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05/27/11, 09:13 AM
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Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: In the mountains of east TN
Posts: 753
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trying to milk and need some ADVICE
Ok, we bought a 3 yr old jersey cow. Sweet 'lil cow, but........I cant seem to get this milking thing down  They were getting ~4 gl a day. She would just stand still, untied, and they would milk. THey said it took about 40 minutes to milk her out. I milked last night.....got 1 qt  Milked 1.5 hr this morning got about 3 pints. I know I GOTTA get that milk out of her. SO I'm just gonna try 3-4 times today. She willnot stand still for me, dances like a movie star I have tied her to the corner, and give her feed and hay. Still dancing around! Even when I get the milk coming, I get about 3 good squirts then nothing. Move to next teat, 3 squirts, dry. At this rate, she'd gonna end up wth mastitas (sp?). What can I do?? PS....the calf was sold, so no calf on her. And BTW.. I am not new to milking.....just new to cows...(love my nubians)
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Stephanie
Wife, Mom to 4 ( 2 in Tn, 2 in Gloryland), caretaker of chickens, rabbits, kittys, 2 dogs, 2 milk goats, 2 jersey cows, and 1 messy house
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05/27/11, 11:13 AM
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Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: SW Michigan
Posts: 16,408
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She's probably just getting used to her new place. It may take a while for her to settle down. Get someone else to help milk at the same time that you do.
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05/27/11, 11:24 AM
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Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 3,441
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Well, she may just be getting used to her new home. I don't know the sellers so can't say whether they were truthful or not, but as with used cars, it always pays to take what a seller says with a grain of salt, unless you know that they have a good reputation. Is she bred, she may be coming into heat. Cows are often antsy and don't let down well when in heat. Hope things start to go better. A stanchion might be the answer for curtailing some of her movement.
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05/27/11, 02:19 PM
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Keeper of the Cow
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Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,913
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That is so frustrating. Do you have a stanchion for her? Are you feeding her at milking time? You might let her get a little hungry then feed her while milking, it might distract her long enough to at least get her partly milked out. It might help to start by stripping her, just to get things going. A thick, soft cotton rope to hobble her might help, too.
Good luck and don't get hurt!
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05/27/11, 10:00 PM
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Very Dairy
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Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Dysfunction Junction
Posts: 14,603
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Layer the hay and grain in her feeder so she has to work to get the grain. That may help distract her.
An injection of oxytocin may improve her letdown.
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"I love all of this mud," said no one, ever.
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05/28/11, 08:14 AM
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Family Jersey Dairy
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Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Illinois
Posts: 4,773
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I always like to see how other people do things, I feed my cows in the barn grain. They come in and eat and then I milk, my cows can`t do two things at once. Your cow is getting use to its new home I think. > Marc
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Our Diversified Stock Portfolio: cows and calves, alpacas, horses, pigs, chickens, goats, sheep, cats ... and a couple of dogs... 
http://springvalleyfarm.4mg.com
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05/28/11, 08:47 AM
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Join Date: May 2004
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 17,225
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Give her a little lovin'. Instead of sitting down to milk as soon as you tie her up, just wash her bag in warm water, pet her, curry her, talk to her, scratch her itchy parts, in short get her relaxed and comfortable. Might help to isolate her for awhile so that you are the only living thing that she has contact with. Cattle are social creatures and they want to bond with something. Another cow is their first choice, so if you isolate them they are more likely to bond with you.
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Flaming Xtian
I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.
Mahatma Gandhi
Libertarindependent
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05/28/11, 08:15 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: South Carolina
Posts: 929
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I tried to isolate my bull in a tube panel corral a couple of months after I got him (he got an infection in his jaw from cutting teeth). That didn't work out real well for the corral - came back the next day he was out with the girls and one of the panels laying down a twisted unusable wreck.
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05/29/11, 08:33 AM
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Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Vermont
Posts: 984
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Have you tried massaging her udder while milking? That can help them to let down more milk. When you get a few squirts, then it stops, try massaging the quarter that you're trying to milk for several seconds, then try milking again.
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05/29/11, 09:18 AM
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Retired Coastie
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Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Monterey, Tennessee
Posts: 4,651
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Progress Report?
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TOPSIDE FARMS
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05/29/11, 10:16 AM
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Join Date: May 2011
Location: Klamath Falls, Oregon
Posts: 133
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tinknal
Give her a little lovin'. Instead of sitting down to milk as soon as you tie her up, just wash her bag in warm water, pet her, curry her, talk to her, scratch her itchy parts, in short get her relaxed and comfortable. Might help to isolate her for awhile so that you are the only living thing that she has contact with. Cattle are social creatures and they want to bond with something. Another cow is their first choice, so if you isolate them they are more likely to bond with you.
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I absolutely agree with this. When I started milking cows I had to spend a few minutes before sitting down to milk to let the cows get to know me. I brushed them, petted them, and talked to them so they could get to know my voice. At first, I had to have my husband lean against their legs so they wouldn't kick me but now that the cows know me, I can milk alone. Just be patient, she'll get to know you and then it'll get easier.
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