Author Topic: Tell me about maiden milkers (Read 5339 times)

clydesdaleclopper · « **on:** July 11, 2012, 09:55:05 pm »

So it looks like I may have a maiden milker. Our 2 year old BS has one side of her udder swollen. I have checked and there is no heat or lumps so I don't think it is mastitis. I managed to get some fluid out though it looked quite watery. It would be nice to get some milk from her so what should I do?

jaykay · « **Reply #1 on:** July 11, 2012, 10:00:05 pm »

Well I would massage it gently and 'milk' since whether she's in milk or has got low-level mastitis, it will be better emptied. And presumably which it is will become apparent in time

colliewoman · « **Reply #2 on:** July 11, 2012, 10:53:53 pm »

Gilly turned out to be a maiden milker, apparently unusual in an AN, her udders aren't very big but enough to warrant milking her out once a day and it is slowly increasing

Gill's milk was proper milk from the get go though

I wonder if it was brought on by everyone else having kids and producing loads, but at least she is earning the food she demands. She's been fed the same as the mums as she beats then up/snaps her tether/throws a strop if I try and reduce her rations

(she was only tethered at feeding time to give everyone else a chance to eat in peace)

clydesdaleclopper · « **Reply #3 on:** July 11, 2012, 11:04:35 pm »

It could be normal milk as I didn't get it into a receptacle just on my hands as she wasn't overly cooperative. If I start milking her is she likely to produce on both sides of the udder or just the side that is currently swollen?

colliewoman · « **Reply #4 on:** July 11, 2012, 11:10:39 pm »

Gill only had a tiny smidge on one side to start off with, and the milk on both side was high up if that makes sense? Things have gradually evened up since so i would try milking both sides if even you only get a squirt or 2 to start off with

plumseverywhere · « **Reply #5 on:** July 12, 2012, 07:31:06 am »

Our maiden milker Savannah started with a large udder which, when milked was just watery.
Like the others have said it needed 'milking' in case it was mastitis but sure enough, after a couple of days became milk.

We now have 9 pints a day of very good milk that makes all of the Baaath Time soap and keeps my 4 children, husband and mother in dairy!

I actually didn't want Vanna to produce milk this second year running, having brought in a pregnant Togg who has kidded now but she was insistent and despite keeping feed rations down, not milking too much off, only trying once a day to milk her it wasn't to be - I have no choice but to milk twice daily, stubborn madam

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Anke · « **Reply #6 on:** July 12, 2012, 08:44:50 pm »

Quote from: plumseverywhere on July 12, 2012, 07:31:06 am

Our maiden milker Savannah started with a large udder which, when milked was just watery.
Like the others have said it needed 'milking' in case it was mastitis but sure enough, after a couple of days became milk.

We now have 9 pints a day of very good milk that makes all of the Baaath Time soap and keeps my 4 children, husband and mother in dairy!

I actually didn't want Vanna to produce milk this second year running, having brought in a pregnant Togg who has kidded now but she was insistent and despite keeping feed rations down, not milking too much off, only trying once a day to milk her it wasn't to be - I have no choice but to milk twice daily, stubborn madam

Put her into kid this autumn and you could have a stunning milker - milk record her if she is registered and get your girls to show her!

PS.: Is 9 pints a gallon?? As in 4.5ltrs?

plumseverywhere · « **Reply #7 on:** July 12, 2012, 08:50:29 pm »

not sure what it is in gallons or litres? but I get 5 pints morning, 4 pints afternoon/evening

she's not registered and is a saanen crossed with ?? (alpine I think because she goes black and white in winter but is pure, brilliant white all summer!)

I was going to have a year off of kids and lambs next spring but will consider it

especially as a very large, London business have just contacted me with a proposition so I might be needing more milk....

sokel · « **Reply #8 on:** July 13, 2012, 07:19:14 pm »

we have 1 maiden milker amongst ours, its a 2011 kid that we kept
we are milking her once a day and get 3 pints every morning off her, obviously if we milked her twice a day her yield should go up

clydesdaleclopper · « **Reply #9 on:** July 13, 2012, 08:33:43 pm »

Well it is all rather strange. I managed to get some out of her yesterday and it looked like milk. Today it looked like water. I'm confused.

plumseverywhere · « **Reply #10 on:** July 13, 2012, 08:37:39 pm »

savanna's was watery to start with but her udder so huge that I had to do it a few days on the trot anyway to relieve her of the pressure, by which time it 'became' milk. It didn't taste great to begin with this year but we found she had a cobalt deficiency soon rectified with some adam henson minerals (4 times the amount of cobalt than caprivite etc)

Anke · « **Reply #11 on:** July 13, 2012, 09:27:08 pm »

I have looked at the Adam henson minerals stuff, but decided to stay with Caprivite. But I have started to use the drench from his company, not sure if I noticed any difference though $:-\$ .

As I never had an issue with milk tasting strange I have not investigated if we are actually copper or cobalt deficient...., maybe I should... $:-\$