how much milk?

[mpete]

Does a dexter give? Compared to how much feed?

[Trisha in WA]

It's all a matter of genetics. A dexter from milking lines gives several gallons a day...one from more beef lines may give you less than a gallon a day.

[kmorisett]

I'm told that a Dexter can give her milk on hay/grass alone and most won't need supplemental grain to maintain condition.

[michiganfarmer]

Originally Posted by kmorisett

I'm told that a Dexter can give her milk on hay/grass alone and most won't need supplemental grain to maintain condition.

THATS the kind of animal I want. Our Jersey needs some grain, or she will milk herself down to a rack of bones.

[wstevenl]

Our 8 year old Dexter that has never been milked before is now being hand milked (my be, a newbie) and is on grass/legume pasture with no grain at all. She's holding her condition very well and is giving 1 1/2 - 1 3/4 gallons a day.
She's only about 10 days into lactation, no calf on her, can I expect her production to go up? down? stay the same.

[Trisha in WA]

She hasn't reached her peak amount for this lactation yet, so it should increase for another couple of months then she will level off.
Why no calf on her? Or are you bottle feeding?
Congratulations on your first milk cow!

[Tabitha]

my little cow gives over 8 quarts a day. I milk on one side and the calf on the other.I assume the calf gets as much as I. she gets a small coffee can of sweet feed per milking, to keep her happy while being milked. she certainly stands there and wants her sweet feed. we got her spoiled.

[wstevenl]

Tabitha, is your cow a Dexter? 4 gallons would be exceptional. How old is she?

Our cows calf died in the heat at one day old. That is why I tried milking her.

[Trisha in WA]

Originally Posted by Tabitha

my little cow gives over 8 quarts a day.

Originally Posted by wstevenl

4 gallons would be exceptional.

8 qts is 2 gallons...

Originally Posted by wstevenl

Our cows calf died in the heat at one day old. That is why I tried milking her.

I'm so sorry you lost your calf. I find the heat so much harder to deal with than cold.
If she is easy to hand milk, keep at it. No scents in letting that milk go to waste huh? Good for you for giving it a try too!

[wstevenl]

If she gets 2 gal and the calf gets as much, that's 4 gallons.

[Trisha in WA]

Originally Posted by wstevenl

If she gets 2 gal and the calf gets as much, that's 4 gallons.

I'm sorry...my mistake. I missed that part.

[wstevenl]

I could be wrong?