Post by sarahshoemaker on Jul 25, 2011 12:54:40 GMT -5
We had our girl Chelsea delivered late Saturday evening and since then it is not going so great. First off, she is coming from a large herd of cows to being a single family cow. Her ride over was traumatizing as the driver who brought her over was not considerate of her and I think that she fell at least once. She calmed some after the first evening, but then we tried to milk her.
I have milked in the past, but my husband hasn't. We both agreed that we were going to try and take turns milking as I have experience but don't have the strength or the ability to milk for long periods due to vertigo and a TBI that I got last year in a car accident.
We noticed that during the night she managed to cut her teat superficially but it is about the size of a nickel and as soon as we so much as look at it she starts kicking. She has a halter on her now, and we have been tying her to milk but she is still moving and kicking.
The first morning we got about 1 quart, but then it got dumped. We left the cut teat and another one that she has some scratches on that seemed to be painful alone for the time being and called the person who we got her from (who machine milks) and he suggested snugging a rope around her midsection and hold it there. This kind of worked but my husbands fingers were purple after 10 minutes and I was throwing up and falling over because of the vertigo after bending for so long. So we needed a new plan.
My sted-dad who has experience with cows was able to milk her out last night but she was still kicky with him, so I don't think that its just our beginners technique. He got about a gallon from her.
The amount of time that it is taking is rediculous, we spent 2 hours this morning and would have gotten about a gallon in total if she hadn't kicked the bucket 3 times and stepped in it twice - after she had just stepped in her patty that she dropped. I know that our slowness isn't helping either. I feel so bad for her, I know that we need to milk her out for her sake, but we just can't do it in the time that she thinks it should take. It took almost 15 minutes just to get her to let down this morning.
I know that part of her kickiness is because of the flies. They are horrible and they are landing in that cut and it is stressing her out.
I just want to do well by this cow. We brought her here and now we are struggling to take care of her. We are very frusterated, and stressed. Any help or suggestions would be very much appreciated.
We are planning on getting a milking machine but it is as the finances dictate and right now they are saying NO WAY LOL. We do have the pump the bucket and lid, but none of the other vital parts. I know that the milker is going to be more washing but I can't physically milk her right now. And seeing as she is used to the milker I am hoping that will help.
I think that in the interim we are going to get a day old calf and foster him on her. I just hope that she will take him. Does anyone have any suggestions regarding this? I am so lost!!!!
Thanks again
Sarah
I have milked in the past, but my husband hasn't. We both agreed that we were going to try and take turns milking as I have experience but don't have the strength or the ability to milk for long periods due to vertigo and a TBI that I got last year in a car accident.
We noticed that during the night she managed to cut her teat superficially but it is about the size of a nickel and as soon as we so much as look at it she starts kicking. She has a halter on her now, and we have been tying her to milk but she is still moving and kicking.
The first morning we got about 1 quart, but then it got dumped. We left the cut teat and another one that she has some scratches on that seemed to be painful alone for the time being and called the person who we got her from (who machine milks) and he suggested snugging a rope around her midsection and hold it there. This kind of worked but my husbands fingers were purple after 10 minutes and I was throwing up and falling over because of the vertigo after bending for so long. So we needed a new plan.
My sted-dad who has experience with cows was able to milk her out last night but she was still kicky with him, so I don't think that its just our beginners technique. He got about a gallon from her.
The amount of time that it is taking is rediculous, we spent 2 hours this morning and would have gotten about a gallon in total if she hadn't kicked the bucket 3 times and stepped in it twice - after she had just stepped in her patty that she dropped. I know that our slowness isn't helping either. I feel so bad for her, I know that we need to milk her out for her sake, but we just can't do it in the time that she thinks it should take. It took almost 15 minutes just to get her to let down this morning.
I know that part of her kickiness is because of the flies. They are horrible and they are landing in that cut and it is stressing her out.
I just want to do well by this cow. We brought her here and now we are struggling to take care of her. We are very frusterated, and stressed. Any help or suggestions would be very much appreciated.
We are planning on getting a milking machine but it is as the finances dictate and right now they are saying NO WAY LOL. We do have the pump the bucket and lid, but none of the other vital parts. I know that the milker is going to be more washing but I can't physically milk her right now. And seeing as she is used to the milker I am hoping that will help.
I think that in the interim we are going to get a day old calf and foster him on her. I just hope that she will take him. Does anyone have any suggestions regarding this? I am so lost!!!!
Thanks again
Sarah