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Pet cow? ?

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    #62
    _Brian
    Registered Users Posts: 18,487 ✭✭✭✭_Brian


    Mules wrote: »
    What does dairy beef mean?

    Be fattened on and killed for beef. Herefords aren’t milked commercially in Ireland. Cow was Fresian amd the Bull Hereford so you get a Hereford Cross calf that is fattened for beef.


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    #63
    Mules
    Registered Users Posts: 514 ✭✭✭Mules


    _Brian wrote: »
    Be fattened on and killed for beef. Herefords aren’t milked commercially in Ireland. Cow was Fresian amd the Bull Hereford so you get a Hereford Cross calf that is fattened for beef.

    I might offer to take her so :D
    What age are they slaughtered at?


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    #64
    _Brian
    Registered Users Posts: 18,487 ✭✭✭✭_Brian


    Mules wrote: »
    I might offer to take her so :D
    What age are they slaughtered at?

    Depends.
    Probably 30-36 months


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    #65
    Mules
    Registered Users Posts: 514 ✭✭✭Mules


    _Brian wrote: »
    Depends.
    Probably 30-36 months

    They are here 3 months and they came as weanlings so I suppose they've a fair bit of growing to do yet.

    They are very docile. A lot more docile than any horse I've known. I was very surprised when i first fed them to see them happily sharing the food from the same container. They'd be war with horses.


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    #66
    vikings2012
    Registered Users Posts: 152 ✭✭vikings2012


    OP, I say do it if you have the facilities.

    We have a pet FR cow she has been dry for the last 3 years. She would stay in a small paddock near the house.

    Probably the most docile cow in the country. You could even sit on her back !

    She is the size of a car! The kids and visitors are constantly feeding her!

    We will never send her to the factory. It’s also great to get kids interested in agriculture and animals.


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    #67
    _Brian
    Registered Users Posts: 18,487 ✭✭✭✭_Brian


    Mules wrote: »
    They are here 3 months and they came as weanlings so I suppose they've a fair bit of growing to do yet.

    They are very docile. A lot more docile than any horse I've known. I was very surprised when i first fed them to see them happily sharing the food from the same container. They'd be war with horses.

    Yea they would be easy going ok, especially with plenty of human interaction


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    #68
    Lady Haywire
    Registered Users Posts: 5,181 ✭✭✭Lady Haywire


    _Brian wrote: »
    If your on Twitter I’d say look up @ladyhaywire to see cattle at their best. Commercial cattle that would make many horses seem dumb.

    Animals also have genetic differences in their ability to be more domesticated, definitely not a representation of intelligence or otherwise.

    :pac: Thanks, I think!!

    Personally think it all comes down to handling & training from a young age. Like foals would be halter trained & learn off their dam. You'll see calves do it too if you have the cows trained for something eg following a bucket or eating apples.
    Couple of cows here have accidentally learned to come when I called their name so they're definitely not stupid, just need a bit of different understanding than horses.


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    #69
    Mules
    Registered Users Posts: 514 ✭✭✭Mules


    I've decided against getting the cow. The horses are hard enough on the land at this time of year, I don't need a cow ploughing it up too.


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    #70
    djmc
    Registered Users Posts: 1,611 ✭✭✭djmc


    I had two cows back when I was milking I called them itchy and scratchy as they were always in my way looking for a scratch
    When i sold the dairy cows I kept scratchy as she was high in call count and would only be off to the factory. I justified my reason for keeping her as a nanny cow to keep the sucklers quite and she will follow me to the end of the earth if i had a bucket in my hand and still come to me in the field for a scratch behind the ear. You could say she is not making me any money but she has made enough in the past and she is not costing a whole lot either. So ya you could keep a pet cow if you wanted


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    #71
    khalessi
    Registered Users Posts: 6,215 ✭✭✭khalessi


    I know nothing about cows but am loving reading this thread.


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    #72
    amens
    Registered Users Posts: 174 ✭✭amens


    djmc wrote: »
    You could say she is not making me any money but she has made enough in the past and she is not costing a whole lot either. So ya you could keep a pet cow if you wanted


    She is not costing you a whole lot yet. Old cows are a ticking time bomb. Couple of years ago had 11 year old cow who gave up eating after calving. €300 to the vet and €55 then to the knackery. Wouldn't you send her to the factory now while you'll still get something for the carcass?


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    #73
    djmc
    Registered Users Posts: 1,611 ✭✭✭djmc


    amens wrote: »
    She is not costing you a whole lot yet. Old cows are a ticking time bomb. Couple of years ago had 11 year old cow who gave up eating after calving. €300 to the vet and €55 then to the knackery. Wouldn't you send her to the factory now while you'll still get something for the carcass?

    Na she will probably die on the farm or the vet might put her down Id rather loose the value of her plus knackery charges than to be chasing cattle all over the mountain. I am lightly stocked anyway if I had a big herd of milking cows it would be a different business and there would be no room for pets. As long as she is healthy I think I will keep her.


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    #74
    Tea For Two
    Registered Users Posts: 63 ✭✭Tea For Two


    I'd love a pet cow. Grew up on a farm and loved all the animals. I cried many a tear over them too, especially Number 64 (Daisy Moo). Don't laugh but, would I need a herd number for a pet cow?


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    #75
    gozunda
    Registered Users Posts: 18,996 ✭✭✭✭gozunda


    Tea For Two wrote: »
    I'd love a pet cow. Grew up on a farm and loved all the animals. I cried many a tear over them too, especially Number 64 (Daisy Moo). Don't laugh but, would I need a herd number for a pet cow?

    You need a herd number in order to own cows however few.

    You also need land, handling facilities and housing for winter etc.


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