Moonbeam

Misty Morning Farm Moonbeam-P, DNA Verified 100% Purebred Mini Jersey (BBR100), 40 inches at 5 years old (Vet Verified), A2A2, 3+ gallons per day

Moonbeam was our family’s first Mini Jersey – we waited two years to finally bring her home from when we set out to find a family milk cow. We met her breeder at a homestead fair and decided she would be the person we bought our first cow from and boy are we glad we waited!

Moonbeam’s pedigree is predominantly Holterholm and Misty Morning Farm. Both bloodlines of small Jersey cows she comes from have been bred for grazing, A2 milk, polled and smaller stature. Holterholm cows average 6,000 pounds per year (2.42 gallons per day), 5.2% butterfat and 3.8% protein.

We haven’t measured pounds of milk per year, but we keep each of our cows’ milk separate and Moonbeam provided us with 3 gallons per day of milk at her peak on her second lactation, but freshened with over 4 gallons per day on her third lactation. Moonbeam easily maintains her condition on pasture without any supplementation.

Moonbeam also holds her lactation well, she was producing over 2 gallons per day when her second calf was weaned at six months. Moonbeam can feed two calves at the same time while maintaining her condition on pasture. During her first lactation her own calf nursed her as well as a bull calf, each weaning at 15 months old. The only down side to us using her as a nurse cow on her first lactation was that she learned to hold back her cream from us at milking if she has a calf to feed! (If we want more of her rich cream we let her calf start nursing and then milk her.)

Moonbeam’s teats are long enough to milk using my whole hand to milk on both her front and rear teats, though her rear teats are slightly shorter and when her udder is very full it’s harder to use my whole hand. Moonbeam’s udder stays at or above her hocks even at peak production and is very well supported and defined. We hope to some day raise a mini bull calf from her to pass on her genetics to future generations! (We suspect her third calf is an excellent candidate so far – see Gemini below!)

Moonbeam has a Gold Registration Certificate from the Purebred Mini Jersey Society (PMJS) and is also registered with the American Jersey Cattle Association (AJCA) and the International Miniature Cattle Breeder’s Registry (IMCBR).

Misty Morning Farm Moonbeam

DOB	August 19, 2018
Sire	Misty Morning Farm Little King Kong
Dam	Misty Morning Farm Maribelle
Conception	Natural
Color	Fawn
Height	40 inches at 4 years (22.5 inches at birth)
Polled/Horned	Heterozygous Polled (Pf/H)
Beta Casein	A2A2 (AA)
Kappa Casein	BB
Beta Lactoglobulin	BB
BBR	100
Stature	-2.7
Calved at	Misty Morning Farm, VA
Registration	PMJS #G05180067, AJCA #JEUSA000175020085, IMCBR #6746