Post by Lannie on Dec 28, 2010 12:13:01 GMT -5
On the barley thread, I had said I was looking for a bit more milk production from Cricket, and Heather suggested I was leaving her too long between afternoon nursing by Sammi and morning milking by me, which makes total sense. So I've been leaving Sammi with Cricket until 7:00 pm and milking at 7:00 am to get her back on a 12 hour schedule, or as close to it as possible.
It's been 5 days now, and on day one I got the same amount as I normally did (1.25 gallons), day two was a cup less than that, day three was 1 gallon even, day four (yesterday) I didn't milk because it was shopping day, but Sammi was locked up all night and I just let her milk for me in the a.m., and day five (today) I got 3 quarts. Three of the five nights, including last night, Sammi had been nursing when I went to lock her up at 7:00 pm, so Cricket was empty at that time, and the other two nights, she had recently nursed, but had finished by the time we got out to the barn.
So going to being emptied every 12 hours doesn't seem to be working at all. I don't know if it's because Sammi isn't nursing much during the day, but even if that were the case, if she's nursing and emptying Cricket right around 7:00 pm, it would be the same as me milking twice a day, right? At this rate, I'm having to ration MYSELF with the milk.
I think it's time to wean Sammi, whether I want to or not. I'm really not looking forward to having to milk every night as well as every morning, especially in the middle of winter, but I don't see any other option at this point. Unless someone has a fabulous idea I haven't thought of, we're going to pop the weaning ring in Sammi's nose today, and then I guess it's time for her to be sold. I was going to keep her over the winter as a backup milker, but if I'm not getting any milk... I guess it's time for her to go.
So, any bright ideas before we do the weaning ring thing?
~Lannie
It's been 5 days now, and on day one I got the same amount as I normally did (1.25 gallons), day two was a cup less than that, day three was 1 gallon even, day four (yesterday) I didn't milk because it was shopping day, but Sammi was locked up all night and I just let her milk for me in the a.m., and day five (today) I got 3 quarts. Three of the five nights, including last night, Sammi had been nursing when I went to lock her up at 7:00 pm, so Cricket was empty at that time, and the other two nights, she had recently nursed, but had finished by the time we got out to the barn.
So going to being emptied every 12 hours doesn't seem to be working at all. I don't know if it's because Sammi isn't nursing much during the day, but even if that were the case, if she's nursing and emptying Cricket right around 7:00 pm, it would be the same as me milking twice a day, right? At this rate, I'm having to ration MYSELF with the milk.
I think it's time to wean Sammi, whether I want to or not. I'm really not looking forward to having to milk every night as well as every morning, especially in the middle of winter, but I don't see any other option at this point. Unless someone has a fabulous idea I haven't thought of, we're going to pop the weaning ring in Sammi's nose today, and then I guess it's time for her to be sold. I was going to keep her over the winter as a backup milker, but if I'm not getting any milk... I guess it's time for her to go.
So, any bright ideas before we do the weaning ring thing?
~Lannie