The seven sisters (all Holsteins) from Hell
I was recently asked, “In the years you have been writing, which column had the greatest and most varied responses from readers?”
It didn’t take much thinking to come up with the answer and it was hands down the winner of everything I have written in any publication.
The story of “The Seven Sisters from Hell”!
Prior to August 2009, when it was published, we had found ourselves short of milk cows after contracting an independent tech to breed our cows. After months of repeat breedings and a skewed breeding calendar, we had to buy bred heifers to keep up production. Jerseys, our breed of choice, were available but well out of our price range so we contacted a local dealer and bought seven bred Holstein heifers. We should have known better!
They were big, clumsy and hard to work with compared to our smaller and agile Jerseys. One couldn’t figure out how to stand with a raised head rail so had to be helped up several times a day. All but one had leg or foot problems. We dreaded Strawberry Foot spreading to our other cows and treated it relentlessly.
They used to say that you could feed 3 Jerseys for every 2 Holsteins. We found it to be more like 2 to 1. Plus their due dates were way out, calving at least two months after their expected date. Just what we needed! One neighbour referred to them as our freeloading Holsteins!
Calving finally arrived. The first had twins and couldn’t/wouldn’t get up. Euthanized. The second calf was stillborn. All seven cows needed assistance during birthing, something rarely needed by the Jerseys.
The next shocker was the small udders and low production from five of them. Only one was good. Our own heifers had bigger and better udders and production. We estimated the bluish white milk which resembled our pipeline rinse to be about 2 % BF (butterfat).
The one good heifer had chronic mastitis and we used more assorted treatments in a month than we ever had on our entire herd in a year and were never able to ship her milk.
Another freshened on two quarters, both full of mastitis. She left the barn right away.
Spring came and the remaining four Holsteins went on pasture with our Jerseys but we quickly discovered they were bullies regardless of their opponents size or colour.
The Holsteins would also search out a shady spot and lie there. We had to get them up and send them for water several times a day.
The second milking after turnout, one Holstein walked in and dropped dead in the alley! Heart attack?
By the fall we only had three left as one had gone dry after a few months. The next spring only one was in calf. She was sold fresh.
During the Holstein experiment our son had taken a course and was breeding our own cows and heifers with great success so our Jerseys were back up in shipments and the BF returned to normal.
It was a learning experience. We never made a cent off those Holsteins but such is often the case when you mix in another breed with your preferred breed.
When the original article was published, the response was so varied it was amusing. Some farmers, especially one woman, were beyond furious that I had been so anti Holstein. There were letters to the editor, phone calls and emails. Sorry, but it was the true story of our experience with seven Holsteins.
But by and large, most readers took it for what it was: one farmer’s unfortunate story of introducing a second breed into their herd. They could see the humour and my frustration. They laughed and laughed! At area auctions and fairs farmers would approach my husband and son, quoting the pieces they found the most amusing. And laugh!
What I learned was that while most farmers are somewhat stoic if you insult their crops, machinery or whatever, don’t ever make fun of their breed of choice… especially if it’s black and white!
Angela Dorie is an agricultural writer and a Jersey farmer near Cornwall.
OPINION: The seven sisters (all Holsteins) from Hell
The seven sisters (all Holsteins) from Hell
I was recently asked, “In the years you have been writing, which column had the greatest and most varied responses from readers?”
The story of “The Seven Sisters from Hell”!
Prior to August 2009, when it was published, we had found ourselves short of milk cows after contracting an independent tech to breed our cows. After months of repeat breedings and a skewed breeding calendar, we had to buy bred heifers to keep up production. Jerseys, our breed of choice, were available but well out of our price range so we contacted a local dealer and bought seven bred Holstein heifers. We should have known better!
They were big, clumsy and hard to work with compared to our smaller and agile Jerseys. One couldn’t figure out how to stand with a raised head rail so had to be helped up several times a day. All but one had leg or foot problems. We dreaded Strawberry Foot spreading to our other cows and treated it relentlessly.
They used to say that you could feed 3 Jerseys for every 2 Holsteins. We found it to be more like 2 to 1. Plus their due dates were way out, calving at least two months after their expected date. Just what we needed! One neighbour referred to them as our freeloading Holsteins!
Calving finally arrived. The first had twins and couldn’t/wouldn’t get up. Euthanized. The second calf was stillborn. All seven cows needed assistance during birthing, something rarely needed by the Jerseys.
The next shocker was the small udders and low production from five of them. Only one was good. Our own heifers had bigger and better udders and production. We estimated the bluish white milk which resembled our pipeline rinse to be about 2 % BF (butterfat).
The one good heifer had chronic mastitis and we used more assorted treatments in a month than we ever had on our entire herd in a year and were never able to ship her milk.
Another freshened on two quarters, both full of mastitis. She left the barn right away.
Spring came and the remaining four Holsteins went on pasture with our Jerseys but we quickly discovered they were bullies regardless of their opponents size or colour.
The Holsteins would also search out a shady spot and lie there. We had to get them up and send them for water several times a day.
The second milking after turnout, one Holstein walked in and dropped dead in the alley! Heart attack?
By the fall we only had three left as one had gone dry after a few months. The next spring only one was in calf. She was sold fresh.
During the Holstein experiment our son had taken a course and was breeding our own cows and heifers with great success so our Jerseys were back up in shipments and the BF returned to normal.
It was a learning experience. We never made a cent off those Holsteins but such is often the case when you mix in another breed with your preferred breed.
When the original article was published, the response was so varied it was amusing. Some farmers, especially one woman, were beyond furious that I had been so anti Holstein. There were letters to the editor, phone calls and emails. Sorry, but it was the true story of our experience with seven Holsteins.
But by and large, most readers took it for what it was: one farmer’s unfortunate story of introducing a second breed into their herd. They could see the humour and my frustration. They laughed and laughed! At area auctions and fairs farmers would approach my husband and son, quoting the pieces they found the most amusing. And laugh!
What I learned was that while most farmers are somewhat stoic if you insult their crops, machinery or whatever, don’t ever make fun of their breed of choice… especially if it’s black and white!
Angela Dorie is an agricultural writer and a Jersey farmer near Cornwall.