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Author Topic: Handmilking a Dexter  (Read 7377 times)

Helen Wiltshire Horn

  • Joined Apr 2014
Re: Handmilking a Dexter
« Reply #15 on: October 22, 2014, 07:30:37 pm »
SallyintNorth - can I please ask what calf crunch is?  I will keep up with handling the calf and try the things you suggest.  When I brought her in this morning she was lying down within a couple of minutes of being tied up and my children love making a fuss of her.  She doesn't want to be led anywhere at the moment so shifting her is tricky but I presume that this will come.  Do you think 2lt a day is an ok amount to be taking?  I don't want to take too much in case there is a day when I can't milk (and what with 2 small kids, half term coming up and a smallholding full of animals might happen).  I am going to experiment with bringing Mum in a bit early and leaving the calf out in the field for a couple of hours to see how this affects let-down and milk volumes. 
Helen

SallyintNorth

  • Joined Feb 2011
  • Cornwall
  • Rarely short of an opinion but I mean well
    • Trelay Cohousing Community
Re: Handmilking a Dexter
« Reply #16 on: October 22, 2014, 07:44:59 pm »
Most TASers seem to use Buttercup Calf Crunch.  I haven't found that around here, but our calves love the Carrs' Champion equivalent.  (We buy it in 25kg sacks, we don't have to buy it by the tonne.)
Don't listen to the money men - they know the price of everything and the value of nothing

Live in a cohousing community with small farm for our own use.  Dairy cows (rearing their own calves for beef), pigs, sheep for meat and fleece, ducks and hens for eggs, veg and fruit growing

Helen Wiltshire Horn

  • Joined Apr 2014
Re: Handmilking a Dexter
« Reply #17 on: October 28, 2014, 02:51:03 pm »
Just a quick question regarding hobbling my cow.  She has settled quite a bit but I really only feel comfortable that she won't try and kick when she has her head in a bucket.  I have bought a hobble but wonder how she will react when I put it on her.  Any tips?  (Presumably do it quickly whilst she is feeding).  Today wasn't great but then as it is warm there are a lot of flies and I think that she was kicking to swat them away most of the time.  That said, it isn't a particuarly enjoyable experience milking whilst you are constantly on your guard.  We have only done just over a week of daily milking (barring one day) so do you think that there is still time for her to calm down? 
Helen

SallyintNorth

  • Joined Feb 2011
  • Cornwall
  • Rarely short of an opinion but I mean well
    • Trelay Cohousing Community
Re: Handmilking a Dexter
« Reply #18 on: October 28, 2014, 05:37:28 pm »
Yes, plenty of time yet, don't fret.

When I put my puppy collar hobbles on, I stroke her about her rear - while she's eating cake - and then move down the leg.  Usually there's no reaction so I put the collars on, then clip them together, which she doesn't notice.  I've no experience of the pukka type; it's possible that she will notice them going on, of course...

You could get your helper to hold her tail up while you put them on - they can't kick when their tail is held up vertically - but that's more likely to create resistance than help, I'd think.  Getting her used to them softly would be better, as you will be wanting to fit them every day, usually on your own.
Don't listen to the money men - they know the price of everything and the value of nothing

Live in a cohousing community with small farm for our own use.  Dairy cows (rearing their own calves for beef), pigs, sheep for meat and fleece, ducks and hens for eggs, veg and fruit growing

Helen Wiltshire Horn

  • Joined Apr 2014
Re: Handmilking a Dexter
« Reply #19 on: October 28, 2014, 06:28:44 pm »
Thanks SallyintNorth.  I will give the softly softly approach a try as I will need to fit it by myself on a regular basis.  I think I am just especially worried as I am aware what an issue it would be if I got properly kicked and put out of action for any time.  I must say that handmilking feels like a bit of a chore at the moment (but I had a two and a half hour round trip to the abattoir with a steer this morning at 6am and had to take my 3 year old with me).  How long do you think it takes a cow to get used to being milked?  I suppose at least a good sign is that she is still allowing me to catch her each day and take her into the field shelter and it might get even easier now the grass isn't as good.  I got just over a litre of milk today which is lovely to have.   
Helen

Helen Wiltshire Horn

  • Joined Apr 2014
Re: Handmilking a Dexter
« Reply #20 on: October 28, 2014, 06:31:30 pm »
One more question.  How should I react when she tries to kick me?  I'm afraid I rather lost my temper today and called her some choice names!

SallyintNorth

  • Joined Feb 2011
  • Cornwall
  • Rarely short of an opinion but I mean well
    • Trelay Cohousing Community
Re: Handmilking a Dexter
« Reply #21 on: October 29, 2014, 09:16:40 am »
If it's a genuine aggressive trying-to-kick-you kick, rather than a that-feels-horrid irritated stamp, I'd be using choice words - and probably a smack with a blue pipe - too!

Then I'd calm down  :hug:, forget focussing on getting her milk in my tea, and build up slowly.  So each day, do the routine, wash, dry and fiddle on with the bag, do a few squirts, lots of praise when she's good.  If she kicks, try not to lose your temper (I know it can be hard!), persist until you get some, even if it's only three squirts, without her kicking, praise her and stop on a 'high'. 

Hopefully over time, the amount you get will increase and eventually she'll stop being silly.

The other thing I do with mine when I'm training them, is I give them enough cake to eat while I get them tied up, washed and dried, then just a bit at a time.  They know there's more cake, but I only give them a bit more when they've been standing nicely letting me take some milk.  I never give them cake to distract them when they've just kicked me.  They don't make the association as quickly as a dog would, but in time they do get the message that if they want that cake they can see but not reach, they have to let you take some milk.

Also, I spend time with them, fussing them, rubbing the top of the tail and down around the udder and back, at other times during the day, so that my only interation with them is not just when I'm trying to raid the milk bar. 
Don't listen to the money men - they know the price of everything and the value of nothing

Live in a cohousing community with small farm for our own use.  Dairy cows (rearing their own calves for beef), pigs, sheep for meat and fleece, ducks and hens for eggs, veg and fruit growing

Helen Wiltshire Horn

  • Joined Apr 2014
Re: Handmilking a Dexter
« Reply #22 on: October 29, 2014, 10:02:19 am »
Thanks.  That's what I have been trying to do but thanks for reminding me not to give her cake when she has been trying to kick.  I just don't enjoy milking whilst I am so conscious of her attempts to kick but we have had good days when she hasn't tried once.  It just seems so variable and must depend on her mood (and probably mine).
Helen

SallyintNorth

  • Joined Feb 2011
  • Cornwall
  • Rarely short of an opinion but I mean well
    • Trelay Cohousing Community
Re: Handmilking a Dexter
« Reply #23 on: October 29, 2014, 10:26:57 am »
That's great.  If you've had good days then it's definitely worth persisting.  And yes, don't underestimate the impact of your mood on her.  If you have a thing you do to get you into a good frame of mind - for me, it's spending time with my collie bitch - then do that first, before milking ;)
Don't listen to the money men - they know the price of everything and the value of nothing

Live in a cohousing community with small farm for our own use.  Dairy cows (rearing their own calves for beef), pigs, sheep for meat and fleece, ducks and hens for eggs, veg and fruit growing

Helen Wiltshire Horn

  • Joined Apr 2014
Re: Handmilking a Dexter
« Reply #24 on: October 29, 2014, 02:28:40 pm »
Thanks again.  I had a good day today but only got a litre and a half as she was pretty much dry on one side.  I have tried seperating her from her calf for a couple of hours beforehand but it seemed to stress her more and her calf fed through the fence anyway but I may have to revisit in future.  Perhaps it would work better if I brough calfie into the field shelter before her.  I didn't hobble her today as I want to do it the first time with someone close at hand.  A couple of things made a difference today.  No flies and being by myself helped, as did sprinkling her cake on the ground so she spent more time finding it rather than wolfing it from the bucket.  Can you suggest any food that will take her a while to eat without being too fattening, or do you think it is ok if she has quite a bit whilst I am milking?  Today she had half a small bucket of rolled barley mixed with cattle nuts.  She isn't hugely interested in hay yet as we still have quite a bit of grass and a haynet doesn't provide the necessary distraction.  Not one attempted kick today which makes a huge difference about how I feel about it! 
Helen

SallyintNorth

  • Joined Feb 2011
  • Cornwall
  • Rarely short of an opinion but I mean well
    • Trelay Cohousing Community
Re: Handmilking a Dexter
« Reply #25 on: October 29, 2014, 03:33:50 pm »
Great news that you milked today without any attempted kick  :thumbsup:

I buy Mollichaff to mix with cattle cake - just a regular 16% stockblend - to feed to them when they're in training, so they can have plenty and it takes them a while to eat.  Sometimes I soak sugar beet shreds and mix that in too.  We accidentally got some Alfa-A this year, and they [I[loved[/I] that - but Mollichaff is cheaper ;)

With mine, by the time the calf is 3-4 weeks old, I need to keep it off overnight really to get a couple of litres in the morning and leave some for calfie's breakfast.
Don't listen to the money men - they know the price of everything and the value of nothing

Live in a cohousing community with small farm for our own use.  Dairy cows (rearing their own calves for beef), pigs, sheep for meat and fleece, ducks and hens for eggs, veg and fruit growing

 

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