First time house-cow questions

[ani's ark]

Our new neighbours have a Jersey cow due to calve (2nd calving) within a month. She has her last calf(steer) still with her on their property. She was bought from a working dairy farm but has never been a house cow before. She appears to be in good condition. They are brand new homesteaders and have got her tame enough to follow through gates, but they cant catch or handle her properly yet.

My only experience is my dairy goats who i handle every day and use the milk stand daily routine whether I am milking or not so accept all over touch and udder handling any time. I am usually over at the HT goat forum

I guess I'm concerned that when it comes time to calve (assuming that goes smoothly!) she is going to be a) very defensive of her calf and hurt them and/or b) be completely unmilkable and perhaps overproduce causing damage.

So question is: Do Jerseys produce far too much milk for a calf, like dairy goats - if not milked would this damage her udder or will the calf empty her adequately? How would you all set about training this madame to the milk stanchion before it's too late? Will she hurt someone who tries to hand milk her if she is not brought into a routine before calving (what my instinct says)?

Please give any advice - I'll try and help them if I can despite my experience being only little friendly milking goats. I know I'll be the first port of call if everything turns to custard...
Thanks!

[topside1]

To be blunt, your neighbor should be asking you advice about goats not cows. Calving within a month and asking questions now is a recipe for disaster. Being unprepared generally ends in frustration. Yes they have to milk the cow twice a day or else other problems will develop. Grafting other calves into the mix will help but that practice either works or it doesn't. Plus it's a lot of added work per day. Hope they have strong hands...My 2 cents...Topside

[whodunit]

One can milk a cow once a day and let the calf have the rest with no problems. We would lock the calf up overnight and milk in the morning.

Mrs Whodunit