Post by claytonpaul on May 29, 2019 13:04:33 GMT -5
Although I grew up with cows and horses and have had farm animals all my life, I am totally new to managing cows especially dairy cows. We got my kids Nelly for Christmas and we have loved having her. She was dry and pregnant at the time and this board forum has been great for helping me get her to this point healthy (posted about her udder swelling while dry). She calved a healthy bull Sunday night and has been doing great. She has a huge beautiful udder and loves for me to milk her. Stands perfectly still with no kicking pooping peeing or anything. No halter, no nothing. She has never even done it before, so I am super happy about that. Last night she even started licking my head like I was her calf. (Cow tongues are rough by the way) I got some out the first night when helping calf latch then I did it twice each day since. Here is where I need some MAJOR help. I would bet I have gotten maybe ONE GALLON of milk out of her TOTAL since she calved. That's total in 3 days, not each milking! I know milking takes skill but I can't be that darn bad at it. I have spent at least 30 minutes each time, and calf is right there next to us. I have fed her, pushed on the Udder, sang to her, rubbed her with a warm wet cloth, and done just about all I can think of. Her teats are just barely big enough for me to wrap my thumb and two fingers around, much less the whole hand so I know those bags are brimming with goodness just waiting for me. I don't know what to do. Also,The milk I have gotten does have a slight salty taste and is just a little stringy, but I thought that was colostrum or edema. There isn't any heat and she doesn't seem uncomfortable at all. Calf is nursing and developing fine btw. I think I may find some mastitis treatment and start it this evening just to see if it helps. Any suggestions would be great.