Post by nzthomas on Jul 25, 2005 17:09:16 GMT -5
As I mentioned in my other newbie shot question just posted, we tried to copy the Family Cow book's milking stanchion. Ours is free-standing inside a shed made from t-posts, cattle panels, and tarps. We put Sophie's food in a large bucket surrounded on three sides by cement blocks. Questions and problems:
1) Sophie usually enters willingly, but I must push her sideways to get some room in there. Should we build some sides like the recent post from the Texas lady with a Dexter has? Isn't that a pain to milk under those side boards? (And with sides, how do you grab away the bucket to quick safety when the cow decides to go to the bathroom?)
2) When Sophie fills her mouth and lifts her head to chew a moment, half the grain spills out of her mouth, going down inside the cement block holes and onto the ground. What sort of feeding trough/box can we put there that will work better? It needs to be easy to clean out, b/c rain can blow in if I haven't closed the tarp "curtains" hung on that end of the bent cattle panel shed. What do you think about a large, low-sided Rubbermaid container?
3) Once Sophie has finished her grain (and some alfalfa cubes to make her take longer to eat!) she immediately lifts her tail and poops and often pees, too. Then she moves--a lot. Usually she moves way back, causing me to have to totally relocate the stool and try to avoid sitting the bucket down on top of a huge pile.
Also, when she kneels down (like when she's getting a shot and once when she thought I was done milking), she can easily slip out her head and take off.
We've considered adding another board across the bottom to give her head less room, but then I'm afraid she won't be able to reach a floor-level bucket/trough. Any ideas?
4) DO OTHER FOLKS OUT THERE HAVE TROUBLE WITH THEIR COW "ELIMINATING" THE MINUTE THE GRAIN IS ALL GONE? My arthritis is too bad to jump off the stool, move the bucket, grab a shovel and/or a bucket and catch it as the cow book suggests. Surely y'all aren't that quick either. Do you just grab the bucket, turn 180 degrees, and close your eyes until the messing is complete?
Grateful for suggestions,
Nancy in TN
1) Sophie usually enters willingly, but I must push her sideways to get some room in there. Should we build some sides like the recent post from the Texas lady with a Dexter has? Isn't that a pain to milk under those side boards? (And with sides, how do you grab away the bucket to quick safety when the cow decides to go to the bathroom?)
2) When Sophie fills her mouth and lifts her head to chew a moment, half the grain spills out of her mouth, going down inside the cement block holes and onto the ground. What sort of feeding trough/box can we put there that will work better? It needs to be easy to clean out, b/c rain can blow in if I haven't closed the tarp "curtains" hung on that end of the bent cattle panel shed. What do you think about a large, low-sided Rubbermaid container?
3) Once Sophie has finished her grain (and some alfalfa cubes to make her take longer to eat!) she immediately lifts her tail and poops and often pees, too. Then she moves--a lot. Usually she moves way back, causing me to have to totally relocate the stool and try to avoid sitting the bucket down on top of a huge pile.
Also, when she kneels down (like when she's getting a shot and once when she thought I was done milking), she can easily slip out her head and take off.
We've considered adding another board across the bottom to give her head less room, but then I'm afraid she won't be able to reach a floor-level bucket/trough. Any ideas?
4) DO OTHER FOLKS OUT THERE HAVE TROUBLE WITH THEIR COW "ELIMINATING" THE MINUTE THE GRAIN IS ALL GONE? My arthritis is too bad to jump off the stool, move the bucket, grab a shovel and/or a bucket and catch it as the cow book suggests. Surely y'all aren't that quick either. Do you just grab the bucket, turn 180 degrees, and close your eyes until the messing is complete?
Grateful for suggestions,
Nancy in TN