Milking issue

RockyRidgeFarms · #1 10/03/12, 11:43 AM

In the last 3 milkings, my little Jersey, who is consistantly giving a gallon and a quart per milking, (mini-Jersey), has basically shut off. There has been no change in any routine, feed, herdmates, or timing. She is healthy with no signs of illness. She is bred. Her teats are not sensitive. For that matter, she has no tenderness anywhere and allows us to touch and handle her with no problems.
The first time she went slack, we thought it was just one of those things. Obviously now we are concerned. The milk we do get is clean, no indications of infection, and the taste/cream are excellent.
It appears to us that she is withholding her milk and not letting down like normal. We are able to milk every teat, but the streams are small and they go flat quickly. We were thinking blocked teat, but all 4 at once?

Since there is no other sign of illness or disease, is she just being stubborn? Maybe having figured out that grain comes from time in the stancion rather than letting down of milk. She's not ansy or anything, and will stand still in the stall with or without feed.

Granted, she is not a star milker, but we have always gotton her stripped clean. Is it normal or possible for them to just shut down after a fashion.

Sorry for the drawn out post but my experience is more on the beef side of things and just haven't had any issues like this with milking.

springvalley · #2 10/03/12, 11:48 AM

Is anything bothering her at night, dogs, coyotes or something. maybe something has changed in the barn, cows like routine, and some of the strangest things can set them off. Not sure, for sure. > Thanks Marc

DaleK · #3 10/03/12, 11:58 AM

Are you sure she's bred? Sounds like she's in heat (or false heat)

kycrawler · #4 10/03/12, 12:12 PM

is she in the pasture by herself ? I had a jersey springer heifer start nursing off of a cow once when they were in the same pasture no milk for about 2 days and slobbery teats one morning at milking time

myersfarm · #5 10/03/12, 12:13 PM

^^^ what Dale said my she aborted

myersfarm · #6 10/03/12, 12:14 PM

YES what KYcrawler said also...she even might have started sucking herself

RockyRidgeFarms · #7 10/03/12, 01:51 PM

About two hours after I posted this, my wife called and said she finally let down. She had sat there working her for an hour with no results. Udder was hard and stretched, but flat teats. Just about ready to give up, she dribbled a little all feed into her bucket because she felt bad for the cow having to be in the saddle so long. Instant let down and a productive milking.
What is weird is that we always grain and pellet feed her while milking, just as we did these last couple days of no production, somehow she just decided to hold out.
To answer the other questions, yes she's bred, there is a young calf in the pasture on its mother, but this girl wants nothing to do with that calf. Would my other cow going into heat affect her?