Purebred A2/A2 Mini Jersey Milk Cows, North Woods Homestead, Idaho

idaho in june

7/5/2015

Perimeter barb wire fencing for our Purebred Miniature Jersey Mini cows PMJS North Woods Homestead

We needed to fence the perimeter of our acreage to contain our cows when we arrive next Spring. Our county is Open Range so the neighbors can turn out their herd to graze wherever they like, including our property. Our cows are much smaller than average and a breeding to a beef breed bull would likely kill them. A strong fence is very important for our herd! While we were there, Lance and my father-in-law put in the footers for the foundation of the house. We also needed to run water and power to the future farmhouse and barn locations. My dad and Lance installed a huge mailbox way up on the road before the gate to our looong gravel driveway.

I actually thought installing the fencing was pretty fun! Don't the round corner posts just scream "homestead"? We laughed and worked so hard that we slept like logs all night. Nothing brings a couple closer than working on a common goal.

My in-laws have a nice barn with a stall I can use next Summer to milk and for the calves to be locked in at night. We also plan to install a couple quick three-sided pole barns as shelter from sun, wind, rain, and snow. Jerseys grow a thick coat in Winter and shed for the hot Summer temps. But, even with my best coat on cold can cut to the bone. We want them to be happy so shelters will go up, meanwhile, they have the tall pines to rest under.

Now, to get a slab poured and house built before Winter 2016 or else we'll be sleeping in the barn too!

Until later,
Lorinda

5 Comments

shashi cow milk link

10/23/2018 12:16:39 am

wonderful information, I had come to know about your blog from my friend nandu , hyderabad,i have read atleast 7 posts of yours by now, and let me tell you, your website gives the best and the most interesting information.

Milkmaid Lorinda link

11/10/2023 12:13:29 pm

Thank you! We do try to be informative.

shripal surya link

10/23/2018 12:17:37 am

brillant piece of information

AMY JO FARMER link

11/10/2023 08:06:36 am

I am learning to halter train. I'm curious if you leave the halters on your calves, dams and bulls all the time? Can they eat with them? And then you hook up the lead when you want to walk them? Do you have a place where you buy those beautiful halters? Thanks so much for considering my questions. Beautiful website and cows!

Milkmaid Lorinda link

11/10/2023 12:27:29 pm

Amy Jo, we do leave them on all the time. A few things to consider, our fences are electrified high-tensile slick wire so there aren't any barbs to catch them on. Our trees are tall pines, cedar, and spruce so there aren't any low branches or shrubs to hook a halter on. Our t-posts, round poles, and all clips also don't create a hazard for haltered cattle. If you have things they can hook on, I wouldn't leave them in a halter. Maybe, consider keeping them in a stall or round pen for a week or so while you work on the halter with them before turning out to pasture without one.

Halters don't hinder any of their regular activities, like eating, licking each other, or sleeping. We do check them regularly for fit. They get loos in the Spring after shedding out and tight in Winter when the hair grows thicker.

We have two that don't wear halters because we've found nothing that fits them well. They have the perfect short Purebred Mini Jersey head and it slips off their noses. The Mini Cattle Supply website makes several colors and feature a double buckle at the ears for more adjustments. https://minicattlesupply.com/ Size 5 fits a full size Jersey and size 0 fits a newborn. I find goat halters also work for newborns. I think we even have a couple alpaca halters for use on baby calves. It's so much easier to walk out, grab a halter, hook them up and go where we need to. The ones without halters need to be looped with a lead rope or have a halter put on to move them. This can get really annoying when milking twice a day! I have yet to find a neck strap I like. Nylon can cause rot and if they're still growing it could cut into the lower jaw or bind at the nose, affecting breathing, so regular inspections are critical.

Thank you for the compliments!

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