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Small-breed Milk Cows

Miniature cows cost $1,800 to $3,500 depending on the size, markings and color. (A good standard Jersey sold as a family milk cow will cost $1,400 to $1,800.) Although small-breed cattle may cost more initially, they have some interesting advantages. 

How small are small-breed Jerseys? What about miniature Holsteins?

Miniature cattle are classified in three categories as measured by height at the hip. These three categories are (1) midsize miniature, 42 to 48 inches; (2) standard miniature, 36 to 42 inches; and (3) micro-miniature, 36 inches and under. Small-breed cattle range in weight from 500 to 800 pounds. In general, a miniature milk cow is a third to half the size of the standard milk cow. I find that the 42- to 44-inch height is the most ideal for a family small-breed milk cow. Smaller cows may present logistical problems — you might have to sit on the floor to milk them.

How much milk do they give? Is it the same quality as from a standard cow?

A standard-size milk cow in peak production can give 6 to 10 gallons of milk per day. What do you do with that much milk? That’s the great thing about small-breed Jerseys. My cows give 1 to 1 1/2 gallons per milking. This level of production provides enough milk for drinking as well as for making some cheese and butter on a weekly basis, plus a little left over to give to a neighbor or friend. The quality of the milk is excellent, with butterfat content of about 4.9 percent. I store milk in gallon Mason jars. Each jar of milk will have about 3 inches of cream at the top.

How much feed do the small-breed cattle require?

That all depends on your philosophy concerning cattle. I believe that cattle are designed to be grass-fed. The rumen (one of a cow’s four stomachs) has bacteria that make the cow an efficient converter of cellulosic material into beef and milk. If grain is introduced into a cow’s diet, different bacteria are required for digestion.

Answers To Frequently Asked Questions About Alpacas

The rare and exotic alpaca is a creature of antiquity that is rapidly gaining popularity around the world. Highly prized for their luxurious coats, the alpaca has been considered a treasure of the Andes Mountains for over 6,000 years.
Alpacas are New World camelids and look like small llamas or long-necked camels with no humps, especially when recently sheared. They have shaggy necks and camel-like faces with thick lips, pronounced noses, and long ears. Their large, expressive eyes seem to exhibit both wisdom and childlike curiousity. Easily domesticated, alpacas are friendly, gentle and curious.
Alpacas are sheared annually, usually in the spring. The fiber may be sold and processed into rovings, spun into yarn, knitted or woven into fine fabrics. Each step adds more value to the product.

FAQs

Q: Is alpaca fiber really useful?
A: Alpaca fleece is a premium fiber and in high demand in the fashion industry. It is light-weight, warm, durable, soft and not itchy. Handspinners appreciate its quality, and handcrafters find it easy to work with. The natural hues are highly desirable, yet light colors readily accept dye. Many ranches have small stores selling yarn from their own animals or clothing and accessory products crafted from the fleece.

Q: What's the difference between alpacas and llamas?
A: Size and fiber quality. Llamas were primarily bred to be beasts of burden, and alpacas were bred primarily as fiber producers. An average alpaca stands 34"-36" at the withers (shoulders), whereas a llama stands 42"-48" at the withers. Alpacas weigh 125-175 pounds on average. An adult alpaca will generally produce 5-8 pounds of high-quality fiber each year.

Q: How long do alpacas live?
A: Alpacas have a life expectancy of 20-25 years.

Q: When do they reach breeding maturity?
A: Females reach breeding capability by 16-24 months. Males usually don't reach sexual potency until 24 months or more, with the rare one becoming potent as early as 12 months.

Q: What is the gestation period?
A: The gestation period is 11-1/2 months (~350 days).

Q: When do females stop breeding?
A: Females will breed throughout their life.

Q: How much do the babies weigh when born?
A: Alpaca crias average 18 lbs. Delivery usually occurs during the daytime and rarely requires the assistance of humans. Twins are extremely rare. Cria are weaned at about 6 months of age.

Q: What do alpacas eat?
A: The alpaca is an herbivore, grazing on grass and munching weeds, shrubs and trees. They process their food through 3 stomachs where special secretions enable the animal to absorb 50% more nutrients than sheep. Low-protien feed is recommended, with additional mineral supplements for females since they are generally pregnant and/or nursing.

Q: Do alpacas spit?
A: Not very often and only at each other, to signal displeasure at a herd member. A pregnant female 'spits off' an inquisitive male to let him know she is disinterested in his advances.

Q: What predators threaten alpacas?
A: The alpaca is prey to mountain lions, coyotes, bears, and other carnivores. In its native Andes, the alpaca's long neck helps spot predators among the rocks of the mountain slopes. On US ranchs, llamas, donkeys, and guard dogs such as Anatolian shepherd dogs are often used as herd guardians.

Q: What sounds do alpacas make?
A: Humming is the most common sound an alpaca makes, a sort of musical purring. The mom calls to her cria by humming, or they hum to communicate with each other within the herd.
   When alarmed, a staccato tooting is made by one animal, then joined in by the rest of the herd as they focus attention in the direction of potential danger.
   During breeding, which lasts from 20 to 30 minutes, a male trumpets or 'orgles' a lovesong to his mate.

Q: Is their manure good fertilizer?
A: Their manure is excellent fertilizer and may be applied directly to the garden without danger of 'burn.' Because alpacas are not nomadic, they mark their territory with their dung piles and usually wait to get to the designated area to defecate or urinate.

Q: Are alpacas environmentally friendly?
A: The alpaca's two-toed feet are soft pads protected on the top and sides by toe nails. Unlike hard hooves, they leave the terrain undamaged. And as they graze, they only nibble the top of the pasture grass rather than uprooting it. By rotating between two or three pastures, there is always a fresh supply of orchard grass.

Types of Lettuce

Lettuce leaf color and texture vary with variety, but all types of lettuce grow best when the soil is kept constantly moist.

Types of Lettuce

Loose-leaf varieties grow tender leaves in dense rosettes, but seldom form crisp inner heads. Some loose-leaf lettuce varieties have superior heat tolerance.

Butterheads and bibb types quickly form small heads of leaves with stout, crunchy ribs. Some varieties have superior cold tolerance.

Romaine lettuce has elongated leaves with stiff ribs. Romaines often tolerate stressful weather better than other types of lettuce.

Crisphead lettuce includes familiar iceberg types, as well as lush and leafy Batavian, or French Crisp, varieties which have great flavor and color, and are easy to grow.

When to Plant

In spring, sow lettuce in cold frames or tunnels six weeks before your last frost date. Start more seeds indoors under lights at about the same time, and set them out when they are three weeks old. Direct seed more lettuce two weeks before your average last spring frost date. Lettuce seeds typically sprout in two to eight days when soil temperatures range between 55 and 75 degrees.

In fall, sow all types of lettuce at two-week intervals starting eight weeks before your first fall frost. One month before your first frost, sow only cold-tolerant butterheads and romaines.

How to Plant

Prepare your planting bed by loosening the soil to at least 10 inches deep. Mix in an inch or so of good compost or well-rotted manure. Sow lettuce seeds a quarter of an inch deep and 1 inch apart in rows or squares, or simply broadcast them over the bed.

Indoors, sow lettuce seeds in flats or small containers kept under fluorescent lights. Harden off three-week-old seedlings for at least two or three days before transplanting. Use shade covers, such as pails or flowerpots, to protect transplants from sun and wind during their first few days in the garden.

Harvesting and Storage

Harvest lettuce in the morning, after the plants have had all night to plump up with water. Wilted lettuce picked on a hot day seldom revives, even when rushed to the refrigerator. Pull (and eat) young plants until you get the spacing you want. Gather individual leaves or use scissors to harvest handfuls of baby lettuce. Rinse lettuce thoroughly with cool water, shake or spin off excess moisture, and store it in plastic bags in the refrigerator. Lettuce often needs a second cleaning as it is prepared for the table.

6 Easy Ways to Store Garlic for the Winter

It’s that time of year when we gather up the harvest for the winter. People around the country are canning, freezing and dehydrating to get their harvest stored. I now have 10 pounds of fresh garlic that I need to preserve until the next fall harvest.

Ten Pounds of garlic equals about 75 heads and 600 cloves! That’s about 50 cloves per month or 1.5 per day.

1. Chop the cloves and refrigerate in olive oil.

2. Root cellar storage in a mesh bag will extend the season many months.  Garlic stores like onions. If you have grown your own you can dry and braid them together. In fact, if you keep them in an airy, cool, dry and dark place, they will store until next harvest. This method also keeps them from sprouting.

3. Drying garlic couldn’t be simpler by using an oven or dehydrator.  Be prepared for a fragrant house – then, choose firm, fresh cloves with no sign of bruising. Peel the cloves and cut them in half lengthwise. Dehydrating works best if you have uniform sizes so each piece will dry at the same rate. Garlic should be dried at 125 degrees until crisp.  This may take up to two days at this low temperature. You can store the dried pieces in canning jars.

4. Grind dried garlic and make garlic powder. Once the pieces are completely dry use a coffee grinder and process until it is the consistence you want.

5. Pickle your Garlic in vinegar with these easy instructions from Growing a Greener World. Pickled garlic can be used just like fresh and will last at least a year once you have processed them in a water bath canner. Plus, as an added bonus, once you have eaten the garlic you can use the garlic flavored brine in salad dressings!

6. Freezing you garlic is probably the easiest method of all. Either follow directions in step number 1 above and freeze with oil or just pop the whole garlic bulb, unpeeled, into a paper bag and remove cloves as needed.

Top 10 Bunny Dangers

You and your rabbit are living blissfully together, happy and seemingly safe. But it doesn't take long for your bunny to get into trouble. As your bunny's parent, being vigilant will ensure a safe, happy rabbit, one that may live to be 10 to 12 years old.

Danger One. Chewing the Wrong Things
Rabbits love to chew because their teeth are always growing. They do not discriminate on what they chew, however. You must make sure that he is not chewing on things that can cause illness or death. Electrical cords, if bitten completely through while plugged in, will kill a rabbit. Carpet, if ingested in substantial quantities, can cause serious blockages, even death. Plastic, shower curtains, etc., all have potentially serious effects and must be kept away from your bunny. Insulate electrical wires with wire covers, found in the hardware sections of your local home improvement store. Cover all carpeting (if he is chews carpet) with sea grass mats, or safe things to chew (such as hay).

Danger Two. Heat
Whether your rabbit stays indoors or outdoors, heat and heat stroke kill many bunnies each year. When temperatures rise over 85 degrees Fahrenheit, you must be home or have someone there to cool off the room and the bunny by turning on air conditioners, fans or using frozen water bottles. Never leave a rabbit in direct sunlight. Always stop home to check on him on hot days. Never use an aquarium for housing as there is not enough ventilation. Remember, he is wearing a fur coat all the time.

Danger Three. Improper Diet
You have heard of killing with kindness, and we all have been guilty of that to a degree with our pets. With rabbits, however, a steady diet of the wrong things (treats, pellets with nuts, fruits, no hay) will eventually cause digestive upsets and shorten a rabbit's life. Rabbits need a substantial amount of hay (timothy, grass hay, oat hay), fresh greens and limited pellets as he gets older. Treats should be kept to a minimum. Rabbits that do not eat any hay have been known to only live a few years; they are often plagued by hairblocks, among other disorders. Try to find hay fresh, off-the-bale.

Danger Four. Bedding
Pine litter, cedar and clumping cat litter can be dangerous for your bunny. Pine and cedar give off "phenols," which are caused by the processing of the wood. Over time, this odor can harm the liver. Clumping cat litter, if eaten, can cause serious blockages. It is best to stick with paper-type litter such as Carefresh®, Cat Country®, Yesterday's News® or even straw on top of newspaper for his litter box. These paper litters and straw provide a soft resting area for your bunny as well.

Danger Five. Household Pets
The family dog or cat has killed many rabbits, indoors and outdoors. Never leave them together unsupervised. Always err on the side of caution, even if you believe your dog or cat would never hurt a fly.

Danger Six. Handling
Rabbits have very small bone structures compared to their body mass. Holding a bunny only by the scruff of the neck can result in a fractured back if the bunny tries to kick. Always support the rear legs when carrying your bunny, and never let young children pick up the rabbit.

Danger Seven. Undetected Illnesses
Outdoor rabbits are more prone to contracting ailments (bladder stones, hairblocks, sniffles) that go unnoticed. Some of these, such as bladder stones and hairblocks, can be exceptionally painful for your bunny if not detected. Always keep your bunny close to you, and check on his eating habits and droppings regularly. If you see any change, be swift to call your rabbit veterinarian as rabbits can become ill and die very quickly.

Danger Eight. Overpopulation
We all know the rabbit is the fertility symbol – and for good reason. A mature rabbit (doe) can have up to nine babies every 30 days with her male companion. These babies mature around 4 months, and they can also have babies. Doing the math, we have way too many rabbits and no homes. Spaying and neutering your bunny will prolong his/her life and prevent the all-too-common cancer associated with unaltered pets. Spaying/neutering can also save the lives of shelter bunnies, many of which are put to sleep each day due to the lack of homes.

Danger Nine. Outdoors
This is one of the most dangerous places for a domestic bunny. Outdoor bunnies live shorter lives than indoor ones due to weather, risk of illness, heat, drafts and predators. Rabbits loose in yards are susceptible to poisonous plants, escaping into traffic or being caught by the neighborhood dogs, cats, wildlife or taken by others.

Danger Ten. Predators 
Rabbits are prey animals; that is, they are the ones preyed on by the carnivorous animals (raccoons, dogs, wolves, cats). Raccoons have been known to scare a rabbit to death just by crawling over his cage, never making contact. Your rabbit depends on you to keep him safe. Most outdoor cages are not adequate to protect a bunny from predators. If you can't bring your rabbit indoors (the safest thing), make sure to have a double-enclosed cage, or put your bunny's cage inside a barn or dog run at night, to thwart any attempt of predators from crawling over the cage, or from folks opening the cage and taking your bunny.

Following the above suggestions will ensure your bunny is as safe as possible, and you may find he lives up to 12 years, thanks to your love and diligence.

Ryan Gosling (The Goose) Has An Adorable New Friend

Ryan Gosling is a goose who lives at an animal rescue in Northern California, where he's best friends with a goat named Hemingway.

Hemingway was six weeks old and covered in lice when he was found this past spring, having been left at Farm Sanctuary's front gate.

Ryan Gosling came to Farm Sanctuary via a Los Angeles animal shelter. Staff quickly realized that he had some joint problems that made it hard to move. He was also discovered to be an unusually friendly little goose who loves company -- especially people, and his quick buddy Hemingway.

At least for now. While at the moment this unlikely couple spend their days chewing the greenery and paddling in kiddie pools together, it's thought that Hemingway will eventually seek out other goats, while Ryan Gosling will flock to his fellow waterfowl.