UPDATE 10/31/2023-We have one remaining mini Jersey left to sell. We will be taking a hiatus on sales after that until spring 2025, so please contact then if you are interested in purchasing one of our sweet heifers!
Chestnut Oak Minis is located in Jefferson, Maryland and raise and sell family-sized A2/A2 Jersey cows.We have Mid-Miniature and Miniature Jersey cows, and raise polled A2/A2 Miniature bulls as well. We test for the major bovine diseases including BLV, BVD, and Johne’s. We are a Brucellosis and TB free state. Additionally, we have consistently tested free of all diseases as required by interstate and international travel. We love our A2/A2 milk cows and want to help you experience the benefits of your own sweet cow too!
Our passion with Chestnut Oak Minis is to breed miniature cows with strong grazing genetics, in order to provide gentle, low-maintenance, hand- or machine-milkable cows for our customers. Our goal is to breed for longevity, and our cows are routinely in production for 10-12 lactations. We are mostly Mid and Mini Jersey but still have a few small standards. All of our herd (bulls, calves, mature cows) are and have been A2A2 since our inception. We do not use any A1/A2 genetics, and that ensures that the A2/A2 gene will be present in any cow you purchase from us.
We can personally deliver cows within a 100-mile radius of our farm, and have worked with several shippers over the years for longer trips.
Our Jersey calves are dam-raised (a dam is a mama cow) on REAL milk (not milk replacer as is common now) for a healthier and longer life. Instead of weaning at 5-8 weeks of age, we don’t wean them until at least 16-24 weeks of age (4-6 months). By weaning later, we allow them to properly develop their immune system and rumen so that they can digest the cellulose in the grass. REAL Milk is the perfect source of protein to develop healthy, thrifty, grass-based calves.
Raising on real milk (enough milk!) and weaning our heifers at several months is a lot of work and expense, but they are so much healthier that it is worth it! This commitment along with the fact that our lines come from generations of rotational grazing allows a well-developed rumen so they can be efficient grazers and stay in good condition on good quality forages. We are feeding and breeding for cows that live a long, healthy life without high veterinary or feed expenses. By raising on grass, not only is the cow healthier, but also there are multiple health benefits from the nutrient-dense, grass-fed milk and other products a family cow can produce for a homestead.
We avoid the use of grain, particularly genetically modified grain as our cows thrive on a 100% forage-based diet. The only exception to our no-grain rule is during the winter, where we feed 10lbs/day/cow of brewers grain (left over grains from the brewing process) as an energy supplement to go with the winter hay diet.
We rarely use any drugs. Instead, we give free choice kelp and trace mineral salt, use probiotics and other natural trace minerals, and herbal supplements and homeopathic treatments.
Although not certified humane (too much paperwork), we follow 95% of their requirements and generally look to the well-being of our animals.
We sure do love our cows and they know it! Please contact us with any other questions.
Blessings,
Chestnut Oak Minis