Post by simplynaturalfarm on May 10, 2011 21:56:36 GMT -5
So, while reading different posts on cows who are having major tantrums for this or that,reading about how to bribe them (*G*), give them more food to keep them happy, less food etc, I thought do we really ask that much of them?
We feed and care for them, worry over them, provide minerals, vet care etc and all we really need are 10-20 minutes twice a day of cooperation while we milk. They will stand for 1/2 - 1 hour for a calf who is learning to nurse, and later for indefinite periods of time while calf bunts and treats them like crap. When they won't stand still for us in the stanchion, bring a calf out and they are like a rock - is standing like a rock for us that much to ask? Without a tail going 100 mph (never see them do that with THEIR babies), a million poops and pees, squeezing their legs together, stepping forward backwards, forward backwards etc. I did not really think we were asking that much, and thought of my pleasant experiences with my cows and how I avoid confrontational situations with them etc (BIG GRIN)
Until you separate them from their baby do you realize just what that bond is like. Baby moos after 10 days of separation and Mama will still fuss and fume even though when she leaves she should know she will never have baby. Baby jumps every fence, trashes things because he hears Mama fussing in the headgate because you are not going to let her out til she behaves and then you get to go catch bellowing calf running around looking for a Mama he can't nurse off of anyway.
I have not once in 6 months had Lena offer to kick me except for the time I slapped her rump for something and she kicked straight sideways at my waist level and if I wasn't standing forward she would have done some serious damage. So I avoided slapping her . . . until the last few days . . .
Take baby off and Mama is NOT happy. Take food away because too much moving (and I ran out of prime alfalfa to appease her) and because it felt like bribery and actually giving her a reward for moving, and then we realize there are quite a few deadly kicks in there, just no reason to give them the first 6 months. Yesterday when I forgot to lock the headgate and she came out wild eyed, round house kicked at me and my little girl and then jumped OVER US knocking us flat on the ground made me more than a little irritated at her and decided absolutely no more food until we are done milking. If I have to drag her in twice a day to milk, we'll do that. If we have to put a belly rope back on to make her stand we do that. Tie tail up so I don't get thwacked 700 times, slap a leg for moving, say no to pooping, NO more appeasing Lena to avoid the nasty kicks I know are in there. I have a horribly strained/sprained arm and wrist because of trying to brace it against her leg to stop her from moving back and forwards, to the point it is wrapped and horribly swollen simply from excessive strain. I didn't even associate it with milking until she started moving and I realized I am bracing it hard against her leg and saying no for about 10 minutes when I milk at night (for some reason she does not stand still in night but does in the morning). WHy in the world am I hurting my arm so I can't even function because of the sprain in order to avoid a potential throw down??
Tonight she would simply NOT stand still. I mean forward, back, forward back, stretch etc and finally I pulled the pail out and reached out and slapped her leg and said no - sky high kick that once again would have taken a human OUT if I had been in a milking position. I have never had a cow that kicked like that! I had a rake handy and decided to do what everybody said - have a fit and I thwacked her with it just once - waist high kick lightning fast and bellow, fit in stanchion etc. Of course this was before I finished milking . . . so no more milk for me tonight because DEFINITELY no let down. Every time she kicked she got a whack from the rake handle. I was feeling slightly less than comfortable being in a milking position with her that upset and me being pregnant (I am being ultra careful to NOT put myself in any position of danger), so I put a belly rope on her. She managed a step forward and I slapped her, she lightning fast kicked, but at knee level straight sideways (none of this kicking towards a milk pail, she'll just take out the milker!). I was again forward instead of in the milking position, so rake in hand and a mighty hard whack on the leg and every time she kicked. I rubbed her all over with the rake, and I sat back down and a firm "NO" kept her standing, no more pooping, no tail swishing, just standing with her head way in the air and hanging onto her milk for dear life. I finished what little she gave me, gave her a brushing and then her treat and led her out.
Then I realized I had to take the rope off her halter and she decided again to have a royal fit because she had a lead rope on - I haven't led her in oh . . . a year and a half and did not really halter break her before that.
So I did not want to let her go, did not want her dragging my ONE and only lead rope in the poop all night, so I spent about 10 minutes just standing and holding her while she shook and shook her head to try to get the halter off (me thinking of Lannie and the dying calf trick , jerking backwards (which I was in a perfect position to not get hurt or otherwise - I am too smart to let myself get hurt training an animal), and after quite some time I was able to work my hand up the lead rope and then unsnap and turn and walk away before she realized she was free.
I got a handful of cubes and first she bellowed her insults and then when she realized the others got a treat, she pushed her way through and ate every last thing I had in my hand. Short memory that cow.
ANd by morning she'll be bellowing to be let into her headgate LOL
Heather
We feed and care for them, worry over them, provide minerals, vet care etc and all we really need are 10-20 minutes twice a day of cooperation while we milk. They will stand for 1/2 - 1 hour for a calf who is learning to nurse, and later for indefinite periods of time while calf bunts and treats them like crap. When they won't stand still for us in the stanchion, bring a calf out and they are like a rock - is standing like a rock for us that much to ask? Without a tail going 100 mph (never see them do that with THEIR babies), a million poops and pees, squeezing their legs together, stepping forward backwards, forward backwards etc. I did not really think we were asking that much, and thought of my pleasant experiences with my cows and how I avoid confrontational situations with them etc (BIG GRIN)
Until you separate them from their baby do you realize just what that bond is like. Baby moos after 10 days of separation and Mama will still fuss and fume even though when she leaves she should know she will never have baby. Baby jumps every fence, trashes things because he hears Mama fussing in the headgate because you are not going to let her out til she behaves and then you get to go catch bellowing calf running around looking for a Mama he can't nurse off of anyway.
I have not once in 6 months had Lena offer to kick me except for the time I slapped her rump for something and she kicked straight sideways at my waist level and if I wasn't standing forward she would have done some serious damage. So I avoided slapping her . . . until the last few days . . .
Take baby off and Mama is NOT happy. Take food away because too much moving (and I ran out of prime alfalfa to appease her) and because it felt like bribery and actually giving her a reward for moving, and then we realize there are quite a few deadly kicks in there, just no reason to give them the first 6 months. Yesterday when I forgot to lock the headgate and she came out wild eyed, round house kicked at me and my little girl and then jumped OVER US knocking us flat on the ground made me more than a little irritated at her and decided absolutely no more food until we are done milking. If I have to drag her in twice a day to milk, we'll do that. If we have to put a belly rope back on to make her stand we do that. Tie tail up so I don't get thwacked 700 times, slap a leg for moving, say no to pooping, NO more appeasing Lena to avoid the nasty kicks I know are in there. I have a horribly strained/sprained arm and wrist because of trying to brace it against her leg to stop her from moving back and forwards, to the point it is wrapped and horribly swollen simply from excessive strain. I didn't even associate it with milking until she started moving and I realized I am bracing it hard against her leg and saying no for about 10 minutes when I milk at night (for some reason she does not stand still in night but does in the morning). WHy in the world am I hurting my arm so I can't even function because of the sprain in order to avoid a potential throw down??
Tonight she would simply NOT stand still. I mean forward, back, forward back, stretch etc and finally I pulled the pail out and reached out and slapped her leg and said no - sky high kick that once again would have taken a human OUT if I had been in a milking position. I have never had a cow that kicked like that! I had a rake handy and decided to do what everybody said - have a fit and I thwacked her with it just once - waist high kick lightning fast and bellow, fit in stanchion etc. Of course this was before I finished milking . . . so no more milk for me tonight because DEFINITELY no let down. Every time she kicked she got a whack from the rake handle. I was feeling slightly less than comfortable being in a milking position with her that upset and me being pregnant (I am being ultra careful to NOT put myself in any position of danger), so I put a belly rope on her. She managed a step forward and I slapped her, she lightning fast kicked, but at knee level straight sideways (none of this kicking towards a milk pail, she'll just take out the milker!). I was again forward instead of in the milking position, so rake in hand and a mighty hard whack on the leg and every time she kicked. I rubbed her all over with the rake, and I sat back down and a firm "NO" kept her standing, no more pooping, no tail swishing, just standing with her head way in the air and hanging onto her milk for dear life. I finished what little she gave me, gave her a brushing and then her treat and led her out.
Then I realized I had to take the rope off her halter and she decided again to have a royal fit because she had a lead rope on - I haven't led her in oh . . . a year and a half and did not really halter break her before that.
So I did not want to let her go, did not want her dragging my ONE and only lead rope in the poop all night, so I spent about 10 minutes just standing and holding her while she shook and shook her head to try to get the halter off (me thinking of Lannie and the dying calf trick , jerking backwards (which I was in a perfect position to not get hurt or otherwise - I am too smart to let myself get hurt training an animal), and after quite some time I was able to work my hand up the lead rope and then unsnap and turn and walk away before she realized she was free.
I got a handful of cubes and first she bellowed her insults and then when she realized the others got a treat, she pushed her way through and ate every last thing I had in my hand. Short memory that cow.
ANd by morning she'll be bellowing to be let into her headgate LOL
Heather