Do you milk once or twice a day?

FarmboyBill · #21 09/27/11, 06:45 PM

I had a pet cow that my uncle ralph had givin me as a calf. I raised it up, and when I got married and left home, I took her with me. But, we would go out on Fri night and Sat night. She was a Holstein. Id only milk her on the mornins on the weekend. She got mastitis, I lost her. Broke me. As with other things involving udders. twice a day for me LOL

pookshollow · #22 09/27/11, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FarmBoyBill

I had a pet cow that my uncle ralph had givin me as a calf. I raised it up, and when I got married and left home, I took her with me. But, we would go out on Fri night and Sat night. She was a Holstein. Id only milk her on the mornins on the weekend. She got mastitis, I lost her. Broke me. As with other things involving udders. twice a day for me LOL

A Holstein cow is a little bit different!

I would never do it with a high-producing doe in early lactation, but as they start to slow down, it is possible to work them down to once a day - you have to be careful and do it slowly with that type of doe. I have does that will not dry off completely until they are three months bred, and even then it isn't easy - mostly my Saanens. I have others that if you tried to milk them once a day, they'd dry off in less than a week.

As with most things to do with goats, the answer is "it depends"!

Creamers · #23 09/27/11, 09:27 PM

Quote:

I would never do it with a high-producing doe in early lactation, but as they start to slow down, it is possible to work them down to once a day

Exactly