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Barnyard Buddies:  Newbie at milking  |
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MommaJ9
True Blue Farmgirl
157 Posts
Kimberly
Longview
Washington
USA
157 Posts |
 Posted - Sep 07 2012 : 10:21:37 PM
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After waiting for what seems like forever for a milk cow, our Jersey heifer finally gave birth today! Our plan is to milk her once a day (evening), but as a newbie milker, I need some advice. Like, when should I start milking her? Should I do it more than once daily? Is hand milking the way to go or should I look for a milking machine? Any advice would be very appreciated!
Farmgirl #783
http://jabezfarm.blogspot.com |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Sep 08 2012 : 2:14:29 PM
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Hey Kim. I hope you get some help. I just have goats and I start milking them right away but with the kids with them just to relieve pressure because they are huge. Then at 2 weeks (because the milk is not good til then anyway) I will put the kids up at night and milk in the mornings. Then at 6 weeks I try for twice a day. Then start weaning the kids. That's about what my friend does who has Jersey cows. Have you milked her yet?
Kris
Happiness is simple.
www.kris-outbackfarm.blogspot.com |
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sherrye
True Blue Farmgirl
3775 Posts
sherry
bend in the high desert
oregon
USA
3775 Posts |
Posted - Sep 08 2012 : 3:09:07 PM
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congratulations on your cow. you need to be milking her as empty as you can right now. did calf latch on and get good colostrum? does she have loose minerals and a loose salt? we are in a selenium deficient area. so we use redmond loose salt with selenium added did the calf get a bo-se shot at birth?? how is it going today. does mama have a lot of edema or is she milking out empty for you. if she has edema raspberry leaves for her to eat will help. please keep us posted. we need pictures too. happy days ahead for you
the learn as we go silk purse farm
farm girl #1014
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MommaJ9
True Blue Farmgirl
157 Posts
Kimberly
Longview
Washington
USA
157 Posts |
Posted - Sep 08 2012 : 10:02:42 PM
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Kris~We had to milk her today because the calf isn't keeping up. Tilly's squirting milk everywhere. She didn't enjoy being milked, but I suspect that she'll get used to it soon enough. (We bottle fed it to the calf because we weren't sure if she was nursing today.) We're hoping to separate the cow/calf at night and milk once a day until we can wean the calf. This is going to be a long 2 weeks!
Sherrye~She has a mineral block with added selenium. Is that enough? We didn't give the calf a shot. I don't know what the bo-se is.(?) We sprayed the calf's umbilical cord area with iodine. Today, she seems to be pretty sleepy and not so interested in nursing. There's definitely some edema, so I'll give Tilly some raspberry leaves tomorrow...hopefully Maggie Moo is a little more aggressive with her nursing too!
This is Maggie Moo, 30 minutes after birth~
Farmgirl #783
http://jabezfarm.blogspot.com |
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windypines
True Blue Farmgirl
4178 Posts
Michele
Bruce
Wisconsin
USA
4178 Posts |
Posted - Sep 09 2012 : 04:22:54 AM
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Congrats on the new baby. My experience is you will need to milk her twice a day, about 12 hours apart. Baby will most likely not keep up with all the milk till she is a month old or so at least. If you keep baby with momma, you will know when she is taking all the milk, as the amount you milk out will get less and less. Then you can separate the calf either over night or during the day and milk once a day. You don't want momma to get mastitis. You will be able to use the milk after 4 days or so. I use it once it starts going through the strainer, or until the yellowness is gone out of the milk.
good luck
Michele |
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sherrye
True Blue Farmgirl
3775 Posts
sherry
bend in the high desert
oregon
USA
3775 Posts |
Posted - Sep 10 2012 : 07:06:00 AM
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hi there, no the kfc site says that they rub their tongue raw and do not get enough. it needs to be loose minerals. what a cute baby. you are in for a few weeks of work. be sure she continues to eat well. mama need lots of good hay right now. michele is right. for right now you need to milk twice a day. after she settles a little you can milk once a day. baby needs to grow some first. happy days for you.
the learn as we go silk purse farm
farm girl #1014
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MommaJ9
True Blue Farmgirl
157 Posts
Kimberly
Longview
Washington
USA
157 Posts |
Posted - Sep 14 2012 : 9:00:22 PM
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Thank you ladies~I'm milking (stripping) her out twice a day. It seems like the calf is doing a pretty good job keeping up. Right now, our piglets are enjoying my efforts. :) I'll get some loose minerals this weekend. I had no idea!
Farmgirl #783
http://jabezfarm.blogspot.com |
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windypines
True Blue Farmgirl
4178 Posts
Michele
Bruce
Wisconsin
USA
4178 Posts |
Posted - Sep 15 2012 : 03:51:34 AM
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You should be able to be drinking her milk by now. The pigs do enjoy the extra. My 3 pigs are getting huge with the extra milk they get.
Michele |
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Barnyard Buddies: Newbie at milking |
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Newbie at milking
