Post by Aleisha on Dec 30, 2011 20:57:39 GMT -5
Hi,
This may seem like a silly question, but I'd like to know what y'all think. I have been milking my jersey, Rose, with a machine and she's been nursing 3 calves as well, for the convenience of OAD milking.
Well, I haven't been getting much cream. Maybe an inch at the top of a half gallon mason jar. Some of you told me that I may not get much cream while Rose is nursing calves, but that I could try to take them away for a while and "train" her to give me all the cream.
So... I've been milking with a machine in the morning, and two nights ago started milking by hand in the evening (so I don't have to clean my machine twice). With the machine I get around 3 gallons plus or minus. But the most I've been able to get by hand is 1 gallon and a pint, and that probably takes 20 minutes or more. I'm sure it's probably my technique, still getting the feel of handmilking. (for those of you who can milk 2+ gallons in 20 minutes, I salute you!) I'm afraid my forearms are going to end up looking like Popeye's!
Rose does let her milk down for a little while during the handmilking. And I can definitely tell when she stops! But I know she must have lots more in there. I thought about letting the calves strip her out to avoid chances for mastitis while I get my technique down, but that would kind of defeat the purpose of me taking the calves off in the first place.
I suppose this is my question: Is it ok to alternate machine milking with hand milking, or am I just confusing my poor girl? And will her production decrease if I can't get the hand milking thing figured out enought to completely strip her?
I really am not ready to go to TAD milking full time. It's nice to have the calves as a back up if I can't be home in the evening. But this is kind of an experiment to see if she'll start giving me more cream. So if y'all think I'm wasting my time or causing problems for my cow, please let me know. Thanks! Aleisha
This may seem like a silly question, but I'd like to know what y'all think. I have been milking my jersey, Rose, with a machine and she's been nursing 3 calves as well, for the convenience of OAD milking.
Well, I haven't been getting much cream. Maybe an inch at the top of a half gallon mason jar. Some of you told me that I may not get much cream while Rose is nursing calves, but that I could try to take them away for a while and "train" her to give me all the cream.
So... I've been milking with a machine in the morning, and two nights ago started milking by hand in the evening (so I don't have to clean my machine twice). With the machine I get around 3 gallons plus or minus. But the most I've been able to get by hand is 1 gallon and a pint, and that probably takes 20 minutes or more. I'm sure it's probably my technique, still getting the feel of handmilking. (for those of you who can milk 2+ gallons in 20 minutes, I salute you!) I'm afraid my forearms are going to end up looking like Popeye's!
Rose does let her milk down for a little while during the handmilking. And I can definitely tell when she stops! But I know she must have lots more in there. I thought about letting the calves strip her out to avoid chances for mastitis while I get my technique down, but that would kind of defeat the purpose of me taking the calves off in the first place.
I suppose this is my question: Is it ok to alternate machine milking with hand milking, or am I just confusing my poor girl? And will her production decrease if I can't get the hand milking thing figured out enought to completely strip her?
I really am not ready to go to TAD milking full time. It's nice to have the calves as a back up if I can't be home in the evening. But this is kind of an experiment to see if she'll start giving me more cream. So if y'all think I'm wasting my time or causing problems for my cow, please let me know. Thanks! Aleisha