|
|
Post by darbyfamily on Apr 12, 2008 8:57:08 GMT -5
;D ;D ;D I made cheese with a full gallon of milk this morning. It turned out GREAT!!!! Its just so frustrating that it takes me four days to get a gallon. Right now we're still drinking/cooking/doing cereal with grocery store milk. My inlaws can often get milk marked down at the commissary on base for 1.50 a gallon, so we have 5 gallons in the freezer to use until we get more milk. Im making ricotta right now from the left over whey... I think I need 5 more cows and someone else to milk them. My arm was sore from just one cow  |
|
|
|
Post by heritagehills on Apr 13, 2008 20:57:51 GMT -5
;D The soreness should go away after a bit. Just think how the cow feels, lol.
A dollar fifty! I shop at the commissary here and ours is a solid three plus change for a gallon of whole milk. With six children, that's enough to have me obsessively checking my inbox for responses from breeders.
What do you use for a press? My grandma used an empty coffee tin, a round board and a rock. Coffee tins are plastic now though. I saw a very nice press at Lehman's I've been eyeballing.
|
|
|
|
Post by liz on Apr 14, 2008 16:10:34 GMT -5
If you are looking at the dutch, lever, press at Lehman's it works really well. I use moulds from 'Fromagex'. I have an English one with a weight/pressure indicator and an Italian style, that just screws down and the dutch one from Lehman's is my favourite. Darby family, take that calf away! It is too big to be stealing all your milk!
|
|
|
|
Post by davendahlonega on Apr 15, 2008 21:38:17 GMT -5
Jennifer, Did you get your cow after she had her calf? If so how long? I am not sure but I thought you said she had been in this lactation for several months when you got her. A cow produces according to demand. The more demand the more milk (with in their ability). If she wasn't milked from the beginning then the demand would not be there and therefore the milk won't be either. I agree with Liz, take the calf off and you will get more milk. My heifer freshened night before last ;D and I just relieved some of the pressure tonight and milked out at least pint. I am pretty sure I will get at least 1/2 gallon at each milking. There is still some colostrum in it so I am not drinking it yet. Hopefully by the end of the week we will be drinking fresh milk. I am not sure how much milk you need? If you have 8 children living at home you might need more than one Dexter. Good Luck!!
|
|
|
|
Post by darbyfamily on Apr 16, 2008 8:42:59 GMT -5
Yes, she was 5 mths old when we got her...the calf that is. I am working on fencing today to separate the calf from mama. How long do we need to keep them separate?
|
|
|
|
Post by Cloverbell on Apr 17, 2008 7:24:44 GMT -5
You will need to keep her fenced until you sell her most likely. Also, has she been vaccinated yet? I would give the calf her first round of shots at least 1 week prior to weaning (2 is better) and her booster 2-4 weeks later. This is the protocol I'm working on with my vet. I used to give first vaccine the day of weaning which I found out is not as good because their stress level that day is high. Now I'm boostering all my calves a 3rd time to be safe.
|
|
|
|
Post by darbyfamily on Apr 17, 2008 8:12:18 GMT -5
Yep, she's had some of her shots... not sure what she needs next, but she has had....
brucellosis
black leg
pneumonia
and worms all on Feb 22nd
what would she need next?
|
|
|
|
Post by Cloverbell on Apr 17, 2008 8:19:01 GMT -5
Those shots all need to be boostered to be effective if those were the only shots she has ever had.
On the weaning...we have had calves separated a month go right back to nursing when put back in with mama. We now keep them apart for two months.
|
|
|
|
Post by davendahlonega on Apr 17, 2008 21:53:06 GMT -5
Well here we go! I have two heifers and one calved Sunday night. She had a bull calf and he weighed approx. 32lbs. I let the calf nurse for two days and started milking Wednesday morning. I have been feeding in the stanchion for about 10 days, but have never closed it. It was a regular rodeo! lol! I have never trained a cow to milk and I am learning as I go. I have milked a trained cow. She fought the stanchion the whole time and would not let down at all. I am getting the same results as Jennifer, about a pint to a pint and a half. I have never had a cow lay down in the stanchion and bellow at me. It was pretty funny. I just stayed calm and coaxed her back to her feet and kept massaging her udder and trying to get her to let down. Tonight she banged around for a minute or two and then just stood there and waited until I was done, so I think things will calm down in a few days. I guess I will have to separate her from the calf until she lets down for me. I know she has more milk. After I let her out with her calf this morning the little bugger latched on and had milk foam streaming down his chin. Some good news, she did not try to kick me one time. Never even raised her foot. This is a great fun!
|
|
|
|
Post by darbyfamily on Apr 17, 2008 22:01:18 GMT -5
I am SO glad there are no hidden cameras in my backyard, but sometimes I wonder if its all a big joke!
|
|
|
|
Post by davendahlonega on Apr 18, 2008 23:51:33 GMT -5
Tonight went a lot better! She stood quietly except for the few minutes her calf wandered away. She let down a lot better and I haven't even separated the calf yet. I am going to separate them tomorrow night. I am going to post pic's in photo gallery.
|
|
lsg
member
Posts: 247 
|
Post by lsg on Apr 19, 2008 9:37:38 GMT -5
We have had cows lay down in the chute before. How funny! I think Dexters have unique personalities. My little cow is very vocal and her new bull calf is too. Last night he climbed up in the front of her stanchion. If you look at the picture you will see it is raised off the floor. I think he is going to be a pill. Even trained cows can forget their manners after being dry for a couple of months, so hang in there. Every day should go smoother.  |
|
