My milker has an attitude

[tiggermeriffic]

I was just wondering if anybody knows why I was able to milk my jersey for one and a half weeks with hardly any problems and now she won't let me get near her. I can give her a little grain to get her hooked up to her lead and wash her teats off but as soon as she see's the bucket it is all over. She won't let me near her. Any suggestions?

[walls0stone]

In my experence, the Jersey is a pain to have..tempermental and pissy. I also don't think the tipical cow is cut out any longer for the hand milking gig.

You can use the vice...tail her up or some physical restraint
I'm guessing that you don't want to go that way...but if you want to know more..say so.

Why don't you folks look into a milker pump and stop hand milking. It's gota be easyer than the old way, and who wants to sit on a stool for 15 min's when you could walk away and do somthing elts.

[tiggermeriffic]

Any info you can give will help. Someone just gave me the idea to wrap a rope around her body right behind her front legs. I did it because he said she could not kick that way. I tried it and she did let me milk her but he was WRONG she can still kick. She did not kick much just once or twice. I would love to have a milking machine. I just can't find one for under $1,500.00. If you know of one let me know. Thanks for the info. I have no problems using restraints if I have to.

[walls0stone]

not behind the front legs..behind the rips..and I don't like the rope idea. look into the vice. your local feed mill, Southeren States, Agway...all the same owners..they would know what you need. the thing is your going to put her in a point were she is in a touch of pain, that's why she wont' kick you...if you can't put her in that place..she will kick you.
you could "tail her up" but that's a two man job and your doing it by hand.

If you find a milker, with the collector that stands beside the cow, or hangs from her...and a pump for $1,500 get it!!!!!

YOu can't go far from a milker...they can come off, but if you could get out of the barn 20 mins sooner every day..and make somthing out of that 20 mins..think of how many hours a year you would save. In two years that milker should pay for it's self.

YOu need a milker pump, vac' line...the collecter, and the container to put the milk in after. you will also see your milk production go up with a milker. get an old mellow Holstine and beef your brown trouble maker..then sell or barter half your milk to a friend and it will be worth your time to milk...

don't dottle, cull cows just hit 75 cents here...cows will cost a ton soon and guess who will foot the bill

[AlchemyAcres]

What have you been washing and dipping the teats with?

Since she was seemingly fine to start, I'd look closely for teat damage or irritation.

All it takes is a small scratch or crack in the skin.

I'd try rubbing the teats, when dry, prior to milking, with bag balm, (bag balm with an added drop of clove oil is even better.)

Please DON"T introduce any form of pain, it'll only extended the problem and make things worse. Make the milking experience as stress free as possible.


~Martin

[ms-woman]

I agree with AA, I hand milk. I have a Jersey/Guernsey mix. Betsy was like that when I first got her, she let me milk fine for a few weeks and then she got an attitude. What you don't want to do is introduce pain, she will learn to associate pain with milking. Keep milking even if you only get a little bit, she will figure out that what ever she does you are still going to milk! Betsy calmed down after a week or two of being a pure cuss, she just wanted to see who was in charge.

I grew up working at my uncle's dairy farm and then having one I hand milk, it is different! You didn't say how long you've had her? Is this your first time hand milking? Is this her first calf? Did you get her from a big farm?

It could be the way you milk(like how you grip the teat), Betsy can not stand for my husband to milk her its the way he milks. If its her first calf she is still learning what to do. Give her time and keep milking! Are you afraid of her kicking you? Do you grab a teat real quick and get a little and quit for a minute to see if she is going to kick? She may think you are a fly or a bug on her. Be firm and consistent. Lean into her and she might take you for a calf, not many kick at their calves.

What did you get her for? milk, butter, or cheese making? You don't want a Holstein if you are primarily making butter, but if you are needing a lot of milk for cheese making or have a large family you could go with one. Personally I like the Jersey and Guernsey they give plenty of milk but it also has a high fat content just right for butter and cream etc.. Plus it depends on how much pasture you have and feed and such, a Holstein is a very large cow they eat a lot more than a Jersey.

My advice would be when you milk, lean into her right in front of her leg, either with your head or shoulder, I've tried the ropes and such and they weren't worth all the hassle. I just lean my head up against her and she knows I'm there. Be constistent! She may not like the idea but she will get used to it.

[walls0stone]

Why in the world is everyone so hooked on hand milking?

It's like when man left the cave and moved to the thing built out of logs... the wife never said.. hey Bruce.. let's pack up all our stuff and go back to that hole in the hillside for a weekend.

Do what you all want to...but if you could make more milk for you, and say the guy down the road who can smokes hams way better than anyone, or the little woman you know who has all those apple trees.. why not? It's barter, it's more production...or better use of your investment (your cow)

[tiggermeriffic]

I go to work early in the morning and sometimes can not get home in time to milk in the evening. This is part of why I like the idea of a milking machine. I just bought one online. It is the can milker pulsator vacuum pump and all I need for milking. It will work good because it will be consistent no matter who milks her. I do not know if this is the first freshening or where she came from. I bought her at the sale barn. She was a good deal. I know she is probably just testing me. I will keep milking her come hell or high water. She is a very easy going cow and I think she will be great for our family when she learns I am the boss.

[ms-woman]

wallsostone, I hand milk because right now I don't have the money to throw at a milker. This isn't a question on hand milking vs. machines, it was for advice on how to handle a cow while milking, and I have experience with that.

Tigger, I'm glad you are sticking with it regardless of how you do it! Once she learns that you are going to keep on I'm sure it will get easier. Who will be milking her in the evenings? They will still need to know how to handle her whether or not you use a milker, then again if she is from a dairy farm she may be more comfortable with the milker. Good Luck! I hope everything works out for you.

[annabella1]

If she balks when she sees the bucket don't let her see it. Cover it with a towel or something till you get it in place . put yourself between her head and the bucket (so she can't look at what you are doing)Lean into her side as you milk. (the other side should be against the wall so she can't move away)

[Drawbar]

I haven't responded because I am sure no one is going to like what I have to say. Basically its that she was a cow that was culled from the herd for a reason. My Grandfather used to go to sale barns and buy the oldest cow there...his reason, she was old because she gave a lot of milk. With cows on the farm as old as I am, I know a cows age is quite long. (25 years or so).

We ship a lot of young cows to the sale barn and for only two reasons. They are twins, or they are hard to milk. We just don't have time to milk hard to milk cows,and of course everyone knows about twins and genetics when it comes to milk.

With fresh heifers going for 2000 bucks right now, most farmers will not part with a good cow. Even less would send a good cow to a sale barn where it could be sold for little money. In other words, be very wary of sale barns.

Still you got the cow so you got to milk her. A Jersey is a good homestead cow. Small and gives plenty of butter fat for milk and butter, but they are skittish and very nervous. We have plenty of them on our farm, but I prefer Holsteins calm demeanor myself. In fact we jokingly refer to Jerseys as "Grass Rats". Anyway I would look for sore teats, and then go with a little bag balm on them as AA said. The milking machine will help as well, as will getting a routine down. With a milking machine (what she is used too) she should be done in about 10 minutes.

Good luck.