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Post by isolde on Jun 18, 2009 5:20:06 GMT -5
Alright, I used to have a jersey cow. Big, doe eyed, her name was Belle. Sounds like a sweetie dont she? Nope. She were a big dun De'il. I swear she rose from the depths, as a 15 yr old girl I was determined to work with her, I showered her with understanding and affection I treated her with utmost care. and you know what I got? A cow that would let her milk down for NO ONE but me. A cow who would grin evily as she washed her feet (to the tune of twinkle, twinkle little star..) in my milk pail, a cow who for no darned reason would knuckle me on the head with her tail and should I protest or even duck, I found myself lying upsidedown and backwards against the opposite wall and covered in milk. If ever I tried to sit on a bucket or stool of any kind- she would rebel and as I said I was up against that opposite wall (I'm well aquainted with that wall) I had to sit on the floor next to her, which would'nt have been so bad if she did'nt insist on finishing the circle of digestion practically all over me! this went on for nearly four years. 4:00 every morning and evening. Can you believe I was actually sad when she died?? Well, when I was ready for another cow I begged me brother for a dexter. He seemed to think I'd gone mad and said "And add horns to the experience??! fortunately one of his buddies did a bit of research on the dexters and convinced him that they were THE cow. I was sooo happy and when my brother asked me how I figured things would be better this time I pointed out the fact that "When I first got her, she did'nt know me at all and already loved me twice as much as Belle had in her sweetest moments." Now tell me, how much of me own words will I be eating? If She stands sweetly in the stancheon and lets me brush her down, but not touch her udder yet, how much fighting/kicking (for the average Dexter) do I have to work through afore she calms down and lets me milk her? (After she freshens in about a week) according to your experience how well do the dexters make the transition to milk cows? give me all your horror stories (if there are any) and some wonderful tales of success! I am patient and dont expect magic, but I'd like a good Idea of what to expect from a sweet but slightly shy cow.
Thankyou!!
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Post by kansasdexters on Jun 18, 2009 8:52:54 GMT -5
Since you already know how to milk and you already have a stanchion and are working with the cow in the stanchion (handling her, brushing her, etc.) -- you will probably have great success the first time you try milking her.
We have an 8-year old Dexter cow that had never been milked before, and we decided to try milking for the first time this year since her udder was the biggest it's ever been. We put her in the headgate, brushed her, washed her udder, and started milking her! She swished her tail at my husband, so I held it, and he continued to milk her. We got a gallon of milk the first evening, and a gallon and a half the next evening. She was kept with her calf the entire time. She let down easily and she never kicked once.
Since you have experience milking and you've got the mechanics of it and the confidence to do it, you will probably find that the cow appreciates you for treating her well and lightening her load!
Best of luck to you.
Patti
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Post by isolde on Jun 19, 2009 1:21:36 GMT -5
I have a feeling she will be good, she is so sweet. I just have this other feeling like I should be prepared for the worst. after all, I really did think my jersey would come around... Thanks  |
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Post by Olga on Jun 19, 2009 10:30:15 GMT -5
I had some moments of desperation with my sweet first time heifer. She was very unpredictable as to when or why she would kick. She would only let down for the calf and by the end of our milking battle, I was bringing the calf in and out, in and out, in and out to get her "restarted". I'll admit to having hit her with my plastic milk stool on a few occasions, and sobbing on my knees over spilt milk. We ended up weaning her calf and putting on another one, in stead of milking in the end. Unfortunately, this was the cow that died prior to delivering her second baby, so I'll never know if she would've improved with time.
I've written about Maxine before. She had the kind of long pointy horns that made your stomach tighten when she pointed them at you. During our first days together, she had the "I'm going to kill you, if I just get to you" attitude. We gave her treats over the stall wall, we attached a brush to a broom handle to touch her. But by day 3, I think, we were milking her. She has since become our main milker. I milk her freestanding, and she won't move her legs or swoosh her tail at me. However, she still has the nastiest most paranoid attitude, so if anything is "weird" she might not come up to the barn. She doesn't want to be touched, it's just business to her - trading milk for grain. If I give her treats by hand, she to this day will take it and then shake her head and blow out snot as if my human scent was ever so offending to her. She has been dehorned about a year ago, and I'm glad of it, just in case.
The old cow Sioux, nearly 17 y.o. - I don't know if she's been milked in her years prior. She also doesn't like to be touched/petted. She too has huge horns, but in the shape of a nimb. She never ever uses them against humans. She too will come in the barn and stand for milking while there is grain in the trough. She might occasionally move a foot, but not to kick; she might swoosh her tail and rip my glasses off. But she doesn't get nervous or suspicious, like Maxine, so it's ok. I can get up off the milk stool, find my glasses; I can kill a horse fly on her tail head; I can do whatever, and she just stands there. She is also a slow eater, licking the grain instead of gobbling it up and spilling it all over the place out of the mouth, so while it takes me only 5 minutes to milk her out, it takes her 15 to eat her grain portion. That makes for a very relaxed milking time. With Maxine, I have to rush squeezing her big teats, knowing full well that she'll walk away or turn around as soon as she's done eating.
Old cow Erin, about 16 y.o., has been milked her last 4 lactations, I think. My husband couldn't milk her, because she'd kick at him and spill the milk nearly every time. I hardly ever had problems with her, but I did have to be careful. Erin would get very nervous if a police/ambulance car with a siren on would drive by. She is also terrified of horseflies - their buzzing made her very nervous, and sometimes even the food wasn't enough to keep her standing in the barn.
Good luck.
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