Post by kristins on Jul 2, 2006 6:53:16 GMT -5
Hi. I have done some searching on the board here and found some great info to help me milk. But I am so frustrated as Lois just isn't letting down! I got barely a quart in 2 milkings yesterday! And this morning I got a cup!! I am not an expert milker but I did milk goats as a kid. This is our first cow.
Here are the situation particulars:
Lois is of unknown origin. I got her in March from a man who got her at an auction. She's tamed down considerably and is doing much better than I ever expected.
Her calf is nearly 6 weeks old. We have not separated her from Lois yet. We were waiting, on the advise of a friend with cows, for 8-10 weeks to avoid a possible milk scouring problem. I would really like to separate the calf at night and milk in the a.m. only. Is 8 hours too long for her to be separated at this point?
Lois has small teats in the back and they don't have much milk. The calf nurses mostly out of the front two. In fact, is there a way to tell if a cow has only 3/4? The left rear quarter just has nothing. I can get a few squirts then nothing. The calf just doesn't nurse there. Could it be that it dried up? If I work it, will it build up a supply? Maybe I could tape the front teats so the calf can't nurse there? I can't see how a sheet would stay on! I hadn't read the boards about making certain the calf nurses all 4 quarters. We couldn't have gotten near the calf & Lois if we had wanted to when she calved!
We started milking nearly 2 weeks ago. My set up isn't the greatest. We're just tying her now. She can move around but rarely kicks. We do plan on building a stanchion in the next week or so. We have no barn but are planning on building one before this winter. We also plan to section off an area with fence so we can separate animals, including calves, as needed.
I can tell there is still milk in there but it just won't come out! Her udder deflates some but certainly not to the point where it is flabby. We do tie the calf near her....maybe 6 feet away. But after a few cups, I barely get an milk. I was getting a gallon in 2 milkings a week ago! Not much cream on top, mind you, but I figured that was just because I was not that strong a milker yet.
I see so many people getting 4 gallons in the first week after calving with the calf still on the cow! I would be happy with 2. What am I doing wrong? I really want to make all our butter and cheese but won't be doing any of that at this rate! How much milk should I expect to get at 6 weeks after calving?
Your advise is greatly appreciated!
I was very frustrated this morning. I could have gotten a goat for this much milk!
Here are the situation particulars:
Lois is of unknown origin. I got her in March from a man who got her at an auction. She's tamed down considerably and is doing much better than I ever expected.
Her calf is nearly 6 weeks old. We have not separated her from Lois yet. We were waiting, on the advise of a friend with cows, for 8-10 weeks to avoid a possible milk scouring problem. I would really like to separate the calf at night and milk in the a.m. only. Is 8 hours too long for her to be separated at this point?
Lois has small teats in the back and they don't have much milk. The calf nurses mostly out of the front two. In fact, is there a way to tell if a cow has only 3/4? The left rear quarter just has nothing. I can get a few squirts then nothing. The calf just doesn't nurse there. Could it be that it dried up? If I work it, will it build up a supply? Maybe I could tape the front teats so the calf can't nurse there? I can't see how a sheet would stay on! I hadn't read the boards about making certain the calf nurses all 4 quarters. We couldn't have gotten near the calf & Lois if we had wanted to when she calved!
We started milking nearly 2 weeks ago. My set up isn't the greatest. We're just tying her now. She can move around but rarely kicks. We do plan on building a stanchion in the next week or so. We have no barn but are planning on building one before this winter. We also plan to section off an area with fence so we can separate animals, including calves, as needed.
I can tell there is still milk in there but it just won't come out! Her udder deflates some but certainly not to the point where it is flabby. We do tie the calf near her....maybe 6 feet away. But after a few cups, I barely get an milk. I was getting a gallon in 2 milkings a week ago! Not much cream on top, mind you, but I figured that was just because I was not that strong a milker yet.
I see so many people getting 4 gallons in the first week after calving with the calf still on the cow! I would be happy with 2. What am I doing wrong? I really want to make all our butter and cheese but won't be doing any of that at this rate! How much milk should I expect to get at 6 weeks after calving?
Your advise is greatly appreciated!
I was very frustrated this morning. I could have gotten a goat for this much milk!