhouse death that awaits a feedlot calf.

It's never easy for us to butcher the chickens, ducks, or cattle we raise, but we choose to live this way -- connected directly to our food supply -- so it's something we have to deal with.

My DH loves beef, so he would(and we do) the same thing. My vote is-since they aren't born steers- is to let him grow up to be a bull and have the life of Riley with the ladies. Whatever they are called.LOL. Congrats on the addition!