A Dairy Cow Technique

[Up North]

Next time you go out to milk, feed, or brush your cow or heifer, sidle up alongside her(once you have her tied or in stanchion) and stand by her rear half. Visually locate where the spine leaves the body and becomes the tail. Using that as a centerpoint, visualize a 6 inch long area with 3 inches to each side of center. Reach up and using the heel of your palm, rub steadily back and forth on both sides of her tailhead.

Report back with your observations...

[francismilker]

Hey UpNorth, not sure what you're trying to put us up to, but should we have someone get a camcorder ready for the results? Or, should we wait till the family's all gone to town and there's no audience before we try this? !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[YuccaFlatsRanch]

Sidle up only on the right side of my cow - protect your huevos on the left. She only kicks left, but quite well.

[Up North]

Many times there are threads on taming cows and heifers to milk. The above technique will calm, relax, and distract a new heifer when you first go to milk her. We commonly use it the first two milkings on new heifers, or a cow with a slightly injured teat who is having discomfort from milking machine.

You are tapping in to a tool that mother nature has built into each and every cow. They have feel-good sensors there which naturally encourage a cow to relax and cooperate when a bull is mounting during natural service. By rubbing one or both sides of the tailhead steadily, you are activating the contact points a bull would rub during mating. If done properly, cow will lean into you for more. She may arch her back, or turn around and lick you, LOL.
But you have distracted her from that noisy odd milking machine clicking along and the discomfort of her swollen udder.

The technique won't be enough on an all out wild-eyed kicker or a cow that has a teat cut half off from barb wire. But it does wonders on new heifers who are nervous or new to you and your facilities.

No folks, this is not a joke. You won't understand it's usefulness unless you try it yourself.
*Note that that I did not recommend trying this on a beef cow or cow that is not in a stanchion or tied up.*

[DJ in WA]

Interesting. My daughters have discovered this sweet spot while grooming, but I didn't realize the relation to mating. They also really like being scratched under the neck. Wonder if there's a good reason for that.

[Oxankle]

Yes, DJ, your girls have found the cow's other erogenous zone. Licking the brisket is a cow's form of petting.

Both these techniques work on beef cattle as well as dairy. If you have animals that have to be handled repeatedly, run thru the chute for AI or shots or insecticide they need to be gentled.

No rancher can handle 5,000 cows this way, but most of us have fewer than 25. Whenever I put an animal in the chute, either bull, cow or heifer, I touch them all over, scratch their back, scratch their brisket, pull on their teats and lift their feet if I have the time. They do not all become pets, but they do not go wild in the pen, either.

Ox

[Up North]

Ox- I consider you to be somewhat of a Cow Whisperer(that's a compliment) and of course you are correct these things can be done with a beef cow. If one is going to milk their beef cow and can put her in a chute or stanchion, then by all means proceed.
Trying such a thing on a Tiger Stripe in open country, well, that may not come out well.

[dcross]

But how do you milk her and rub at the same time?

[jerzeygurl]

you most definately want to beware of doing this if the cow could possibly be IN....


especially if you have an audience

[Up North]

Originally Posted by dcross

But how do you milk her and rub at the same time?

In our setup, I am leaning my hip into her and put the milker machine unit on. Then I revert to rubbing to calm and distract her.
if you are hand milking, you could still use technique pre-milking to calm her down and prepare her, or have a second person lend a hand.

[Up North]

Originally Posted by jerzeygurl

you most definately want to beware of doing this if the cow could possibly be IN....


especially if you have an audience

True!...This is why I suggest cow being in stanchion or tied up. You don't want a cow mounting you

[arcticow]

No, 'cause it ain't fun. 'Specially if they're Holsteins .

[sammyd]

The wife who is a city gal never knew this technique and for some reason I had never discussed it with her. She was tickled pink when I brought it up yesterday. And figured out why she was being jumped on while "petting" the heifers last summer........

[jerzeygurl]

Originally Posted by sammyd

The wife who is a city gal never knew this technique and for some reason I had never discussed it with her. She was tickled pink when I brought it up yesterday. And figured out why she was being jumped on while "petting" the heifers last summer........

hee hee...