[Crofter]

We love you too! :goat:meeeeh!

[herdsman]

You can certainly milk once a day. The lactation will possibly be shorter and yield will be lower. The more you take milk from the udder the more she will produce to meet the demand. Many commercial farmers will milk once a day at the end of lactation to help to dry off. As said above some cows will hold milk back if she knows the calf will be along soon for his/her share. Just look out for mastitis at the beginning as this is the time most stress is on the udder. A calf suckling will often draw enough away to cure the mastitis if it is mild but if the quarter becomes swollen and hard best get a vet to check it. Udder mint massaged into the udder for a few minutes at milking time can ease a swollen udder particularly just after calving. Good luck with your cows I loved my job as a herdsman for 25 years but it really is a young mans job.

[doganjo]

I can't stand goat's anything.  It just tastes like goats smell. No disrespect to goat keepers or goats, personally

I can't say I smelt anything except fresh clean straw when I was over at Beth's to see the kids.

[Crofter]

Thanks Herdsman

We'll give it a go and let you all know how we get on.  We may take the calf off her when we bring them in for the winter and milk twice a day from then on.

Dave

[farmmur]

I milk a South Devon every morning.  The calf goes into a sectioned off part of the stable by itself at night, but he is beside his mother.  I milk every morning at 5AM then turn the calf out and they stay on pasture all day.  This works very well for me, I have never found a problem with it.  It also makes weaning go a little easier.

[herdsman]

Crofter,
Just remember she will be giving quite a lot of milk if she is feeding the calf and you. Make sure she is getting enough concentrates. She needs enough feed for her plus about .4 kg cake(or equivalent dry food)for every litre she produces. Keep an eye on body condition. She is likely to lose some condition in the first 6 to 8 weeks post calving but then should start to put some on especially if you want her back in calf.

[sausagesandcash]

He milked once a day and left the calves with the cows - they actually made icecream. I wish I could remember the details.

So do I ! they're damn intelligent cows and calves, making ice cream and all  all mine do is Moo!

Sorry, I just couldn't resist!

Morgan

[Rosemary]

Took you a while to spot that one