Training to Milk

[RoyalValley]

Hello! I have 3 first-calf heifers this year. Two just freshened the last couple of days and 1 to go. They are in their individual pens and are halterbroke if you can catch them, but they are still skittish. I am wondering what anyone has used to train heifers/cows to milk. I had a friend who was able just to call her cows and they came into the stantion, but we are a long way from that and I have no idea where to start.

How do you get them not to kick and what about catching them to milk each day?

Thanks in advance everyone!

[postroad]

It would have been good to start weeks ago.

I started brushing my heifer about 6 weeks before I started milking her. After a while she was comfortable with being handled.

Then I started to feed her some grain in feeder with a stanchion in front.

Eventualy she was comfortable enough that she would eat with the stanchion closed around her neck.

Then while she was eating her grain I started to massage her udder.

By the time she freshened she was comfortable with the whole routine and milking was not a big deal.

To bad she only gave two quarts per milking! After a few weeks I just let the calf do the milking.

She is the moma to the bull calf in my thread " First Dexter bull calf" She had a heifer calf last year. Lots enough milk for her calf and she would let any other calf nurse as well.

But none for me.

[cjb]

I agree that brushing really does it. I bought a cow that was already in milk and pregnant but not very tame. Within a short time, she would come to the gate and I could let her out to walk up to the barn. I can now milk her without a stanchion.

Brush, hand feed with grain, put grain in a feedbox and run your hands all over her eventually touching her udder. Work your way up to massaging etc.

Do this quickly before she adjusts down to only having enough milk for the calf.

[Wags]

I started training my two yearling Dexters last fall during apple season. Lured them into the stanchion with apple quarters - which is their favorite treat. Just started working with them again this past week - in a few days they were back to where we left off, and this time without the treats.

I blogged about my experiences training them - if you care to read about it. Look under the "Dexter" category.

[francismilker]

I keep them in close confinement lockup and lure them into a stanchion with feed. Once they're locked in, I start rubbing their udder and teats until they calm to it. (Some of them require tieing their close leg back a little so they can't wind up as far when they choose to fling a hoof at you.) After a few days, they'll associate feed and mealtime to having their bag messed with. They'll also start not only coming when you call them, but usually patiently waiting at the gate when you get their morning and evening to come out of the pasture and into the milking stall.

[RoyalValley]

Thanks everyone! You are right Postroad, I should have started a few weeks ago. Not sure why I didn't but I will start with the girl that hasn't calved yet also.

I got both of the girls in this morning rather quickly.

I brushed them down and massaged their udders a bit. They were both so worried about where their calves were that they didn't even eat their grain. One of them only lifted her leg once and the other didn't at all. They are both fairly mild-mannered and are fine with us being in the pen with the calves.

I did just strip them a little bit to make sure they weren't getting any signs of mastitis. They are both still in colostrum, so it is a good practice run for a few days down the road.

[Wally H]

Very important.... Do not lose your patients with them, not even once. They remember the bad things for a long time. Gain their trust, let them eat out of your hands, and absolutely brush them, pet them and talk to them.

[raymilosh]

My dexter has always been sassy. I did basically as Postroad says, but i didn't do it until after the calf was born. I let the calf drink basically all the milk for a month or more after she was born while I got the momma used to being fed daily in the same place, then being fed and touched... a little at a time. I quickly learned that I had to feed her where no other animals could come hassle us. Some days she would get spooked and run off and I'd let her go. Eventually she got to where she would stand in the building and let me strip out a little milk every day. I let the process take more than a month. Then I began leading her out of the pasture, away from her calf and staking her out in a nearby field almost everyday, then I'd bring her back in the evening. When I brought her back, I would bring her into the milking area, keep all the other animals out, then begin milking.
Now I just separate them with electronet fencing for the day. It has been like this for several months now. She is separated from her calf for about 8 or so hours a day and produces a half a gallon of milk. Hopefully, she'll produce more when she has another calf. We'll see. I'm in no hurry. I'm wanting to have cows (and other animals, too) that live on what nature provides them right here at the farm with little external inputs of feed (even if it means getting less milk)

[RoyalValley]

Thanks for sharing. It is always good to have knowledge of someone else's experience. These two are pretty mellow, so I think we are starting out well.

I wonder though, because I've been milking them a little, but they haven't let down for me yet. Will that just come with a few more milkings?

[65284]

Every time I go out around the cows I take a pocket full of range cubes. It doesn't take long before the calves learn to mooch and are eating out of my hand. My cows are all tame and easy to handle, come when I call, and if they even suspect I have any goodies will follow me about anywhere. I firmly believe calm cows lead to calm calves.

I also feed the calves a little sweet feed inside the barn in the bunk with the automatic closing stanchion so they get used to putting their heads in there. Like most other posters suggested a lot of patience, grooming and massage will make your and the cows lives much easier when they calve.

Every minute you invest in your heifers now will be repaid many times over down the road.

[Rick Allen]

As others have said its good to start familurizing yourself with them when they are young. One technique for a problem cow is to attach a glove to a broom handle and rub all over her, including udder. If she is a kicker its better to have her kick the broom stick than your arm. Keep rubbing her if she kicks and eventually she'll see that it doesn't stop the touching and give up.

When she is confined for training feed and water her and make her stand next to you if she wants to eat and drink. Its better for her to think you're the one who controls the important things. Brushing and scratching can be good and trust is important but remember that you are trying to establish that you are higher in the pecking order and that she is to follow you. If she thinks of you as just a friend or an equil she at some point may try to take the lead in one form or another (not good). If you ask her to do something insist that she obey, don't be mean, but don't give in. Once you've established a routine it gets much easier. I like to make changes gradually and one at a time. They like consistancy. Blessings/Ra

[RoyalValley]

Thanks again for all the input!

It was a good night milking. I had to lead the first girl in, but the 2nd girl came right in the stanchion without any assistance!!!:banana02:

It was great! Also, these girls both, just stand there and do not even move a foot once I start milking, it's amazing. Especially compared to the holstein I milked last year, she could kick and reach the milk bucket with her foot no matter where it was!

What age do you start taking the calf of for a period of time?
JP

[Tilly]

I took George off at about 6 weeks overnight. I had to consult everyone here on that, too........This board is really helpful to us newbies.

Congrats on them standing still!!!!! I was a bit concerned about that.

Let us know how they (and you!) are doing.

Tilly