Post by Tamara on Mar 23, 2013 4:00:36 GMT -5
Thanks for the comments
Emptying her out is going to prove harder than I think...
Day 3 of separating for ~6 hours: no milk
She was really holding up today! I have no idea why. She was full and tight, although a little bit less so than yesterday.
I haltered her without trouble and led her over to the milking spot. She leads wonderfully - I've realised she will follow me with just a tiny tug as long as I walk ahead of her, rather than right by her head as you might with a horse. She just seems to prefer that.
Anyway, got her tied and cleaned up, speaking nice little praises. Started milking front quarters, went well for a few minutes... then it just drizzled off. It was just like when she wasn't being separated - I could get a couple of squirts out, then it would empty. A minute later I could get a few more squirts out. I massaged her, bumped her, etc. but she just refused to let down properly.
She finished her hay and started moving all over, getting all the pieces of hay off the ground. She's so fussy when it comes to those last bits. Then she peed again... After 5 minutes of soothing her and giving her nice scratches, she settled down a bit but I was just getting no milk out. I had about half a cup, way less than yesterday.
I put the bucket behind her as it seemed easier to aim the rear teats backwards rather than forwards. Of course, lucky me... she pooped right into the bucket The cloth caught the bulk of it but I had to dump the tiny amount I had.
I guess we're both still learning. Hopefully she'll start letting her milk down properly soon
Emptying her out is going to prove harder than I think...
Day 3 of separating for ~6 hours: no milk
She was really holding up today! I have no idea why. She was full and tight, although a little bit less so than yesterday.
I haltered her without trouble and led her over to the milking spot. She leads wonderfully - I've realised she will follow me with just a tiny tug as long as I walk ahead of her, rather than right by her head as you might with a horse. She just seems to prefer that.
Anyway, got her tied and cleaned up, speaking nice little praises. Started milking front quarters, went well for a few minutes... then it just drizzled off. It was just like when she wasn't being separated - I could get a couple of squirts out, then it would empty. A minute later I could get a few more squirts out. I massaged her, bumped her, etc. but she just refused to let down properly.
She finished her hay and started moving all over, getting all the pieces of hay off the ground. She's so fussy when it comes to those last bits. Then she peed again... After 5 minutes of soothing her and giving her nice scratches, she settled down a bit but I was just getting no milk out. I had about half a cup, way less than yesterday.
I put the bucket behind her as it seemed easier to aim the rear teats backwards rather than forwards. Of course, lucky me... she pooped right into the bucket The cloth caught the bulk of it but I had to dump the tiny amount I had.
I guess we're both still learning. Hopefully she'll start letting her milk down properly soon