Minnie is our resident milk cow! She’s a beautiful Dexter cow who carries the A2 milk gene, which is the protein in milk that is easier to digest. This was important to me! Dexter cows are “mini” cows, standing about hip high, and super gentle. Minnie had not been handled much before we got her and within a few weeks, she was letting us love all over her. She’s a sweetheart!
These two are a Nigerian Dwarf/Nubian mix. Steel is a wether (neutured male) and Diamond is a doeling that likely will not be bred due to her having 4 nipples, which is an undesireable trait in milk goats. Diamond is named for the little diamond shape brown patch on her back. Steel was formerly named “Thug” but we changed it on the ride home! We wanted something strong and sleek for his handsome self – and we felt it paired well with Diamond. Our goats are mostly for fun, partially as companions for the horse and partially to keep the weeds and brush under control. Plus they really up the cute factor here!
We kept it simple with Dunnie. She’s dun colored and we called her “the dun cow” so “Dunnie” seems appropriate. Dunnie came as a package deal with Minnie and the calves. She’s a sweet but skittish cow and a great mama. Unfortunately she doesn’t carry the A2 gene so we don’t plan to use her for milking and we don’t have the acreage to support another mama cow, so her purpose here on the farm will be for nourishment for our family. Once her calf is weaned, she’ll enjoy some lovely grazing time to fatten up and then she’ll be sent out for processing.
Uno is Dunnie’s calf and Dos is Minnie’s calf. They are about a week apart and you’d think they were twins! They are the best of buds and always together. These two are also destined for “freezer camp” in 2 and 3 years. We sure enjoy having them around though, I had no idea just how much fun calves are in person!
