Post by mainelady on Dec 2, 2021 9:00:36 GMT -5
Evie is a first calf heifer who calved six weeks ago. She’s been exceptionally wonderful for milking. She’s been letting down really well, and usually when I milk she stands with the close leg back a little, and won’t move it. She usually won’t come in to milk if she has to poo, and will pause at the door until she goes, then come in. Sometimes she pees on the stand, but she usually hunches and dribbles, waits for me to put the pail under her, then pees. Last week she tried to pee without hunching on my side, so she wouldn’t move her foot. THATS what she’s been like. Until today, she’s been so solid and trustworthy, I probably would have crawled under her if I needed to.
Today she kicked me. A LOT. This last week she has been letting down more hesitantly, but she still gives usually 3 gallons a day with the calf on full time- it’s just been a toss up as to whether she lets down fully at night or in the morning. Since 3 gallons is great, and eventually I want to milk OAD, I haven’t worried about it. I just sort of figured she would let me know (based on when she was letting down more) if our OAD should be morning or night. Anyway. Today she kicked me with one of those rapid double kicks, i didn’t get seriously hurt, and jumped back just before the next kick. She kicked off the machine (we were about 75% done). I turned it off. She usually gets grain as soon as milking is done, but I instructed DH not to feed her right after she kicked. She went WILD. Thrashing in the stand, and then kicking the back post of the stand over and over and over. We waiting until she calmed down a bit and let her out. Waited until all the other chores were done and put her in the stand, and then gave her her grain. She gets 10 lbs /day, so it’s kind of a lot to have just at the night, and a significant amount to miss out on diet-wise.
I feel like something is WRONG. Like maybe I should have noticed something that was upsetting her. Generally my goats only kick in a vicious way if they are actually signaling pain- so my instinct is to worry about that. I had looked her over thoroughly before milking, and her udder was super clean and there were no scratches or cuts, and it wasn’t red or hard. I dremeled the calf’s teeth when she was about a week old, so I know her teeth are smooth. She maybe looks like her back hoof/ankle is sensitive now, only a slight favoring, but that might be related to her kicking the s*** out of the stand. I can’t think of what the problem might be? I want to take steps before the next milking- not getting hurt this morning is probably more luck than anything. I have a kick bar, but when I tried putting that on mid-kick fit this morning she thrashed until it fell off and resumed trying to kill the stand.
Any ideas?
Today she kicked me. A LOT. This last week she has been letting down more hesitantly, but she still gives usually 3 gallons a day with the calf on full time- it’s just been a toss up as to whether she lets down fully at night or in the morning. Since 3 gallons is great, and eventually I want to milk OAD, I haven’t worried about it. I just sort of figured she would let me know (based on when she was letting down more) if our OAD should be morning or night. Anyway. Today she kicked me with one of those rapid double kicks, i didn’t get seriously hurt, and jumped back just before the next kick. She kicked off the machine (we were about 75% done). I turned it off. She usually gets grain as soon as milking is done, but I instructed DH not to feed her right after she kicked. She went WILD. Thrashing in the stand, and then kicking the back post of the stand over and over and over. We waiting until she calmed down a bit and let her out. Waited until all the other chores were done and put her in the stand, and then gave her her grain. She gets 10 lbs /day, so it’s kind of a lot to have just at the night, and a significant amount to miss out on diet-wise.
I feel like something is WRONG. Like maybe I should have noticed something that was upsetting her. Generally my goats only kick in a vicious way if they are actually signaling pain- so my instinct is to worry about that. I had looked her over thoroughly before milking, and her udder was super clean and there were no scratches or cuts, and it wasn’t red or hard. I dremeled the calf’s teeth when she was about a week old, so I know her teeth are smooth. She maybe looks like her back hoof/ankle is sensitive now, only a slight favoring, but that might be related to her kicking the s*** out of the stand. I can’t think of what the problem might be? I want to take steps before the next milking- not getting hurt this morning is probably more luck than anything. I have a kick bar, but when I tried putting that on mid-kick fit this morning she thrashed until it fell off and resumed trying to kill the stand.
Any ideas?