First week milking Teat Question

[Ranchermom]

I am at the end of the first week milking its been very interesting. I started doing one teat at a time trying to practice cause its hard to to do both at same time..someday when I have more practice

This may sound like a strange question but .....

When she first comes in she has both her teats very hard, she is full of milk in the morning, after I milk one teat I go to the other and its softer and harder to get milk out of it. Is this normal? Could she be holding back?

Sam

[Ark]

"I go to the other and its softer and harder to get milk out of it."

It's softer AND harder to milk??
She typically is VERY full of milk in the morning if you separate the kids at night. So full that it can be hard to get out for the first several minutes. Once you get some out, her udder should soften up. Not sure if you meant you are getting some out of one side and then the OTHER side gets softer??

In my experience it was hard at first because she had a lot of milk, not because she was holding back. But, it should only be minutes until it softens up, if you are milking both side/both hands.

How much are you getting? If you think she might be holding it back you could "bump" her udder - like the kids head butt her. Not too hard of course, but that might do it.

Do you wash her udder with a warm wet wash cloth first? That always stimulates the let down.
HTH,
Rachel

[Ranchermom]

Not sure if you meant you are getting some out of one side and then the OTHER side gets softer??

yes thats what I meant i get some out of there its just harder to get out and it seems its less if I do one teat at a time. When I first start out they are both hard then I start to milk one then I go to the other side and its soft now? Just curious to know if that is common?

You know I was going to write you RAchel cause you know her better then anyone hahaha but I wasnt sure when you could get back to me about it so thought I would post it in here too. How are the chickens doing?

Sam

[Ark]

The chickens are great - we took the rooster to the auction tho. Little fighter, he was! But, all the hens are doing good, free ranging and those two Barred Rocks are growing their feathers back since the little rooster is gone. So, thanks!


When I first start out they are both hard then I start to milk one then I go to the other side and its soft now? Just curious to know if that is common?

I'm really not sure about this... and maybe it's cuz I milk with two hands. LOL. But, my muscles are built up, and yours will be soon too! Did you try alternating which side you do first and see if it happens on both sides?

Does her milk seem good and healthy? How does it taste? If it was mastitis tho, it would not get softer like that I dont think.

How much milk are you getting?

[Ranchermom]

I am just getting a quart from her right now and leaving the night feed to her boys one week left and they go off of it completly. I am glad I did it this way cause I dont think I could milk any more till my hands get used to milking.

She has been very hard to milk I have had to put a hobble on her cause I tried it without it at first but she was kicking and bucking so much and I had prep her I thought weeks before to get her used to me touching her and her milking area.

AT the end of the week she is doing better and dosent buck anymore I think she is frustrated with me cause I am too slow, we will hopefully get used to each other soon. She likes when I sing to her hahaha

Did she ever give you any trouble? How much was she giving you?
Sam

[coso]

If you can't get a doe milked out in a few minutes they won't give as much and feel like this. They let the milk down because of oxytocin that is stimulated by washing the udder and milking. They will even let down more as you milk , sometimes, but after a certain point they will quit letting milk down. It would be better if you would milk both sides at once. Just get you a rythym going and you will do fine. Hope this makes a little sense.

[Ark]

She never bucked, but occasionally if I didnt milk fast enough to suit her royal highness she would start kicking. I would grab her closest leg right ABOVE the knee and just light pressure there prevents kicking. (But, then you HAVE to milk one handed.) Do you attach the hobbles above the knee or below? I'd try it above, maybe, and see what happens?
Actually, the only problem was her eating her oats too fast - she wouldnt kick if she didnt run out of food before I finished milking. So, for the goats who do that I always add alfalfa pellets to their food to slow them down. Helps boost milk production as well.
I dont have any hobbles, so I am not sure where they should be attached, but I have read that above the knee applies pressure to that tendon.
She better straighten up! What did you decide on for feed? Is she getting it on the stand. I would expect 2 quarts of milk from her in the morning if the kids were locked up all night and she had plenty of alfalfa hay or pellets to eat. That's what she was giving last year.
Good luck!
Rachel