The Family Cow Handbook by Philip Hasheider

Author:Philip Hasheider
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: MBI
Published: 2011-08-09T16:00:00+00:00

How to Milk by Hand

Hand-milking is a simple procedure. You will either become adept at it quickly, or you will soon get a milking machine. It is best to milk with short fingernails to reduce the risk of surprising your cow by accidentally digging into her teats. Also, remove any finger rings or wrist jewelry as these often get in the way of milking and are easily dirtied.

Let your cow know that you are beside her or are approaching so she’s not startled or surprised by your sudden presence. Talk to her, pet her, rub her, and do everything you can to create a comfortable atmosphere at milking time.

Sit on a stool or plastic pail to one side of your cow. Don’t sit behind the cow. The side approach is best for several reasons. Two teats are close to you, and you can lean against the cow’s flank for support and discourage her from lifting her leg. Trying to come at a cow from behind her is awkward, and you can only reach the hind two teats. You then are left with the front two teats located on opposite sides still to be addressed. Finally, a cow’s kicking motion involves leg movement slightly to the side before she straightens her leg out in full force toward the back. This happens in a split second. If you do something that causes her to kick, you will likely receive less of an impact if sitting on the side of the cow than in back of her. A direct blow can lead to serious injury. A full-force kick in the face by a cow’s hard hoof likely means a trip to the dentist, hospital, or both, if not worse.

Once you are situated on your stool, it’s essential to clean the teats before you begin milking. This ensures milk let down, but even more importantly it prevents udder infection. Mix warm water with a disinfectant such as a mild dishwashing liquid, household chlorine bleach, or similar product. Dip a clean cloth rag or a sturdy paper towel into the water and gently clean around the sides of each teat to remove all mud, dirt, manure, or other foreign matter. Pay close attention to cleaning the end of each teat thoroughly. Rub the sides and back of the udder to help stimulate milk let down. When all the dirt has been removed from the teat sides and ends, use a fresh cloth or paper towel to dry them off. Proper sanitation is the best insurance against introducing microorganisms to the teat canal. Very quickly the udder will become tighter as the released milk starts to collect in the gland cisterns.

Proper hand-milking technique is to hold the top part of the teat near where it attaches to the udder. Hold the teat firmly between your thumb and first finger and then squeeze them together. This traps the milk within the teat canal and prevents its escape back up into the udder cistern. Then bring your other

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