Off Topic But Just Have To Share!

[dianed]

Ninahartland, take it from me its much less complicated to get your milk in a carton. to think when I was a kid you used to leave a billy out for the milkman to fill

[Bullbreedlover]

Ninahartland, take it from me its much less complicated to get your milk in a carton. to think when I was a kid you used to leave a billy out for the milkman to fill

oh there is something about full cream fresh cows milk, that unless you have experienced it, you just dont know how good it is.

Unfortunately there is a down side to unpasterised milk

[rose of tralee]

It's emotive for me, eating baby anything. I was reared with lots of beef cattle, station milkers, always had some pettable ones The promise of a lengthy scratch of dewlap/ back leg made many a grown bull into a pussycat. Plenty of examples too of which animals to stay well clear of! The signs are there....usually, noticed Charolais could be quite deceptive, and also have their particular humans they disliked, fine with others.

When we get back to live on our acreage long enough to contemplate bovine anything, I reckon a little training won't go amiss. At least to be halter broken, tie up reliably like a horse. I love the bullock teams, glad some are keeping the knowledge alive.

One thing that can save a lot of grief is to make sure the little ones respect their fences. Once cattle learn the some of the tricks of escape, life is never the same.

[gillybob]

It took me a long time to get used to bought milk again.

But I would like to make some cheese from raw milk.

The dairy I worked on was in Queensland and in storm season, we used to loose power at milking time.It used to drive me crazy.

To have 150 Holsteins complaining at you to be milked.

I had a person who got milk from me, ask if I couldnt milk them by hand.

I also had friends who thought I didnt have to milk on weekends.

They would come up from the city thinking I didnt have to work.

Ah the joys of being wet twice a day, pruney fingers, the smell of milk, cats waiting around.

Early mornings in the dark finding missings girls.

That nice walk to the paddock at sunset side stepping snakes.

We had a 14 aside pit system.

The other property didnt have a system at all, you had to bend down to put the cups on.

I was very thankfull I didnt work there.

I loved the work.

BUT would never marry a dairyman.

[Kirislin]

Some good advice here, sounds like you need to get in early and start halter training and tying up your little calf now, before it gets too strong.

[Danielle]

Yes, he will need basic training asap. I know Juanita is training them to b led, but I can do more once I pick him up. I've trained my colt from a weanling so shouldn't have too much trouble.

Me wonders if cows would respond to horse training techniques.....eg pressure on, pressure off? Anyone know?

[dianed]

This thread must be contagious . I,m about to get a one day old heifer bought up from the paddock to hand raise, she,s a twin and mum as gone off with the bull calf.

Haven't seen her yet but I am told she is cute. This is going to be a learning curve for my young shepherd. She,s never been up close and personal with a calf.

[fifi]

Your little twin heifer will likely be a freemartin - a sterile female twin. (shared blood / hormones with bull calf leads to restricted female development )

fifi

[Lab_Rat]

MMMmmmmmmmmmmm...................Cows!

Bulling is interesting isnt it Pers.

I love cattle especially Holsteins, they are so clever and their politics are really interesting.

David Attenborough did a show on them and how they run their herds.

Gilly - could you expand on this a bit, sounds extremely interesting!! Would loved to have seen that show!

Danielle - great pics of the new babe! All this cow talk has made me yearn for another now, but alas our property aint cow friendly .....Will just have to stick to my sheepies

So, can anyone tell me why on earth the dairy breed bulls are so darn nasty?? My uncle used to have Jerseys and they were buggers of things. Have also had dealings with Fresian bulls - scary!!

We only ever had beef cattle, angus, herefords and murray grey bulls.

We did have to dairy babies that came with a Guernsey house cow, Cuddles and Blackie. They grew into montrous beasts, but oh so gentle. Unfortunately as things go on farms they were eventually sold - much to my and my sisters disgust!

We also used to ride some of our younger cows who were befriended with peaches and nectarines (had a huge orchard too).....Mary was the best to ride, she would just continue to graze really while we just sat on her back!

Who mentioned cow breath???? Mmmmmmmmmm.........miss it soooo much!

"If" I do ever get a bigger property I think I would like to have either Brahman or Droughtmasters! Love em.

At last years Perth Royal a farmer had the biggest Brahman bull Ive ever seen, and what a gentle giant he was!!

Rat

[Kirislin]

Yes, he will need basic training asap. I know Juanita is training them to b led, but I can do more once I pick him up. I've trained my colt from a weanling so shouldn't have too much trouble.

Me wonders if cows would respond to horse training techniques.....eg pressure on, pressure off? Anyone know?

I think they do although they might be a bit slower to respond. A very good horseman friend of mine broke a cow in the same way he trains horses, it was even broken to the stockwhip.

[dianed]

Your little twin heifer will likely be a freemartin - a sterile female twin. (shared blood / hormones with bull calf leads to restricted female development )

fifi

Yes I know all about Freemartinism. All m/f twins get sold as 2 yo,s but seeing I form an attachment to the ones I raise she might be an exception. I dont plan on making the same mistake I made with the last one, this one will go back to herd after weaning.

[Ravyk]

WE had a friesan steer many years ago as kids he grew HUUUUGE .. and even when fully adult and out in teh paddock would still try & get in teh car! Clarry his name was.. and we used to sit on him and play with him....

Awww that is cute! Well I guess a full grown bull trying to get into a car isn't so good, especially for the car!

Your little twin heifer will likely be a freemartin - a sterile female twin. (shared blood / hormones with bull calf leads to restricted female development )

fifi

Thats really interesting, I never knew that.

[Bulldust]

It took me a long time to get used to bought milk again.

But I would like to make some cheese from raw milk.

The dairy I worked on was in Queensland and in storm season, we used to loose power at milking time.It used to drive me crazy.

To have 150 Holsteins complaining at you to be milked.

I had a person who got milk from me, ask if I couldnt milk them by hand.

I also had friends who thought I didnt have to milk on weekends.

They would come up from the city thinking I didnt have to work.

Ah the joys of being wet twice a day, pruney fingers, the smell of milk, cats waiting around.

Early mornings in the dark finding missings girls.

That nice walk to the paddock at sunset side stepping snakes.

We had a 14 aside pit system.

The other property didnt have a system at all, you had to bend down to put the cups on.

I was very thankfull I didnt work there.

I loved the work.

BUT would never marry a dairyman.

Very much sounds like my life gillybob even down to the pruney fingers and cats except we have more than 600 cows, heifers, calves & bulls. 300 milking atm. 30 swing over. Oh i wish someone would breed cows who only made milk on weekdays...

My very first dairy job a few years ago the boss would love to stir up the bulls. One bull in particular, until one day the boss did his usual lunge at the bull as he walked passed him, and the bull lunged back in the end, he was so nasty (and over 6ft) that the day we had to bring him in to go on the truck we had to bring him in with the tractor we were not safe in anything less!

Argh, Jersey bulls, nasty blighters they are. Though Jersey cows are the sweetest things, and they do prefer females milking them im sure. After 2yrs of just stud Holsteins we finally have 3 special stud Jersey cows. I was worried how theyd settle in to a herd of monstrous Holsteins but they stick together and fight back when they need to. Whether they get in calf is another thing, one is 12 yrs old lol.

That is a nightmare of mine, one of the oldies dropping dead. We have a handful in their teens, i dont know how on earth we would get it out.

[Bullbreedlover]

Hubby and I managed herds up to 1100 cows over two next door farms on one job. Cross breds mainly

Last farm we managed was for 450 high producing holsteins

Many were producing 40 litres a day. although the herd averaged 30 litres in peak. I loathed power cuts. Not a good time and they happened often back in good old NZ.

Power cuts when working in a rotary shed are not good.

we had one cow who was absolutely beautiful. She wasnt a pet clf but she decided to be very friendly and would cuddle and lick you. She was so sweet. It has been over 3 years since we left NZ. I always wonder whether or not she is still alive but I doubt it.

[gillybob]

We had about the same out in the paddock, as we milked.

Used to take them to a property in Kin Kin, they would come back covered in ticks its was disgusting.We would send the dry girls to the other property.

The 30 litre thing was what I tried to explain to someone once when they asked me if I could hand milk.

It always seemed like you would get home, have breaky and it was 2.30 time to move again.

Lab Rat

It was all about how the top female controls the herd, were she stands in the line and how she ptotects herself.

If youve met Holsteins, you understand how big they are.

One of the things was de-horning, cows he have horns are better mothers, than de-horned ones.

[Lab_Rat]

Ahhhh, thanks for that Gillybob - makes sense! Yes I know Holsteins!!!!

I am so thankful we only had one cow to handmilk when we were kids! Doing that twice a day was enough thats for sure! She was a sweet old Guernsey, very patient with us four learning to milk her. Oooh cold winter morning were the worst, good thing we only had to do it on the weekends!! Poor mum!

Cows with horns definitely know they have them and how to use them! A few of our beef breeders (of unknown parentage) had huge Ayrshire type horns and when they had babies, watch out!! We phased out horned cattle though for beautiful Angus, although some of those girls had dubious temperaments!

Its nice reading others milking/dairy experiences. I really dont think Id like to be milking 1100 though. What a full time job - how long to get that lot through??

Rat

[Bullbreedlover]

Ahhhh, thanks for that Gillybob - makes sense! Yes I know Holsteins!!!!

I am so thankful we only had one cow to handmilk when we were kids! Doing that twice a day was enough thats for sure! She was a sweet old Guernsey, very patient with us four learning to milk her. Oooh cold winter morning were the worst, good thing we only had to do it on the weekends!! Poor mum!

Cows with horns definitely know they have them and how to use them! A few of our beef breeders (of unknown parentage) had huge Ayrshire type horns and when they had babies, watch out!! We phased out horned cattle though for beautiful Angus, although some of those girls had dubious temperaments!

Its nice reading others milking/dairy experiences. I really dont think Id like to be milking 1100 though. What a full time job - how long to get that lot through??

Rat

Two sheds rat

one 600 cows the other 500.

depending on how far away the cows were for morning milking, hubby and I used to share our Kelpie if either herd was in a hill paddock LOL

most times they were close for getting in in the morning say 30 minutes. workers would set up the shed while we got cows in.

hubby was in charge of herd management and feeding out for both farms so he rarely milked. afternoon milking the cows could be an hour away from the shed but most of them would be waiting at the gate to get milked. cows loved being milked by the way. it brings relief LOL

cups on at 5.00am. home for breakfast at 8.30 but not during calving time. depends on whether we had to bring springers up to calve them if they were having difficulties. Basically we worked 14 hour days 7 days a week during calving and mating times. that is without home time and sleep time. calves to feed, springer to feed, milkers to feed out to. Bulls and yearlings to feed.

OMG so time consuming

[gillybob]

Radio National just had interviews with landcare winners and one of them was a dairy in Jamberoo.Another was the people useing mareemas to guard fairy penquins in Vic.

Sounded like an amazeing set up.

Dairies are so big now, it was bad enough counting cows with 150, counting 600 would do your head in. Did you have collars on them?