Post by Deleted on Aug 14, 2010 20:12:46 GMT -5
I never had any trouble catching my cow...until she had her calf. Now she runs from me/my son/my husband (whoever happens to be trying to catch her!) She must know that when she comes in she's going to get separated from the calf for the night. I don't really want to go out with grain because the horses and goats come running when they see person + bucket and they would mob me before I got halfway to the cow! I do give Lucy grain when she gets to the barn...you'd think she'd remember that and want to come in for it!
Last night was the worst she's been...I was MAD. I kept the calf locked up today out of spite Lucy is out in the pasture, and she and the calf can still see each other and touch noses through the cattle panel that keeps the calf in the barn. I went out this evening to milk and Lucy was BEGGING to come in the barn! What a nice change.
The other problem I'm having with sharemilking is that Lucy won't let down in the evenings. I bring them in, the calf isn't hungry, and the cow won't let down unless the calf sucks. I only get about a quart out of her, even with lots of massaging. This means I have to go out around 4pm, bring the cow & calf in and separate them until 8pm milking. That way the calf gets hungry enough to suck...the calf drinks out 2 quarters while I milk the other two.
The issue here is that I thought sharemilking would make my life EASIER! Now I've got to go out THREE times a day, and one of those times involves cow-chasing.
My short-term solution is just to keep the calf penned up 24/7 (except when she's nursing)--this provides great motivation for Lucy to come in for milkings and it guarantees she'll let down at both milkings. But is it okay for the calf to go 12 hours between meals? And I can't keep the calf locked in the barn forever!
Last night was the worst she's been...I was MAD. I kept the calf locked up today out of spite Lucy is out in the pasture, and she and the calf can still see each other and touch noses through the cattle panel that keeps the calf in the barn. I went out this evening to milk and Lucy was BEGGING to come in the barn! What a nice change.
The other problem I'm having with sharemilking is that Lucy won't let down in the evenings. I bring them in, the calf isn't hungry, and the cow won't let down unless the calf sucks. I only get about a quart out of her, even with lots of massaging. This means I have to go out around 4pm, bring the cow & calf in and separate them until 8pm milking. That way the calf gets hungry enough to suck...the calf drinks out 2 quarters while I milk the other two.
The issue here is that I thought sharemilking would make my life EASIER! Now I've got to go out THREE times a day, and one of those times involves cow-chasing.
My short-term solution is just to keep the calf penned up 24/7 (except when she's nursing)--this provides great motivation for Lucy to come in for milkings and it guarantees she'll let down at both milkings. But is it okay for the calf to go 12 hours between meals? And I can't keep the calf locked in the barn forever!