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

**Odilia** · 10-06-2007, 10:31 AM

And it's been a long wait -- she was due 2 weeks ago. She calved just after 6am. The little bull calf has been named Chuck, as in ground chuck and chuck roast.

It's a very good name for a steer (which this guy will become when he gets around 400lbs or starts to show any aggression). As a 4-H kid, I had two steers named Chuck, and both got purple ribbons at the state fair.

As adorable as the little guy is, he's destined to fill our freezer. He'll have a wonderful life and get lots of love before then, though.

I'll do the first milking late afternoon/early evening and milk twice a day the first week or so. Then I'll transition to once a day milking. Chuck will stay with Norman (she came to us already named!) full time until he's big enough to take more milk than I want to share. Then, he'll be seperated at night.

In 3-4 days, Norman's colostrum will have fully transitioned to milk, and we'll all be so thrilled to have real, fresh Jersey milk again. I'm going to make a big batch of fresh mozzarella and some creme fraiche the very first thing!!

In these pics, he's less than an hour old. The red Simmental herd bull we used sure does come through in all the calves. Chuck does have the black nose and ring around the eyes of his mama, though.

**Jaded** · 10-06-2007, 10:33 AM

Look at that cute little face! Please don't eat him!

**Odilia** · 10-06-2007, 11:29 AM

Originally Posted by Jaded

Look at that cute little face! Please don't eat him!

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.

**DAAC3DEC** · 10-06-2007, 11:50 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.

IF YOU ARE GOING TO BE A MEAT EATER, THAN YOU ARE DOING IT THE BEST WAY POSSIBLE!! SLAUGHTER HOUSES ARE AWFUL AND DIRTY--I CANNOT IMAGINE KILLING ANY LIVING BEING, I COMMEND YOU FOR YOUR CHOICES. A LOT MORE OF US WOULD BE VEGETARIANS IF WE HAD TO KILL OUR OWN FOOD OR BE INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS THAT IS FOR SURE. HE IS SO CUTE!!!

**Jaded** · 10-06-2007, 11:59 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.

I know, and it's better to have him butchered humanely and eaten by people who loved and appreciated him. I'm just an old softy. Remember, I used to live in the country.

**frugalfarmwife** · 10-06-2007, 12:16 PM

What a CUTE guy, and love the name! We've had them named Chuck, Patty, Ground, Round, and the last one was Ribsy.

Right now we have two cows, a Charlois/maine angou cross and her daughter whos' charlois/main angou/holstien (don't believe em, free martins aren't always sterile!!)

We're picking up a Simbhra bull tomorrow to cross them on, will have to post pics. He has the wonderful calmness of the simmetal and the looks, hardiness and thicker hide of the brahma, can't wait to get Slider home.

And I have to say, when I was younger I also was a softie, but I FIRMLY believe in raising my own food now, I KNOW they have a good and happy life and KNOW what goes into them, so what goes into me!@

Again, he's a cutie, and those dairy/beef crosses make GOOD meat!

kj

**Persimmon Lace** · 10-06-2007, 12:25 PM

Beautiful! I love the name. My good friend's daughter names her chicken dinner, Sunday dinner and Hot wings. They are raised well and have a fun life except for rowdy roosters who go in the pot pretty quick!

**YankeeMom** · 10-06-2007, 01:08 PM

He is adorable!!

**sdrjeolsen** · 10-06-2007, 05:36 PM

Oh my gosh, he is soooooooo cute. Thanks for sharing the pics.

**ilovechocolate** · 10-06-2007, 05:44 PM

What a cute baby!!

Intellectually I understand that the beef I eat used to be a cow, but when I see a picture of such a darling little thing, I seriously consider becoming a vegetarian.

Someday I want some acreage so I can have a few chickens, but only for the eggs. I get awfully attached to any critters that I take care of for even a short period of time.

**Its_Donna** · 10-06-2007, 05:51 PM

I remember those days on the farm...I ALWAYS had a hard time of it with the feed animals especially the baby goats. My mom used to tell me they ran away until I accidently saw it for myself...I sure grew up that day.

He's a beaut!

**sas58** · 10-06-2007, 08:42 PM

The cow and calf are beautiful!

**baxjul** · 10-07-2007, 03:17 PM

They are both gorgeous!!!! I love cows! How cute.

**gentledenny** · 10-07-2007, 04:56 PM

Poor chuck. but i guess is a super great name. i like it. Ok but for those that raise goats. do you eat them also. I mean i know people eat goats in other countries. But so many people raising goats today, surely it aint just for the milk and companionship. I don't think i would ever own the land to raise a cow but maybe a goat. Do they like everything else taste like chicken. a goat that is.

**Odilia** · 10-07-2007, 05:19 PM

We currently just have one goat -- our 8yr old's pet Pygmy goat. She's good buddies with our yearling Jersey heifer, and the goat is definately NOT for eating. Our son would like to milk her one day.

My sister's family had milking goats for many years, and they would eat the extra bucklings and culled does. They taste much more like venison than chicken.