Post by wanda on Jan 2, 2006 18:58:52 GMT -5
Hi all, I am Nancy from TN who wrote all sorts of newbie questions last summer, especially about mastitis. Life got busy and our computer went down a while, so I lost touch with this group for a while, with full intentions of reconnecting when possible. It's SO nice to know y'all are out there when I'm down milking our Sophie.
Sophie, a 5 y.o. Jersey, was supposably bred when we bought her last summer. When Thanksgiving came around, the time the previous owner told me we should start drying her off for a break before she calved in January, even in our ignorance about cows we could tell she wasn't looking too pregnant. The vet confirmed this to us, and we've now given her two shots of lutylase (sp?) and then not been sure if she was in heat or not, so she's still not pregnant. We hope to achieve this event within the month (by AI with Jersey sperm).
Meanwhile, Sophie's milk production averages 1/2 - 3/4 gallon 2x/day. We certainly can use every drop of milk we get (we are now up to nine children, having adopted another 12 y.o. daughter last month!), but we're also wanting a little break, too. Maybe that's b/c all along I'd figured we'd be on a milking vacation during this time, so I had that in my head. Whatever. My husband thinks we should drop to milking once a day. However, that means less milk overall, right? And eventually, she'll drop down to where it's not even worth it. Then, it's going to be at least October before she calves, so we're in for a long dry spell, at least I assume.
Questions:
Extra q*: Is she giving little enough at each milking that we can immediately drop one milking? (I've had to do that 2x when she got scared and wouldn't come to be milked, and she did fine, giving 2x as much in the morning.)
1) Any idea how much milk we can expect on OAD?
2) How much longer do you think we can milk her on OAD before even that's not worth it?
3) I don't understand how to switch down the food. What food, how much food, and when and WHERE do I feed it to her, esp. when I'm not bringing her into the milking stand anymore--or with a dairy cow are you supposed to do that regularly so they don't forget?
4) When she's finally dry, if that time is going to be many more months than the standard two, will she forget the milking routine if I just feed her in the field? (Kind of the same q. as #3.)
5) If I feed her in the field, we also have a 4-H Hereford heifer (yearling) who eats out there. They'll end up eating each other's feed.
I must admit I was pretty discouraged when we found out this cow was not pregnant. She is a well-behaved bovine, though, and except for one teat that doesn't work as well b/c of repeated mastitis problems, she works pretty well. One old dairy farmer told me he'd ditch her for another cow. But it was so hard to find her, and she never kicks! On the other hand, we need the healthy milk NOW for all our chillen'! Any guidance from you more experienced cow friends out there?
Thanks!
Nancy in TN
Sophie, a 5 y.o. Jersey, was supposably bred when we bought her last summer. When Thanksgiving came around, the time the previous owner told me we should start drying her off for a break before she calved in January, even in our ignorance about cows we could tell she wasn't looking too pregnant. The vet confirmed this to us, and we've now given her two shots of lutylase (sp?) and then not been sure if she was in heat or not, so she's still not pregnant. We hope to achieve this event within the month (by AI with Jersey sperm).
Meanwhile, Sophie's milk production averages 1/2 - 3/4 gallon 2x/day. We certainly can use every drop of milk we get (we are now up to nine children, having adopted another 12 y.o. daughter last month!), but we're also wanting a little break, too. Maybe that's b/c all along I'd figured we'd be on a milking vacation during this time, so I had that in my head. Whatever. My husband thinks we should drop to milking once a day. However, that means less milk overall, right? And eventually, she'll drop down to where it's not even worth it. Then, it's going to be at least October before she calves, so we're in for a long dry spell, at least I assume.
Questions:
Extra q*: Is she giving little enough at each milking that we can immediately drop one milking? (I've had to do that 2x when she got scared and wouldn't come to be milked, and she did fine, giving 2x as much in the morning.)
1) Any idea how much milk we can expect on OAD?
2) How much longer do you think we can milk her on OAD before even that's not worth it?
3) I don't understand how to switch down the food. What food, how much food, and when and WHERE do I feed it to her, esp. when I'm not bringing her into the milking stand anymore--or with a dairy cow are you supposed to do that regularly so they don't forget?
4) When she's finally dry, if that time is going to be many more months than the standard two, will she forget the milking routine if I just feed her in the field? (Kind of the same q. as #3.)
5) If I feed her in the field, we also have a 4-H Hereford heifer (yearling) who eats out there. They'll end up eating each other's feed.
I must admit I was pretty discouraged when we found out this cow was not pregnant. She is a well-behaved bovine, though, and except for one teat that doesn't work as well b/c of repeated mastitis problems, she works pretty well. One old dairy farmer told me he'd ditch her for another cow. But it was so hard to find her, and she never kicks! On the other hand, we need the healthy milk NOW for all our chillen'! Any guidance from you more experienced cow friends out there?
Thanks!
Nancy in TN