So much milk! First attempts at milking our Jersey house cow - Free Range Homestead Ep 69

We introduce you to our newest arrival on the farm and share with you our experiences milking our Jersey house cow for the very first time.
00:00 Milking fails! 😂
00:30 Introducing Beatrix
01:36 History of Astrid our house cow 🐄
05:24 Our first attempts at milking Astrid 🐮
11:33 Why we are trying to milk without restraints
13:13 Food is scarce. Moving our cow on to greener pastures.
18:21 Later experiences of milking
27:23 Wrap up and call for your advice!
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[@woodsmn8047]

if you don't keep your head pressed against her your hair makes a tickle and she thinks there's a fly on her flank and she will swat with her tail or raise her foot and slam it down to scare away the fly ...so don't be shy snuggle in there cuz she's not being ornery ...she just don't like flies ...also the milk that comes last has most of the cream in it so if you stop early the calf will get the lion's share of the cream

[@FreeRangeLiving]

I have been sticking my head hard against her flank and she does love it. I hadn't thought it might feel like a fly but that seems likely to me now as I haven't been swatted all week and she keeps her feet nicely out of the way now. We are getting all of the milk out of the rear teats, while the calf monopolizes the front ones and have enough cream now to take care of our butter and other needs. Really great.

[@chshrkt]

Grew up with 20+ milk goats and a dairy cow. Having your cow against a wall, tree, whatever, then putting your head right in the hollow in front of the hind legs with a bit of pressure really keeps her calm. Also the diagonal milking with an alternating pattern I found works best. Front right, back left for a while, then front left, back right. milk one teat, then the other, not both at the same time, get into a rhythm. As for the tail, we always gave it a bit of a trim in the wet season since there were not many flies, and yes, give it a good clean when she is in scour. Hope that helps.

[@FreeRangeLiving]

I have been milking her almost to the letter of your advice here, and she is perfectly behaved for the time being. She even rests a fraction of her weight on my head while I work and has stopped swatting me. I hadn't thought of trimming the tail, but now you tell me, it seems so obvious. Theres lots of things like that in life I guess.

[@johnansell2707]

This is hilarious and adorable at the same time. I find i like the new channel format even more than the old sailing format. Allthough seeing Marool heeled over with her toerails in the water belting along faster than an old Aussie lady had a right too brings back fond memories. Best of luck to you three!

[@paulsouth4794]

Howdy , We always had jersey house cows . 1. Watch out for calcium deficiencies. Called milk fever 2. After calving you will need to strip her out i.e milk her regularly to take the excess milk . 3. If you do not remove excess milk she may get mastitus . 4. You will need to milk her regularly without fail . And she will give milk long after the calf as been weaned. 5. For the animals safety and your own. Build a set of bails. The romance of free milking is mythical . Yet some ,very few cows will do that . 6. Get a stiff brush and brush her .. cows love a good brush . 7. Always wash her udder before milking . Dairy supplies will have an excellent anti bacterial/ moisturiser wash . 8.strain your milk, hair skinflakes from hand milking will be in the milk . 9. A cow bail will be a good place for animal husbandry. And always have a spot to tie a leg rope . Saves getting kicked . 10. Jersey's make wounderful pets 11. Watch out for scoures in the calf from too much milk . White scour's are nasty .

[@FreeRangeLiving]

We are onto most things on your list, as they are very similar to our dairy goats. White scour is a new one though and it does sound like something to watch, thankyou. I'm still thinking about the headbail, similar to, though bigger than, what I built for the goats. Right now, Astrid has become very comfortable getting milked in the sorting yards. I think she is at ease with a wooden fence on her one flank and leaning against my head pressed into the other. I haven't even had a tail swipe for over a week and she has become very trusting of us when handling her calf.

[@nooneanybodyknows7912]

She's a good judge of character. 😂 I love the fresh smell of sheets hung on a clothes line. I still do that myself. I haven't used a clothes dryer in decades. Your channel brings me such joy. Thank you for sharing.🐄

[@Megs_farmlife]

The cow will be holding the cream back for her calf. Once the calf is weaned, you should get heaps more cream.

[@FreeRangeLiving]

That is something to look forward to as the place greens up again. We did get enough to make our first lot of butter, which is a nice milestone.

[@johngroenewegen4398]

Brings back memories of when I milked 55 Holsteins and 1 Jersey cow 2X a day on a farm in western Alberta CA. The Holsten's were very particular about how to be being milked . Get this wrong and it was a quick trip to the gutter. The Jersey was mostly seduced by chop mainly oats and bits. LOL You guys are looking great !! Do miss the fishing tutorials .All the best

[@FreeRangeLiving]

I have found that by mixing a little Lucerne chaff with apples, sprouted grain and oaten chaff, she holds very still as she looks for her favourites. In the last week, she hasn't put a foot out of place and waits for me now at her designated station.

[@margiegurner2694]

Cows are very good at telling time! ...And they do appreciate pressure off the udders...and love a firm head in their flank...and you will get faster...😂❤ Possibly i would consider making one spot for her to come for milking...very much creatures of habit 😊

[@campbellmj9405]

This.

[@FreeRangeLiving]

I agree to all the above. We rendezvous now at the sorting yards as it is all wooden palings, without nasty electric wires. Once she has a feed trough in front, wood to one side and my head jammed in the other, she noticably relaxes. She hasn't put a foot out of place all week and the worst we've had is her sneezing chaff into the pail. Not too bad as we strain it all anyway.

[@rogerstone3068]

There was a book I used to have, by Gerald Seymour, simply called 'Self-Sufficiency'. It was written back in the 60s or early 70s and he was doing very much what you're doing; and he filled the book with the benefits of his experience on what to grow, how to grow it, and a chapter each called 'Goat', 'Pig', 'Cow' and so forth. Very genuine advice, from his own experience. If you can find a copy, you might find some of it interesting or useful.

[@FreeRangeLiving]

It happens that our neighbour does have a copy and I occasionally leaf through it when I visit for a chat and a cuppa.

[@alexisirwin956]

Justin Rhodes on You Tube built a movable sled head gate to pull around the pasture. But I love your tenasity it doing it free range. Your channel if wonderful!

[@larryreily4736]

My grandfather always tied a loose loop of cord around tail and hind leg to avoid that swatting.

[@FreeRangeLiving]

She seems to have stopped for now. We'll see if that advice is needed in the wet season!

[@jehdwebster9152]

You need to milk her in a head stanchion, we also never left the calf on due to bactira, bottle feed the calf. We milk sheep now. We make cheese, butter and all kinds with the milk. Our Jersy gave us 18L a day. Rember you can freeze milk.

[@carolleenkelmann3829]

Beatrix/Beatrice comes from the Latin meaning "blessed one". What luck having the bull father a Charolais. The best steak meal I ever had was from Charolais beef in Rhone Valley in France, many, many years ago. It was so memorable that after 40 years it's never been erased from my brain. Good luck and good health for such a beautiful little calf that hopefully will give you milk as well, when her time comes.

[@theneverendingjourneyoflif1482]

Wow times have changed! Last time you were sailing! Bob Dylan said it best! I must catch up! :)

[@BillB23]

It's been an interesting journey. Enjoy it! I did.

[@theneverendingjourneyoflif1482]

@@BillB23 Amazing family now eh!!!! From friends, to lovers, to sailors, to farmers, to moms and dads! The circle of life continues! Seems so perfect for all of us .....

[@woodsmn8047]

cows like consistency in their diet because the bacteria in their stomachs grow and change to accommodate what she eats so it takes a few days for her digestion to settle on her feed choices so if she gets hay ...try to keep her on hay as long as possible ect

[@lynnclark4208]

Yes, the thought of making butter and cheese. And the left over milk from butter? Buttermilk to make biscuits , cornbread.....???

[@elliekennedy2952]

Milk some from each quarter and the calf can finish up that way if the calf misses one quarter, she will not be uncomfortable. You need a lower milking stool. You are a little to high. A cow can hold her milk up and you cannot get milk from her.

[@davidsears5576]

Love watching you guys

[@spiritflower6640]

Always Fun and interesting to see what you guys are up to.I appreciate what you do and The way you do it. I've had a little experience milking both goats and cows.And I really thought they were different techniques. Pinch 123 fingers for goats. And more of a straight pull down, lubricating the teet with milk for the cows.

[@jonboyle326]

a little feed of magnesium will help with any milk fever problems

[@lynnclark4208]

I saw one woman put a bucket behind the milk cow to catch the pee and poop. She keeps the stanchion area as clean as possible.

[@isnoo1]

LOVE your ideas....... she is a wonderful Mum.......... and there is a great bonding being built here!

[@OleNavy]

My grandmother had a milk cow that was Jersey. She was a reddish-orangish color. Your Astrid, I believe, is more closely related to the Brown Swiss. Also, you should milk a cow from her right side as opposed to the left side. You mount a horse from the left side. Also, keep your head pressed into her side, just in front of that leg joint. It helps to discourage her from lifting her leg or kicking.

[@gavinmclean3174]

My advice is build a roof over the place you milk the cow, it will also give her and the calf some cover if the weather is bad.

[@richardp4544]

Congrats on the new calf. There's not much I can add about your milking program or methods. You seem to have that under control. As far as building that milking stall I think you might want to consider something along that line in your shed for milking in inclement weather. Also, LOL, it's nice that you are getting Constance involved.

[@GMAN-nq5tz]

Hi you should make a home made vacume Pump to milk your cow

[@gertboerman3666]

My conclusion is that Astrid has full trust in the Bearded Pink Panther. BPP. And thus BFF. And BTW.....Chapeau how you guys treat your animals.

[@alanrobinson5109]

Hi Troy & Pascale, love your videos, wishing you all the best from the UK.

[@rolandtb3]

Astrid is a good mom to Beatrix. 4L for two is lots of milk. Need some rain.

[@davidstoddard9160]

It appears you need to place what I call kickers on your cow, to stop her from kicking the pail and sometime for certain will tip over the pail, or even kick one of the family

[@FreeRangeLiving]

Shes really coming along now and has pretty much not put a foot wrong all week. If she has a leg in the way, I can scratch it and she moves it back!

[@americanbornwalkaway9110]

😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍🤣🤣🤣🤣SO AWESOME al you do is cool !!! and ALWAYS fun to watch its aways a learning experience GOD BLESS and THANKS

[@lightprint348]

i wonder if you had a feed tub that had 3 higher walls and a front slots for her head, that way she would have to orient herself to the slot and you if she wanted to feed. it also might remove visual distractions and a head visiting while you milked. it may also increase anxioty they she cannot see as easily... enjoying speculating how i might do it. with your aims inmind.

[@FreeRangeLiving]

I found that by mixing different treats all together with apples, she has to nose around for her favourites, working down from best to least liked. It seems to keep her occupied and not eat too quick.

[@johnwalker6711]

I only ever saw people placing a milk pail or bucket under the udders and using two hands to squeeze the milk

[@jameslvantrojen3059]

grew up on fathers dairy and owned it. some are harder to hand milk. teats are smaller. what I noticed right away is try reaching across and place your hand on the back of the opposite leg and use your arm as a lever to stop the lifting leg. It not only works but teaches her not to step. If you can find a stripping bucket it helps keep the dirt out. Also sometimes they like to feed the calf rather than being milked. I can send pictures if you like but your doing ok . I'm 72 and still live on the dairy.

[@FreeRangeLiving]

I used your lever technique this morning and she responds well to it. We have come to an agreement and she never tries to kick the bucket or act up. She waits till I jam my head into her flank and rests a little weight on there. It seems to make her feel relaxed to have a wooden fence one side and me on the other, without any nasty electric wire anywhere.

[@malcolmcoward7480]

I've certainly got no experience, apart from farm holidays in Cornwall years ago where they milked Jersey and Guernsey cows. They always started off milking by passing initial squirts through a fine sieve to check for mastitis.

[@FreeRangeLiving]

We shoot the first few squirts into the cloth we use to clean her udder and teats before milking to check for just that thing. Thanks for the advice though, I bet it would be nasty to find it another way.

[@traceymarshall5111]

Have a look at mobile milking stanchion. Easy to build. Plenty of KZbin videos on them. Justin Rhodes is a great one

[@jonboyle326]

warm water to wash the teats helps the cow to let down often as you start washing a teat the milk will start spraying out. i think its a trigger like the calf licking the teats

[@FreeRangeLiving]

We did learn that from milking our goats. On a cool morning, they do love a soapy warm wash.

[@gpdewitt]

From long memory, back in the '60s we drank raw whole milk delivered in bottles, with the cream on top. Assuming the dairy actually gave us the whole product, your amount sounds about right. Of course, no faintest idea what breed of cows this came from. On occasion, some of that cream "disappeared" before Mom could mix it in. Hmmm. :)

[@FreeRangeLiving]

The cream has got to be quite a bit more, now that Astrid lets me take a bit more and is more relaxed. Enough to take care of our butter habit along with plenty of milk and cream for other things.

[@monicacasella3812]

Y si le pones una manea en sus patas traseras se quedan quietas no patean y te dejan ordeñar más tranqui 😂😂 saludos desde uruguay 🇺🇾

[@victorbitter583]

The best tip I can give is if one teat stops giving milk, you need to pull anudder one lol. cheers.

[@FreeRangeLiving]

Our viewers can't resist milking an opportunity for a pun.

[@dirtknocker2587]

Teats are definitely not good for hand milking!😂

[@darrylmcleman6456]

A sight to behold! Me attempting to milk a "new to us" Saanan Goat ! The @#$% goat allowed me to milk a liter or so and then looked right at me and deliberately placed her foot in the milk pail! CHEERS from HERE!

[@FreeRangeLiving]

Goats are unusually canny when they want to be.

[@larryhill7563]

I milked cows I did it morning and nite and I would feed her and milk same time worked good for me.

[@FreeRangeLiving]

I am considering an afternoon session when I bring her apples

[@1014TOMCAT]

Guys, just be careful there is other stuff that can get in your milk bucket besides her foot. I do not know, but we always milked from the left side, not sure why. Just do not upset her or she will hold the milk. Good luck.

[@FreeRangeLiving]

We squirt the first shot of milk onto a cloth so we can check it is sound and strain the lot before it goes into a container. We leave a lot for the calf at the moment so she never tries to hold out on us. I wonder if that will be the case in a month or so, when Beatrix is a hungrier little heifer.

[@jimilipi5493]

First, you need a milking stool on one leg attached to your ass and hold the bucket between your legs to prevent it from falling. use milking grease and keep your hands clean and disinfected by not petting the cow during milking. have a goo time😊

[@FreeRangeLiving]

I haven't made a one leg stool yet, but having it attached to my butt is a thing I wouldn't have thought of. Also, I have switched to holding the pail between my legs, and it's a game changer. Thanks for that- now when I milk, there's a nice foam growing on there from getting it in nice and quick.

[@jennellebell5901]

Just 2c… head in flank, milking technique for goats is way different to cows… in cows I reach way high and strip down in long strokes. Watch the calf the way she “bucks” the bag and pulls down… copy that. Just how we do it at “The Bluff Dairy”.

[@jennellebell5901]

Lovely udder BTW!

[@FreeRangeLiving]

She does love the head in the flank. Once I am locked in there, she rests just a little weight on me and I can feel her relax. It is quite something else. I haven't even had a tail swipe for over a week. A very nice cow she has turned out to be.

[@jennellebell5901]

@@FreeRangeLiving❤

[@jennellebell5901]

@@FreeRangeLiving file:///var/mobile/Library/SMS/Attachments/cc/12/2C61ACC8-C5B2-4495-B61B-61C41BE97F00/IMG_4314.MOV

[@jennellebell5901]

@@FreeRangeLiving file:///var/mobile/Library/SMS/Attachments/cc/12/2C61ACC8-C5B2-4495-B61B-61C41BE97F00/IMG_4314.MOV

[@billradford2128]

I am sorry but I have no udder information. 😁 Good luck!

[@billroberts3864]

Astrid seems to be tolerating you milking her as long as the has apples and grain to eat. You will have plenty of milk to make tasty cheese for your family. Blessings to you three.

[@johnross440]

How’s the boat coming?…. John, Ontario, Canada

[@FreeRangeLiving]

Managed to find a few hours, but it got shuffled down the list a bit last month.

[@johnross440]

@@FreeRangeLiving Thanks for responding Troy… John

[@deeannec2000]

Lean on her... it works

[@1425race]

I can see a cheese factory starting soon.

[@FreeRangeLiving]

Making butter from the cream tonight.

[@peterlee440]

Hi you two! Peter here, I have sent parcel. Give me a shout so I know you have it. Cheers!

[@FreeRangeLiving]

Will do mate.

[@casmms8362]

Dont let her kick you, for US farmers, milk morning and evening

[@FreeRangeLiving]

I might start an afternoon milking, as she comes reliably now for apples to the same place I milk her in the morning and petitions for treats.

[@jonboyle326]

reminded me of bud tingwell milking tulip his wifes cow after she died he had to wear her dress and hat for the cow to let down

[@FreeRangeLiving]

Pascy will look a sight in my overalls if I kick the can...

[@braddobson2060]

You will be getting apple juice from the cow

[@rebeccahuffman529]

Promo sm

[@Samroble1]

I need to start farming before the Great War starts. Many people will be starving to death because they’re too reliant on the grocery stores. I will buy goats if I can

[@sallyvernon2375]

maybe watch some experienced milkers and having the baby so close to such a large, unpredictable animal seems unsafe

[@FreeRangeLiving]

Troy has been OK with the baby so far and seems fairly predictable when hes sober.

[@the-naked-sailor]

Jesus Troy, that was a bit unfair throwing milk at the cow for being annoyed a human was milking her. I hope you don't treat pascale like that.

[@FreeRangeLiving]

She never gets annoyed at me so I must be doing ok and also, I've never had to throw milk on her.

[@the-naked-sailor]

@@FreeRangeLiving lolololoololololololololol try it, but make sure you film it and don't do it while pasky is holding the little one. You may rack up 100 million views with a video titled: "Wife gets angry when I throw milk at her"