# Increasing milk supply



## Snowhunter (May 8, 2011)

So my Jersey, Jezzie, has been terrific since we brought her home. She took on a calf that was abandonded by his mama, and started producing milk for him within a couple days. But I've noticed she's not bagged up completely. Now the calf is well satisfied and growing like a weed, but I was hoping, come weaning time in a couple months, to be able to hand milk Jezzie. With her only producing just enough for the calf, milking will be tough. Aside from good grass 24/7 plus grain twice a day (beet pulp, BOSS, flaxseed, AllStock textured) is there anything I can do, short of hormone shots (which I won't do), to get her production up? If I gotta wait, I will, but I just thought I'd ask and see what yall had to say! 

Thanks


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## elevan (May 8, 2011)

I don't know if it's true or not but I read once that milking 3 or 4 times a day instead of 2 increases production in the family milk cow situation...never tried it (don't have a cow).


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## Snowhunter (May 8, 2011)

elevan said:
			
		

> I don't know if it's true or not but I read once that milking 3 or 4 times a day instead of 2 increases production in the family milk cow situation...never tried it (don't have a cow).


Thats about the only solution I actually found, from my research. We don't milk her at all, right now, with the calf on her. I did try, once, and she's just not producing enough for me to milk properly. 

Other solutions were playing opera music, water beds.. goodness, all sorts of crazy stuff


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## herfrds (May 8, 2011)

I've been milking my Jersey once a day since she freshened in Febuary. She has 2 calves on her also.

She is getting 2 gallons bull developer and 2 gallons of ground barley a day. Grass hay, barley hay and alfafa free choice.

I pull her calf off at night and leave the younger calf on her. Milk her and get 2 gallons and then turn both calves loose on her. she is keeping both calves happy and is supplying us fine.

Maybe pull the calf off at night like I do and milk her in the morning. The calf butting her bag will help bring more milk down so you won't be taking from the calf.


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## Snowhunter (May 10, 2011)

herfrds said:
			
		

> I've been milking my Jersey once a day since she freshened in Febuary. She has 2 calves on her also.
> 
> She is getting 2 gallons bull developer and 2 gallons of ground barley a day. Grass hay, barley hay and alfafa free choice.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the info herfrds. We're going to start seperating the two at night for morning milking, and see how that goes.


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## goodhors (May 10, 2011)

The cow will produce as milk is demanded.  Herfrds has it right, YOU have to put in the effort to get more milk demanded from the cow.  Taking the calf off at night, milking her dry and then turning her out is going to ask her to make more milk.

When there is always some milk left in the udder, she has no reason to produce more.

With wanting to up the production, yes she may need more food in hard grains or special feed to stay looking nice.  But if she is not milked out daily, more than once if possible, then she won't produce any larger quantity.  You bringing her in to milk at noon, or only allowing calf in with her for short times AFTER you have emptied her udder, will give you more quantity production.

  Cows taper off the longer they have been milking, not upping production.  In nature calf would be getting weaned as it ages, needs less milk.  So I would not see her giving much quantity at all, after calf is weaned.

More work for you, bringing in cow to milk more often, keeping calf off her for time periods to allow udder to refill for you.  Dairy cattle just have to be managed, to get calf fed AND give you milk in quantity as well.  Can't let them be free roaming with calf who never empties the udder bred to produce great quantities.  If the calf only drinks a gallon or two over the whole day, that is all cow will produce.  Otherwise she would get in trouble, suffer udder damage with oversupply of milk unused.


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## Bossroo (May 10, 2011)

Genetics also have a huge say in the amount of milk a cow produces, no matter how many times the cow is milked. After 305 milk production days, the milk yield drops significantly and it then becomes an economic disadvantage to continue to milk that cow untill she calves again. My dad was a Vet and a milk tester for many dairy cow herds in Cal. in the 1950's .   ( Individual cows in the dairies were production tested monthly) I have seen the production records over many years... you can definately see the family production similarities. Following his cull (25%and up to 50% of cows) as well as artificial insemination to progeny tested bulls recomendations, those dairies increased their milk yields at least 30% and in some cases up to 60% and milk fat from 3.2% to 3.8%.


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## Snowhunter (May 11, 2011)

Woohoo!

So seperating them last night did the trick! Aside from being woken up at various hours of the early morn...   by Jezzie moo'in right at the bedroom window, her udder was full this mornin. Got her partially milked out and the goats decided to pester us. So, a perfect milking it was not! But we've got a better plan now. I ended up having to let the calf on her (no doubt he'll clean her udder out for me!)  after milking out about 6 cups (most ended up in the driveway or on my feet!) 

The plan is to milk her in the portable head chute till we get something better set up. She won't be able to swing her rump around and fuss to the calf. Also making sure the goats haven't escaped and are stealing her grain!!!  

Will do the nightly seperation for a week or so and the move up to seperating them for a few hours in the evening, for evening milking. 

In the mean time,  we're all so excited! Especially the kids, as they're really lookin forward to fresh milk!!! 

Ahh.. its the little things in life, yanno?


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## goodhors (May 11, 2011)

Maybe this was answered and I missed it elsewhere.  Has cow been recently tested for TB?  I would want the test done to make sure cow is safe to mik. ESPECIALLY using her milk for my children's consumption.  I would consider a TB test essential, as part of her "cow expenses" you can't avoid.

You will want to get a place to tie the calf when you are milking the cow.  She would probably be happiest if she can see him while in the headgate.  I would think within a couple days of learning the routine, she would stand quieter, not be swinging about during the milking process.  Milking time should be QUIET, relaxing so she lets down all her milk for you.  Having goats underfoot, kids running about doing kid stuff, will make her worry, not relax for you.

And in my dairy experience, even with the calf at hand, you ALWAYS want to empty her when you start milking.  Leaving ANY milk in there is not a good choice and can cause problems.  Empty, stripped out udder, HELPS cow produce better and more quantity of milk.

If she is already trained for hand milking, you don't want her UNTRAINED and learning bad habits for milking time.  So things need to be set up for easy milking, safe for you and her during the milking time.  Not allow her to act poorly and GET AWAY with it.  Cows learn fast, both good and BAD things that work to get her own way!!

Not sure if your headgate has sides or is just the locking device.  If you have a framework, you may want to put a board (solid) across the to sides and fasten it to prevent her rear end sashaying about during milking.  High enough to hold her in place, and allow you to reach under and milk comfortably.  A piece of older carpet or rubber mat as a floor in the chute area will keep dirt and dust down, give her better footing, so milk is not getting dirt settled on it.

Begin as you mean to go on, set things up so you can milk her with everything under control, allow you to control of her situation surroundings.  Once a cow starts arguing, fighting with you during milking, things go down hill and it doesn't end well.  Remove her worry about calf by having it visible and close, no NOISY other animals or children running about while milking is going on.  YOU get upset, she can feel that and gets upset as well.

Not sure of your dairy experience, but sounds like you need to read up on it, learn WHY your management of her udder is going to help or make problems for her.  Clean handling techniques of fresh milk from the cow to the table must be observed to keep milk safe..  My Gramma was EXTREMELY particular on how the milk was managed before it got to the drinking stage.  Straining, stove top pasturizing with thermometer and prompt chilling after, were top priority with her.  Dirt was almost a swear word in relation to her cow's milk!  But those were the kind of practices needed to keep milk safe in those days for people to drink.


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## Snowhunter (May 11, 2011)

goodhors said:
			
		

> Maybe this was answered and I missed it elsewhere.  Has cow been recently tested for TB?  I would want the test done to make sure cow is safe to mik. ESPECIALLY using her milk for my children's consumption.  *I would consider a TB test essential, as part of her "cow expenses" you can't avoid.
> *
> 
> .


Hadn't heard of that before, but I'll definetly discuss it w the vet, thanks.

I guess I should have been more clear in my earlier post. I did make sure and stop on a good note, with her happily munching and standing still. Had I kept goin, with the chaos that was around us, I'm sure it could have ended badly with us both very frusterated. (Escaped goats) Then I went directly and let the calf out who went right up and had some breakfast. After a coffee refill, I sat n watched Norman eat and he emptied her out. Hopefully there are no repeats of this morning, now that I've got things setup better. She was wiped down before and after milking, and the milk is discarded for now, as we've not got proper supplies to strain and store, for now. Same with our doe in milk. Supplies arriving within the next week. 

The headgate has a full cage, to keep her from swinging, so that should help us both. As far as I know, she's as much of a newbie at this as me, but her history is basically unknown to me. 

All the advice is headed and appreciated. I do thank yall for taking the time to share your knowledge!


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## herfrds (May 12, 2011)

I cut both calves off last night and got 3 gallons this morning off of her and didn't fully milk her out.

I ended up at Sam's Club and bought 4 of those gallon jars of pickles in the glass jars. Dumped the pickles and washed and bleached the jars and lids. They work great. I put wax paper between the lids and the milk. The lids always have the smell of pickles.
I have boxes of the nitrile gloves. I use them when ever I handle the milk. As soon as I walk in the house I wash my hands and the gloves go on.
Before I got a stainless steel milk strainer I used a regular hand held strainer lined with 4 milk filters. To make then form to the curve of the strainer I would dip the filters in the milk.
I wash everything in 50-50 bleach solution and hot water.


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## goodhors (May 12, 2011)

Glad to hear things are improving for you and the cow.


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