How do you dry off a cow?

[Vere My Sone]

What's your method for drying off your dairy cow?
thanks.

[pygmywombat]

I cut the grain out gradually over a week while doing my regular milking schedule. Once the cow is on no grain I cut milkings in half- if I'm milking twice a day I go to once and if I'm milking once a day I go to every other day. After about a week of this and the cow starts producing less and less I stop milking and check her udder 2-3 times a day to make sure everything is deflating. I milk if she bags up massively, but generally they just flatten out.

[Vere My Sone]

Thanks for the reply,
How do determine when to stop milking?

[linn]

We usually try this routine for about two weeks. I differ in that I start by not compeltely milking out the cow and then go to once-a-day milkings. You can usually tell after a week whether this is working well. When the cow's udder is flabby and does not fill up to where it looks uncomfortable, that is the time to stop milking. You should always keep an eye on the condition of the udder to make sure your cow has not developed mastitis.

[pygmywombat]

The ideal is to dry the cow off 2 months prior to her due date.