milking for the first time

[ostrichlady]

I have a holstien,long horn cross she had her first calf in October, I want to try to milk her for the first time. but my husband is worried that she may try to kick at me. is there some thing I could do to her hind legs so she doesn't kick? She is a very enjoyable cow to have around, with lots of personality. Thank you for any reply

[jerzeygurl]

once she is used to it she should not kick, there are hobbles and kickers available out there for training...www.enasco.com has some listed

usually ones arm being in front of leg next to you, with slightly firm pressure, along with your head being on her side in front or on her leg as well.

she will not be able to kick forward hard enough to hurt you(tho you need to have feet far enough back that they dont get squished.) but she may step in the bucket, which is usually solved by having it further up and towards your side, you can feel her leg ready to move as you are touching it so you should be able to move your bucket( also helps you tell when they are trying to hunch up to potty, need to be ready to move bucket then too, when fully trained most dont do that, but learning they do get nervous)

accidents can happen, thats why i always have a spotter when training a new cow. but if she is pleasant now she should be a pleasant milker.

[Haggis]

I found a set of old style metal kickers on E-Bay for $12, but I haven't had a need for them. However I do tie my milk cows' nigh leg off with a soft rope, the kind used for leading horses about. I don't tie their legs because they might kick, but rather to insure that they don't step on the milking machine gear and knock it off, or step into the milk bucket if I'm milking by hand. It takes them a few days to become comfortable having their leg tied, but soon they will step into the milk stall and hold their leg to be tied back a bit for tying.

I have a 2" steel O-ring stapled off to a heavy post a couple of feet behind where the cow stands; I loop the soft rope around the cows' leg, and using the snap that came with the rope, I fasten it to the O-ring. Tying off their leg takes all of 20 seconds. I tie off their tails too in a similar manner.

The machine milks them out very quickly, I take longer when milking by hand; in either case it makes my job easier, and they are comfortable with the idea.

[ostrichlady]

Thank you.

[DixyDoodle]

I'm wondering if it would be beneficial to handle your cow's feet everyday like you would a horse? Just to get them used to being handled? And also just reaching down and handling their udder without milking occasionally?

I don't have any cows (yet! ) but might that help, do you think?

DD

[Slev]

My Dexter is young almost 2 yrs. and 1st time due in either May or June. I started several months ago, rubbing her and massaging her, (wax on, wax off style) followed by brushing and more rubbing, she learned real quick to stand so still she looks frozen! and always enjoys a good under the neck scratch and ear rub! While all of this has been going on, I reach down and rub the udders for a bit. She now stands while not being tied. From just a few months on, I have made her lift her feet for me after I position myself first!

[jerzeygurl]

Originally Posted by DixyDoodle

I'm wondering if it would be beneficial to handle your cow's feet everyday like you would a horse? Just to get them used to being handled? And also just reaching down and handling their udder without milking occasionally?

I don't have any cows (yet! ) but might that help, do you think?

DD

the cow i milk today was a baby born and raised next to the milking stall, she was kept off mama cept for twice a day because mama was raising 3 others as well, so this little one was used to the twice a day going to the milk stall to eat...actually wasnt a friendly baby but got friendly as she got older.

she was handled a lot, her first milking she came right up and stood(was too scared of the head gate to use it) ate out of bucket while we milked her no problem, hadnt planned on milking her, but her baby died (think the horses did it as we caught them stomping another)

so when you get one, take her to where you will milk her and feed her like you were going to milk her, but i wouldng tug much on the teats but mess with her belly and udder, rub her back train her to put near foot back ect

[Haggis]

To join in with others above;

My Tulip was bottle raised, by me; used to being touched, led about, and tied in the milking stall. She behaved absolutely wonderfully when first milked, hand milked; she did have wiggly fit when the milking machines' cup were first put on her udder. She never kicked though, not once; I think it was the noise of the pump and the somewhat different sensation of the four cups all working at once.

I have an uncle, nearer on to 70, who has always kept a house cow, and he has always trained them with a 2"X4" laid well on their bony parts; he has always had hateful kicking cows too; and if they were not so when he acquired them, they soon became so. No one wanted to stand in for him at milking time, though often, when I was a homeless teenage boy, he forced me to do his milking; meat for manners, work or go hungry, I milked. I've seen him beat his poor old boney Jerseys for nothing more than having manure clinging to their udders.

A firm but gentle hand seems to work well enough for my cows.

[jerzeygurl]

catch more flies with honey...

yes milkers are nervous enough, a gentle hand is best