Post by Lannie on Jan 30, 2010 11:36:43 GMT -5
Definitely not a fun time for HIM. However, Bandit seems to be relieved! LOL! Last night was the first milking without Seven, and normally she only gives me a few squirts in the afternoon before I have to bring him out to get her started. (I don't milk every 12 hours, so there are fewer hours between morning and evening milking.) But she gave me almost a gallon last night, which is more than she's EVER given me on the first letdown in the evening.
I went ahead and left Seven in his stall while I milked her, just didn't bring him out. He had his head stuck through the bars, helping her eat her hay and was a little disappointed that he didn't get to come out, but only cried about it for a few minutes as we were cleaning up and getting ready to go back to the house.
This morning, I put Seven in the outside pen before I let Bandit in to milk her and while I was cleaning up poop and getting the stanchion ready, he bawled a bit, but then he found the pile of hay I'd put out there for him, and he kept his mouth full all during milking. Not a peep out of him, AND I got almost 2 gallons! That's usually what I get when I use him to get her 2nd and 3rd letdowns going. I'm sure there's virtually no cream on this morning's milk, and she probably held back a gallon, but this is SO much better than when I weaned Cricket last year. Then, I thought I was going to run out of milk before Bandit gave up and let me have all of it, but at this rate, I'll be getting more milk, even with her holding some up.
Wow, when she lets go, it's going to be a flood! But I'm happy. It's nicer milking now that I don't have to wipe off all the slobber after Seven finishes, and I can just sit and milk beginning to end. I think Bandit likes it better, too. She seemed to be getting rather annoyed with Seven and his constant rough handling of her teats. She stood perfectly still for me this morning, ate her hay and pellets and didn't fuss a bit.
I'm off to an EXCELLENT start! ;D
~Lannie
I went ahead and left Seven in his stall while I milked her, just didn't bring him out. He had his head stuck through the bars, helping her eat her hay and was a little disappointed that he didn't get to come out, but only cried about it for a few minutes as we were cleaning up and getting ready to go back to the house.
This morning, I put Seven in the outside pen before I let Bandit in to milk her and while I was cleaning up poop and getting the stanchion ready, he bawled a bit, but then he found the pile of hay I'd put out there for him, and he kept his mouth full all during milking. Not a peep out of him, AND I got almost 2 gallons! That's usually what I get when I use him to get her 2nd and 3rd letdowns going. I'm sure there's virtually no cream on this morning's milk, and she probably held back a gallon, but this is SO much better than when I weaned Cricket last year. Then, I thought I was going to run out of milk before Bandit gave up and let me have all of it, but at this rate, I'll be getting more milk, even with her holding some up.
Wow, when she lets go, it's going to be a flood! But I'm happy. It's nicer milking now that I don't have to wipe off all the slobber after Seven finishes, and I can just sit and milk beginning to end. I think Bandit likes it better, too. She seemed to be getting rather annoyed with Seven and his constant rough handling of her teats. She stood perfectly still for me this morning, ate her hay and pellets and didn't fuss a bit.
I'm off to an EXCELLENT start! ;D
~Lannie