look what I found :D

[gracie88]

...under a tree at the bottom of my field.


The guy I bought my Dexter from thought she was due for November, oops I got a heifer though, so I'm not complaining.

I'm looking for milking tips, like how do you keep them from kicking? She's not real committed to it but would definitely dump a bucket. What do you do about a hairy udder? I suspect she would get pretty serious about kicking if I went under there with my clippers. Can I just trim it up with scissors? What do you all clean the udder for milking with? Any other helpful hints?

Reading back on this, I realize I sound pretty clueless (I am ) My theory is, though, I have this small, docile cow in milk right now and it will be months before my goats are, so I might as well get started with her. Besides, I might end up not even liking goat milk (I can say that on this board, right?)

[Oxankle]

LOL, what a problem that would be!

All I ever did was brush the udder well with a moderately stiff bristle brush, then wash the teats and lower udder with warm water and soap. Dry them off with a clean cloth and get after it.

Just be gentle if the old cow gets a cut or a scrape on udder or teat. That may make her a bit jumpy.
Ox

[Dexter_Cattle]

Congrats Gracie,
She is a cutie!

[gracie88]

Hairy Udders?

Yeah, the thing is, the hair hangs down as far as her teats do so you can't get a handful of one without the other. I suggested a hot wax treatment, but she's not convinced...

[Jcran]

Originally Posted by gracie88

Yeah, the thing is, the hair hangs down as far as her teats do so you can't get a handful of one without the other. I suggested a hot wax treatment, but she's not convinced...

Ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuch!

[matt_man]

I trimmed our dexter's udder up with scissors. You will still inevitably get some hair in the bucket while you are milking just from the process.

GL,

Rachel

[Sher]

Congrats on the new "girl"! She is a cutie.

Do you milk your goats? If so, do you occasionally "shave" their udder? Is she stands for it, I would do the same.

But, no matter what you do, Matt is probably right, a little hair must fall!

[HazyDay]

You should trim some of the hair off her udder. Not to skin but so it's not in your way. Are you bottle feeding this calf?? If so get the colostrum in her NOW!!! When you milk she will be a little freaked out! Has she ever been hand milked???

Sher, yes you can shave a does udder. They will stand for it if they are used to it.

Good luck!

[mary,tx]

I've never milked a cow, but I expect the first milk, the colostrum, will not be good to drink. I don't know how long the colostrum lasts in cattle.

With the goats, I use a spray bottle, with 1/4 cup bleach to a gallon of water. I spray the teats good, then dry them off with a washcloth. First squirt from each teat it discarded.

You'll want to filter the milk first thing when you get it in the house. If you don't have dairy filters, a coffee filter might work. (I have a friend who does it with a coffee filter.) This'll eliminate any of that hair, or dirt, that falls into the milk.

Do you have a stanchion to feed her at? That's the way my dad did it. The stanchion had a headlock, and he milked while she ate. Just be gentle and she'll get used to it.

Congratulations on the heifer calf!!

mary

[nduetime]

Arggghhh! It is wrong to covet thy neighbors calf, it is wrong to covet thy neighbors calf!

You should be able to clip them with a scissors and then if you are lucky and she is still patient you can try a disposable razor to get a little closer(if you are sure she will not stand for clippers) I shave my goats udders but do not remmeber ever shaving the cows. Any hairs that do get in would come out in the filter anyway. Good luck! What a sweet little thing.