From Slaughter House to Forever Home: Clover's Story

The amount of milk these kids and husband go through is insane.

I am sure you can relate.

We had to do something because it was getting expensive.

The closest raw milk was 30 minutes one way. And many times, she didn't have extra.

I crunched the numbers and we would actually save money with a dairy cow.

So... it was time for our own.

I am very particular about my animals. Very particular.

So particular that it hinders me from a lot of opportunities. Which is why I said I would never buy a sale barn animal... Never say never.

Anyways, I knew what I wanted with my dairy cow.

She had to be a Jersey and a certain color.

(While color doesn't increase production, if I had to look at this thing every day, she had to be pretty lol).

Most importantly, she had to be A2A2. (Future blog post coming on A2A2 protein).

She also had to stand to be milked because I don't even have a stanchion built yet.

Yeah, I know. I am crazy.

I had some other characteristics I was looking for, but I won't bore you with those.

Well I searched and searched and searched... For almost a year to no avail.

I was pretty sure my perfect cow was NOT out there and I was going to have to lower my standards.

Actually, to be honest. The perfect cow was out there, just not within my budget.

Until one day...

The local small animal sale happens once a month.

They post most of their animals on Facebook the week before the sale.

I was tagged in a particular post FOUR times from FOUR different people, all who knew I was looking for a dairy vow.

And I'll be damned... It was a Jersey cow. Hand milker. Stands without a stanchion. The perfect color.

But she was a sale barn cow...

And I've always said I would never buy a sale barn animal.

I contemplated for a week...

I couldn't get over the fact she was a sale barn cow. But I knew she was destined for the slaughterhouse.

Now we raise beef, so I am not lighthearted about sending cows to be processed.

But something tugged at my heart.

So I prayed about it.

I talked to Austin and my mentor about it.

I decided I would bid on this cow.

Problem was... I couldn't go to the sale. My nephew's birthday party was the day of the sale.

Oh well. Guess it wasn't meant to be.

Plot twist...

The auctioneer called me and said I didn't have to come to the sale, just let him know my top dollar and he would deliver if I won.

Hmm, okay.

So I prayed about it some more and gave him my top bid thinking there is no way I'll win with this - someone will outbid me for sure.

8:30pm rolls around and the auctioneer calls me asking for my address.

Holy shit... I just won this Jersey cow.

I was excited, but I'd be lying if I said my stomach wasn't in knots.

An hour later she gets off the trailer. And now I see why I won the bid and why my stomach was in knots.

Dairy cows are thinner than beef cows. I knew that. But they are not supposed to be THAT thin.

Poor girl didn't lift her head from grass for three days.

Unfortunately, we couldn't see our vet for almost a month.

So many research articles later, we did what we could to improve her body condition.

When our vet checked her, he said he wouldn't have been able to tell she came from the sale barn.

She was perfectly healthy and her body condition score was exactly where it needed to be.

She could use a hoof trim, but other than that you couldn't ask for a healthier looking cow.

Honey, I about fell down when he said all that. I mean I had to take a literal minute lol.

A weight lifted from my shoulders.

Could she be anymore perfect?

Actually...

I found out she was previously registered with NC State's dairy, born and raised there (they did not let her go in the condition I found her in - she was passed around a few times before she got to me).

Unfortunately, I cannot have her registration transferred to me but that has never mattered to me.

What does matter is...

I received her beta-casein test results (the A2A2 part I was talking about earlier)...

You have GOT. TO. BE. KIDDING. ME.

Old girl out there has A2A2 proteins!

This time, I really did fall in the floor.

I almost couldn't believe it.

There is no other explanation for this working out other than God...

I wasn't at the sale. I never "truly bid" on this cow. I didn't even pick her up.

Now Clover has her forever home and I have my dream milk cow.

Dreams do come true. Often times when you least expect it.

What dream has come true for you? Let me know in the comments below!