Jersey cows are a good source of highly nutritious milk. Therefore, many seek to raise Jersey cows to benefit from their milk. which is known for its high quality and richness, whether by drinking it or turning it into delicious milk products such as cheese, butter, ice cream, and yogurt.
The number of acres that a cow needs is one of the first things that people think of when thinking about owning a cow. In this article, we’ve don our research to know what is the best number of acres to raise jersey cows. Keep reading:
How Many Jersey Cows Should You Raise Per Acre?
Jersey cows can be raised at a rate of 2.5 Jersey cows per acre of pasture. Meaning that you can raise 5 Jersey cows comfortably on a pasture of only 2 acres! This is a very reasonable or somewhat small space compared to what other cows need. This is because Jersey cows are small in size, which makes them need somewhat less space.
How Much Land Does A Jersey Cow Need?
Breeding Jersey cows do not require large areas that incur exorbitant costs. If you only have an acre or less, you can raise a Jersey cow very well. it is a very suitable cow to be raised in your backyard to provide your family with milk and dairy products.
The size of the Jersey cow is an important factor in determining the space you need, and because the Jersey cow is miniature, this makes it a good choice for breeding in small spaces, because these smaller cows need few inputs, whether the space in which the cow moves itself or its other requirements, the amount of feed, hay, and water as well.
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What Kind Of Shelter Do Jersey Cows Need?
Building the perfect shelter for Jersey cows is not always a difficult feat. Since a suitable shelter for them can be easily equipped not only for dairy farmers But in the yards and courtyards of houses. This is what many people interested in self-sufficiency do by keeping one or two Jersey cows with their young birds in their backyard to have a source of delicious dairy products in their home.[1]
Here are the most important factors to consider for building a comfortable and safe shelter for Jersey cows:
Suitable Space For Shelter
The best thing is to provide enough space for your cows to move around freely. By the way, it is the natural thing that cattle are built upon instinctively. But unfortunately, with purely material tends to increase production and profits, and cows are stacked in narrow spaces. Where the cow is placed in a narrow cabin that is forced to stand almost steadily or move in a very narrow range throughout the day! Excessive standing of dairy cows is very dangerous and causes great health damage to your dairy cow.
It is a major factor in infecting the cow with many diseases as transitional diseases such as ketosis, metritis and claudication, displaced tumors, and injury. it also leads to reduced fertility, decreased milk production, and poor milk quality.
You may also want to check: How often should your cattle be drenched?
Cattle usually rest about 10 to 14 hours a day, distributed over five shifts during the day that they spend on repetition and relaxation. Therefore, sufficient space must be provided for the cow to rest. The matter can be explained in more detail through this example.
If you have a cow that weighs between 1300 and 1500 pounds, it is preferable that the size of its stall be 48 inches wide and 9 feet long. This is the recommended size because it gives your dairy cow enough space to get up and down comfortably and change positions during the rest period. Where Jersey cows and cows in general push their bodies forward a little when getting up, so there must be enough space so that the cow can get up smoothly without injuring its head or neck, which is what this measurement that we mentioned provides.
Fortunately, jersey cows usually weigh between 800 and 1100 pounds. so this standard size is more than enough to meet their needs. But you are generally not bound by this measurement, as you can reduce it if you do not have more space. 44 inches wide and 7 feet long, it’s the perfect size for a Jersey cow.
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Good Bedding Options For Jersey Dairy Cows
The pros and cons of different bedding types depend on the design of the coop. where there are open-style barns that contain areas where the cows move freely as they like. And they can lie down in any place they choose.
In addition to separate feeding and watering areas. There are also barns with individual stalls, either in which a cow is tied up inside a stall. or they may be free stalls in which the cows can move around the barn and stand up and lie down comfortably.
There are also two important factors that mainly control good bedding choices. The first one is the comfort of the cows, and the other factor is the convenience of the farmers. The comfort of the cows is of paramount importance. Due to the importance of the cow spending its time in a healthy way most of the day. So the cow bed should be comfortable to lie on.
Needless to say, dry, clean bedding is crucial above all else, as it is the most important factor in cow comfort, good nutrition, and limiting the growth of pathogens that thrive in moist environments.
The bedding must be reinforced to bear the large size of the cows. it should promote coolness in the summer and warmth in the winter. Non-abrasive bedding is also important as it promotes comfort and reduces injury.
Good footing is also an important factor in preventing injury. As for the farmers, Farmers’ comfort requires bedding to be inexpensive in terms of cost and labor. Based on those factors that we mentioned above, farmers can choose from several types of bedding, the most popular bedding options include:
1. Sand
The Sand is one of the most popular cow bedding options. Sand offers many advantages as it provides comfort to the cow as it easily conforms to the size and shape of the animal. It also provides cleanliness and dryness, as it does not retain moisture and expels it away from the surface. it sand helps prevent health problems, the most important of which is mastitis, and knee and hock injuries. On the darker side, sand is heavy to handle and abrasive to equipment. It also sticks to cows’ nipples and groin, especially if they are wet.
2. Sawdust
Wood shavings provide a good bedding option for dairy cows in most cases, especially If it is sifted and dried properly. The biggest problem facing the sawdust moth is that it remains wet most of the time and cannot get rid of moisture. Which facilitates the growth of pathogens. Some try to overcome this defect by adding lime to the bed to reduce its risks. However, sawdust serves as a surface bedding, as it is less absorbent.
3. Straw
Chopped straw bedding provides a comfortable environment for cows. But it must be changed frequently, because the straw is poorly absorbent and very dirty, which promotes the growth of pathogens.
4. Paper
For the best result, paper is combined with other bedding materials such as sand, sawdust, or straw. Paper is readily available and relatively inexpensive.
5. Compost
Compost bedding is an effective option for dairy cows in open barn environments. But bearing in mind that the use of organic manure requires ventilation at least twice a day during milking. it also requires the addition of sawdust or straw as needed.
6. Geotextile Mattresses
Waterproof outdoor mattresses that contain bedding materials such as water or polyethylene foam can be purchased and installed by attaching them to create rows.
7. Adequate Cover
adequate cover is one of the other important things for Jersey cows and cattle in general need to stay healthy and productive. Jersey cows shall have a covered portion of shade and an attached open pen so that they Jersey cow may freely move, come and go all day to graze. The choice is yours to leave it free or restrict it and move it yourself based on the weather.
Cows get rid of heat primarily through respiration as well as through the evaporation of water from perspiration. The importance of providing shade from direct sunlight reduces the additional heat load borne by the cow by as much as 50 percent. Although Jersey cows are heat adapted, heat stress load should not be placed on them
If there is a possibility to find shade and rest, especially during the hottest time of the day. A study of heat loads on dairy cow production showed that extreme heat has negative effects on dairy production. Including decreased milk production, low percentage of fat and protein in milk, Lower first service rates, a higher number of services per pregnancy, and Low calf weights at birth.
The study also showed that the effect of extreme heat was greater for high-production cows on farms that did not provide shade for their cows, which led to a decrease in their annual milk production by up to 461 liters of milk per cow.
Another study on the effect of heat on dairy cows found that milk production increased by 3 percent for shaded cows compared to non-shaded cows. Therefore, as easy as it is, it is important to the extent that it has been proven that cattle prefer shade over water in hot weather. so you have to keep this point in mind well.
FAQS
What Are The Disadvantages Of A Jersey Cow?
Jersey cows produce less milk than other dairy breeds such as Holstein cows. Their calves are also more susceptible to diseases such as milk fever.
Related Article: The Advantages and Disadvantages of Jersey Cows: What Every Dairy Farmer Should Know
How Much Milk Will A Jersey Cow Produce?
Jersey cows produce milk at a rate of 10 to 13 kilograms per day, at a rate of 13,000 during their productive life.
What Is The Jersey Cow Most Known For?
Jersey cows are famous for their milk, which is known for its high quality. they produce milk rich in fat, protein, minerals, and other trace elements that are particularly high in nutritional value.
