Recent content by VC Rancher

I've heard about Idaho inspectors coming out to the site once a month and testing the milk. Are they testing on site or just gathering samples and sending them to the lab? Any suggestions on how to find a lab that can do these tests?

Are there any onsite test kits for testing for coliforms in milk?

Is it the whole bag or the bags above the teats that you pay attention to?

I was always under that understanding that it is good to milk out for mastitis reasons, if no other. But I was talking with a milker manufacturer yesterday and he said you should also leave a little milk in so the teat seals. What do you think?

I have two open heifers (Dexters) that I am going to AI in the next month, but I have never done this before so I was hoping someone could help me know what questions to ask or what to look for. So for such a vague question or request, but I really don't know where to start.

Is there any problem with using blood meal to bring nitrogen to my grass? I am grazing cattle on the pasture right now. I've heard that it can be bad to use blood meal with ruminant animals. What do you think?

I haven't milked before, which is a big factor in this whole problem. She hasn't either, from a human. I got 4.5 cups out of her this morning at 6am after milking her at 2pm the day before and getting 7 cups. That's close to 3/4 of a gallon in less than 24 hours. I kept the calf separated...

So do you recommend I do multiple times of day for 10-20 minutes? I will say tguabua both the cow's and my first dance with human milking.

I just milked her again and she gave me 6 cups, so a total of 7 cups today. Since I just milked her, can I wait to milk her again tomorrow morning? It's 2pm here. She is out on pasture so she is eating grass. I am not interested in feeding her grain. I am fence line weaning her out on the...

She held back on me today. Yesterday I got 5 cups from her, 3 the day before, in the morning. But this morning she would only give me 1 cup after a half hour. So I didn't let the calf out this morning to nurse her and I'm not going to until she gives me her milk. I am going to try again...

How long does that take you to go through that bathtub cleaning process?

Was that 30 minutes including milking and cleaning? What do you have to adjust? And what do you mean by overmilk?

I am in over my head but this is where I am at and going forward is my only option. Besides....I hate goats. The milking machines I have been looking at are $700-1000 dollars. See: http://www.portablemilkers.com/page/page/1576325.htm Do any of those milkers seem viable options? At full...

pdfangus, I have not weaned the calf yet...I am half weaning the calf by taking the calf off at 4pm each day, milking the cow in the morning and then letting the calf back together with the cow for the rest of the day, until 4pm. The grip I have figured out and had a few people show me, but...

I ordered a weaning ring which will come next week. I was thinking that I would do it this way until the weaning ring came just to give me practice and not HAVE to strip her so I can avoid mastitis. Once the weaning ring comes, I will take full responsibility for milking her each day. I feel...