Post by Tamara on Jun 21, 2013 21:23:40 GMT -5
Okay guys, sorry for the late reply!
It was raining all day yesterday and I didn't milk, but I will be milking today and will try putting Ginger on again for a second let down. I like tad08's idea of milking while Ginger suckles, which will probably end up revolting messy and slimy and everything, but might be helpful XD
Also, sdmilkmaid, thanks for those pointers and I will back away today and listen for the change in sucking!
And thanks sooo much for that story. You have no idea how much it makes me feel way better to know someone else actually milked a cow that was only giving quarts of milk! If Tallulah doesn't end up giving more milk I'm hoping I will be able to milk Ginger... or if Tallulah ends up having another heifer, maybe her ^_^
brigitte, I understand oxytocin may be the only way to go. Like I said before, I'm just afraid at this point it is too late and she will get hooked on it and not let down any other way. If I get desperate I might use it once or twice just to see how it goes. But I'm definitely keeping it in mind for her next lactation! I want to get the best start possible and hopefully A. get a good production going by encouraging her to make more milk for both me and her calf, and B. get her into a habit of letting down properly, which may be helped by using oxytocin the first couple of times.
Dianne Ader, a weaning flap is a possibility, however at this point when they are separated, they are in different pens.
I like the idea of separating for a whole day and just to see how much milk she gives. When do people usually wean their calves? 6-8 months or so?
I'm sure I looked so silly running back and forth XD Haha, the life of a milkmaid!
And thank you so much I'm really glad you liked the video! I'm particularly proud of that one.
It was raining all day yesterday and I didn't milk, but I will be milking today and will try putting Ginger on again for a second let down. I like tad08's idea of milking while Ginger suckles, which will probably end up revolting messy and slimy and everything, but might be helpful XD
Also, sdmilkmaid, thanks for those pointers and I will back away today and listen for the change in sucking!
And thanks sooo much for that story. You have no idea how much it makes me feel way better to know someone else actually milked a cow that was only giving quarts of milk! If Tallulah doesn't end up giving more milk I'm hoping I will be able to milk Ginger... or if Tallulah ends up having another heifer, maybe her ^_^
brigitte, I understand oxytocin may be the only way to go. Like I said before, I'm just afraid at this point it is too late and she will get hooked on it and not let down any other way. If I get desperate I might use it once or twice just to see how it goes. But I'm definitely keeping it in mind for her next lactation! I want to get the best start possible and hopefully A. get a good production going by encouraging her to make more milk for both me and her calf, and B. get her into a habit of letting down properly, which may be helped by using oxytocin the first couple of times.
Dianne Ader, a weaning flap is a possibility, however at this point when they are separated, they are in different pens.
I like the idea of separating for a whole day and just to see how much milk she gives. When do people usually wean their calves? 6-8 months or so?
I'm sure I looked so silly running back and forth XD Haha, the life of a milkmaid!
And thank you so much I'm really glad you liked the video! I'm particularly proud of that one.