Why Buy a Family Cow?

Are you thinking you might want to buy a family cow? Just not sure yet? Here are some pros and cons of dairy cow ownership.

One of the biggest reason most families and small farms buy a milk cow is for the milk of course. With your fresh milk you can have all the milk you care to drink but it can also be made into wonderful fresh sweet cream butter, mozzarella cheese (delicious!), cottage cheese, cream cheese, all manner of other cheeses, yogurt, kefir, and many different other fresh dairy products. You can also use the milk to turn into clabber to feed chickens and other animals, and you can feed the milk to your pigs. It has even been noted that plants can benefit from fresh raw milk.

Some people don't buy a dairy cow to milk though, and instead they want a nurse cow to raise beef calves. One high-producing Holstein, Jersey, or Brown Swiss can usually easily raise 3 to 5 calves which you can then put in your freezer or sell for a profit later.

Another pro is that cows are just fun to be around. They are inquisitive, personable, and intelligent, and some keep them just as pets. Dexter and Zebu cattle are sometimes kept around just as pets due to their small size.

Okay so what are the cons? Well you need a good amount of space first of all, and depending on what part of the country you live in, you may need a barn or at least a closed-in shelter. At least you need a shelter to get out of the wind and rain.

Cost of feed can be a big con if you are feeding grain and hay. If you have year-round pasture and are not going to be feeding grain, or very little grain, cost of feed is minimal. However, even in the most forgiving climate, you normally have to purchase hay in the winter unless you grown your own.

Vet bills and general care can be another cost. Also, for those that milk, you need space to store the milk so you might need a second refrigerator, possibly a milking machine if you don't want to hand milk, and you may need to build a milking parlor or at least a stanchion with a head gate to keep the cow in while milking.

Other costs would be hoof trimming, supplements, and your day-to-day miscellaneous costs.

So it is up to you whether or not you feel the pros outweigh the cons. I think they do by a country mile.