Share Milking, Part I: Basic Questions for Getting Started

Lately several people have asked how to handle various situations that come up while share milking.  Today Ebony treated me to a "situation" of her own devising, and it reminded me that I promised to do a troubleshooting post.  (You'll have to stay tuned to see what Ebony did.)  These situations are not unique to Dexters, by any means; however, all my experience is with hand milking Dexters.  These posts should be read with that in mind, as some of my advice would not be suitable for a high-producing dairy breed.  So, what are some of the questions, problems and situations that I've run into with share milking?

Q:  When do I start milking?

First, I always wait until the calf is born.  It can be tempting to see if that swelling udder has milk or colostrum or some other substance in there, but God designed cows' teats to be sealed after drying off to protect from bacteria that could enter through an open teat orifice and get up in the udder to cause mastitis.

To help with edema before calving, I brew strong raspberry tea (4 bags to a half cup of water) and pouring it over their feed twice a day.  If a cow has a lot of edema, I continue into the first week or more after calving.

So when DO I start milking?  It depends!  :)  It depends on several things:

• What lactation my cow is in.  My first freshener (first lactation) did not need milking at all after the calf was born. 
•  With my second lactation cows, I milked within twelves hours after the calf was born, depending on how full the udder was.  In general, the rule of thumb I follow is that if the calf is born in the morning, I milk the cow that evening  If the calf is born at night, I milk the cow the next morning.
• How high of a producer my cow is.  Some lower producing cows will be fine without having to be milked, even in later lactations, but I have personally milked my second lactation girls.    

Last year when Ebby's second calf was born, her milk didn't fully come in until several days later, so she didn't need milking the first 24 hours.  This year her third calf was born at 3 in the afternoon, and she was already so engorged with milk before calving that I milked her that evening, after I was sure the calf had gotten a lot of colostrum.   I freeze any colostrum I milk out and label it Day 1, Day 2, etc. to keep in case of a future need.

Q:  How often do my cows need milking?

Remember, we're talking about Dexters and we're talking about share milking, keeping the calf on its dam instead of pulling it at birth.  Dexters are dual purpose cows so they are different from full-blooded dairy cows, meaning they usually produce less milk.  (For me, this is an advantage because I want the calf to be my relief milker.)

How often do my cows need milking?  The answer is, "It depends."

• Once or twice a day, especially for the first few weeks.
• A couple of times a week or every day, depending on how much milk I want. 

Hopefully the rest of this post will help clarify how I decide how often to milk.

I started milking Siobhan as a first freshener two months into her lactation, because that's when we got our stanchion built.  Her heifer Macree was able to handle all of Siobhan's milk production, and I never had to milk.  At first, I milked several times a week.  Later I began separating Siobhan and Macree for about 12 hours every night, milking every morning.  Remember, regularly taking more milk than the calf needs causes a cow to increase her production, so you then need to keep up with it.  Once I had Siobhan's production built up to supply both Macree and the house every day, I would not have suddenly gone off on a trip and assumed that Macree would keep Siobhan's udder empty.

The following year, I had two cows that were both in their second lactation.  Both had small calves, and neither calf could keep up with their dam's milk supply until they were about three weeks old.  I milked Ebby TAD (twice a day) for almost three weeks--18 days to be exact.  At that point we transitioned to milking OAD (once a day).  Within a few days, her calf was keeping up with her production and evenly nursing her out on a regular basis.  At that point I was able to quit milking--until it was time to milk Siobhan when her calf was born.   Things worked out much the same way for Siobhan.

Last year I knew in advance that I would be gone for a week or more on a monthly basis throughout the summer.  For that reason, I chose not to milk either cow once their calf could take all the milk they produced.  By not driving up their production, I could go on my trips without worrying about a human relief milker.  Of course someone still had to come feed and water the animals, but that's a lot easier to find than someone who can milk!

This year, both cows are in their third lactation.  Ebby's udder was huge before she calved, so I went to TAD milking immediately.  I milked her TAD for exactly three weeks, then switched to OAD.  After ten days of milking OAD, I thought her calf, Seb, was keeping her udder fairly evenly nursed, so I tried to stop milking.  After a day and a half, I felt that I needed to start milking OAD again.  So here, almost 5 weeks into her lactation, I still need to milk many mornings.  There is still often one extremely full quarter in the morning.  If I can encourage Seb to nurse that quarter, we skip milking.  When he won't, I milk that quarter completely out--to be sure things are flowing and milk is not stagnating in that quarter.

Siobhan is due to calve any day.  With six weeks between their due dates, I thought I had things arranged perfectly.  Ha!  Count on cows to remind us they are the ones in charge!  Ebony went eight days late, and Seb still hasn't learned to count to four.  So I may find myself milking "three" cows a day for a while.

The third lactation is generally when cows hit their peak production.  So, although Ebby had a large bull calf this year, I'm not too surprised that I still need to milk her.  I fully expect to have to milk Siobhan for a month or more.  Some milkers from KFC have said that it can take up to six weeks for a calf to "learn to count to four" so that it equally nurses all four quarters and manages to keep up with its dam's supply.

Q:  How do I decide if the cow needs to be milked or not?

The photo above is of Ebby's udder one morning recently, with her teats pre-dipped.   Ebby's four quarters are normally quite equal in size, so it was clear that Seb had done a good job of nursing this side.  Here's where it's important to know your cow's udder.  See how small the rear quarter is (at right)?  It always milks down like this, and there's really no mammary tissue to be felt up above.  Now see how large and full the front quarter is, especially the forward part (at left)?  The "swelling" you see in the front part of the quarter is always there; it's the smaller part underneath, the reservoir, that gets milked out.  When I placed my hand on the fuller part on this particular day, I could feel that although it was firm (which is normal), it was not hard.  It had been well-nursed by Seb, so I knew this side did not need to be milked.

Here's the right side of Ebby's udder that same day.   The rear quarter had been nursed, but not the front (right).  Look at the fullness all the way along the front curve of that quarter.  The front quarter is clearly rounded and curved, especially where it connects with the rear quarter.  It was firm and hard-ish to the touch, so I decided to milk that quarter.  Today Ebby came in looking much the same, and I got over three cups of milk from the front quarter alone--of course, she didn't let it all down for me.  I milked it all the way out, since it was clear it had not been emptied in some time.

That's how things work THIS year!  LAST year those front quarters freaked me out, and I was constantly worried that Ebby was developing mastitis--until I thought to ask her former owner (who had milked her during her first lactation) if Ebby's front quarters were more fleshy than the rear ones?  Yes, was her reply--and I heaved a sigh of relief.  Sure enough, Ebby's mastitis test came back negative, and all my worry about those firm quarters was for naught.  This year I've been careful but not worried, because I know my cow's udder better.  It really does make a difference!

To recap, here are some of the situations that might lead me to milk whether I planned to or not:

• A full, firm quarter instead of a partially full or flaccid quarter.
• One quarter or side that has not been nursed, especially on a regular basis.
• If a cow has edema (pitting fluid retention) in her udder and/or umbilicus, I massage and milk, even if not much milk comes out.  Keeping things flowing is important, especially if there's congestion in the udder.
• Any redness (which is hard to see on a black Dexter!), heat (compared to the other quarters), or clumps in the milk.  (I'll talk more about clumps later.)

Q:  How do I decide which quarters to leave for the calf?

Usually, the calf is going to be a more efficient milker than I am.  So during the first weeks, if there's a quarter that needs milking, I try to get the calf to nurse that one.  I lead the calf into position on that side with its head facing toward the cow's tail and push its head under the udder.  With a reluctant nurser, I even bump the calf's nose against the udder several times.  Then I stand back and wait for nature to hopefully take its course.

So far, of the four calves I've share milked with, two have been eager nursers who didn't need encouraging, and the last two have been reluctant or shy.  Ebby's calf last year was particularly unwilling to nurse "on demand."  Seb, this year's calf, may respond to encouragement--or not.

When the calf is on the cow 24/7, the goal of OAD milking is to be sure the cow gets her udder emptied every day.  Some people milk out the easiest quarters and leave the more difficult ones for the calf.  Some people with a higher producing cow rotate, milking three quarters and leaving a different quarter for the calf each time.  With a moderate producing cow, some people rotate sides, leaving the opposite one for the calf.  The cow is always going to hold up some milk for her calf, so the calf will not go hungry.  At this point I'm milking because the calf can't handle that much milk.

In the past it has worked for me to finish milking out the quarters that were most recently nursed and leave the full ones for the calf.  However, this year when I tried that, Ebby would come in the next day with the same quarter un-nursed and extra full.  I've learned that Seb goes on "kicks."  He almost always nurses the rear quarters, but chooses to ignore the right front for several days.  Then suddenly he'll change and ignore the left front for several days.  So with this guy, I've learned to milk the fullest quarter all the way out.  That way I know it's getting emptied at least once a day.

So, like many of these questions, the ultimate answer to this question is:  It depends!  It's a process of trial and error, and I figure out what works best as we go.

Q:  When do I separate the cow and calf overnight, and how do I do it?

I don't separate mama and baby until the calf is handling all of the cow's production.  That means that she is regularly coming in with all four quarters soft, if not empty.

As I mentioned earlier, I start out milking TAD, transition to OAD, and when the cow is coming in for milking with all four quarters at least partially nursed, then I'm ready to separate them at night.

I've found the best way to separate is to shut the calf in a stall and leave the cow loose to graze, or at least have free access to hay in the barnyard.  It's a lot easier to put enough hay and water for the calf into a stall than it is to provide enough for the cow.  In addition, I believe that when we switched to putting Siobhan in the stall instead of Macree is when Siobhan got bored and started self-sucking.  So that's not an option I'm going to consider in future.

Since I'm not an early riser, and I'm not interested in milking at 6 am, I generally get the calf at about 8 pm to shut it up.  If I milk at 9, that's thirteen hours the cow and calf have been separated.

Another option I've used at times is to separate the cow and calf in the morning for six to eight hours and milk in the evening.  Again, it depends on what works well for each particular situation.

This post is not comprehensive, but it covers some of the basics about how I approach share milking.  If readers have other questions, feel free to ask them!  In future posts I'll deal with some of the problems and situations that arise while share milking.

Tips for Training Your Dexter as a Family Milk Cow

Lately I've been getting lots of questions about milking.  Some of the most frequent questions are about how to train a cow to milk.  So I'll start at the beginning with my tips for training your Dexter as a family milk cow--with a newborn calf.  Don't be discouraged if you've got a heifer about to calve or a brand-new-to-you cow with a new calf.  Just look down the list, start where you are, and go on from there . . .

Start training your heifer calf from birth.  Halter train her.  Handle her all over.  Teach her to let you pick up her feet.  Rub and touch her little teats.  It's never too soon to teach her that you're allowed to touch her anywhere and that it feels good.  Most Dexters love food and treats; use them to your advantage to make friends and reward her for good behavior.

Set up a place to milk.  Get the stanchion before the cow, at least, hopefully before you try to milk her.  I was lucky that Siobhan, as a first-calf heifer, had just enough milk for her calf.  If she had been producing more milk and I had HAD to milk her, it would probably have worked out because she's a very laid-back cow and trusts me.  But it's always easier to milk when you have a place set up.  I know a couple of ladies who walk up to their cows in the pasture and sit down to milk, but those are rare cows.  Getting the stanchion set up means having the equipment and supplies you'll need at hand, which will help you relax.  It means being able to clean the udder properly, which helps avoid mastitis.  And if you're lucky enough to have a heifer calf, you'll be training her as a milk cow while you milk her mother!

Make your training count double.  Train your heifer to the stanchion while she's a calf at her mother's side.  I started milking Siobhan when Macree was two months old, so Macree learned early on that going in the stanchion means yummy things to eat.  By the time I was ready to sell Macree as a bred heifer, she would readily hop up into the stanchion, let me close the head catch on her, and stand like a rock while I handled her teats.

Start gradually. Get the cow used to the stanchion before you need or want to milk.  If she's halter-trained, you can lead her right up to the feed box and let her eat without closing the neck catch.  Do this several times.  Then when she's at ease, close the neck catch, but open it as soon as she finishes eating.  When she starts to leave the stanchion, let her go.  You can gradually lengthen the time you ask her to stand with the neck catch closed, gauging by her behavior how quickly to proceed.  

If your cow is less tame, you may need to "bucket lead" her to the stanchion with a bucket of feed.  You can put a tub of feed where she can reach it without having to get into the stanchion.  Let her eat it.  Try again the next day (or in the evening if you feed twice a day).  Each time, you can make her advance farther into the stanchion to get the feed.  Just remember, if your cow was not already getting grain, you must work her up gradually over a period of weeks; suddenly giving her a lot of grain will upset her rumen and make her sick.

Start with a positive attitude and the right goal:  Make the first few times milking about the cow having a positive experience.  It's not about the milk!  It's about teaching your cow that this place and this time are GOOD.  If you think positively and approach her calmly and kindly, she will sense your "good vibes" and be reassured.

Be flexible.  If you find yourself needing to milk your cow because her udder is too full, but the clanging bucket makes her nervous, "kick" the bucket! Milk onto the ground if you need to, that's okay.  In this case, getting the milk out is the goal.  If your cow gets upset and puts a foot in the bucket, don't get mad; you've got chicken food!  Next time try milking into a smaller cup or bowl and dump the milk into the bucket, safely placed where it can't be kicked.

Keep the calf near her head where she can see it and see that you aren't hurting it.  A calm calf will make for a calm cow.  (You'll probably want to halter and tie it so it doesn't wander around and knock things over.) Talk to your cow or sing to her.  Let her feel that this is a partnership, that you love doing this, and that she can trust you.

Get a routine and stick to it.  Cows like routine, some more than others, so milking at the same time each day and following a predictable routine will put your cow at ease.  Also, following the same routine each day will ensure that you don't leave out any important steps necessary for good udder care.  If you've read this far you are probably new to milking, so the link above is for the more detailed procedure that I follow, along with plenty of explanations.  At the end of that post you'll find a link to the simplified routine.  You'll develop your own routine to fit your situation and your cow, but this will give you an idea of what works for us.  Having said this, don't hesitate to tweak things that need to be changed.  Just do it gradually and not all at once.

These tips are very general and should help to get you started.  Next time I'll try to cover some specific questions and problems that readers have asked about, as well as some that have come up in my own experience.  You know the old adage:  "Experience may not be the kindest of teachers, but she IS the best!"

This Hobby Rocks!

After our trip to West Texas in August, I came home all fired up to revive an old hobby of mine--rock polishing.  All our family are rock hounds, and over the years we've collected tons (maybe literally!) of rocks out on the ranch.  We spent hours sorting them . . . and then we had to fly back to France and leave them there.  European baggage restrictions just didn't allow us to carry back suitcases full of rocks, but finally, we were there with a TRUCK!  Herb loaded boxes of my rocks into every nook and cranny, and we hauled them back home.

Here's my Lortone Rotary Tumbler, which tumbles two barrels at once.  This is my best rock polisher because the barrels are easy to close nice and tight with no leaks.

When I started polishing rocks back in September, I was in a hurry to get some done to show the grandkids, so I picked some of the few that we found already smoothed out.  Most West Texas rocks are pretty craggy, but with these I could skip the rough shaping and go straight to the next step.  These had just been tumbled with medium fine grit and rinsed well, ready for the pre-polish tumbling.

In order to see what they'll look like when they're finished, I took a sneak peek by getting them wet.  This is a good way to weed out ones that just aren't going to look like much.

I started out with a full tumbler, but by the time the rocks had tumbled a couple times--and I had removed ones with deep crevices that weren't going to polish well--the tumbler wasn't quite full enough.

So I added plastic pellets from a hobby shop to reach the required fill line.  You can see the water level in the center, not quite to the top of the pellets.  (I forgot to take a photo of the polishing medium, but there will be one in a future post.)

Here are the same rocks after the pre-polish . . .

. . . and a different view, showing one of my favorites at far right.

This is the final result showing some of the same rocks.  They aren't all there because I mixed them all together before I remembered to take the photo, but you can see some of the same ones.  They're smaller--and shinier!

I love bringing out the beauty that God has hidden in these chunks of rock.  They were rather plain and dull at first, but now they are a witness to the beauties of His Creation.  That's why this hobby rocks!

(Stay tuned for more posts about rock polishing and what you can do with the rocks once they're polished.)

Parentage Verification Questions & Answers

Q:  What is the difference between genotyping and parentage verification?

A:  Genotyping uses a sample of your animal’s DNA to read its genetic fingerprint.  It is a DNA profile that identifies your animal.  Parentage verification goes a step farther:  It compares your animal’s genotype (genetic fingerprint) to those of its sire and dam in order to qualify them as its parents.

Q:  What if I’m not sure which are the parents of my calf?

A:  Parentage verification can be done for multiple possible sires and even dams.  Comparing their genotypes with your calf’s genotype can exclude any sire or dam that could not be a parent of your calf.  For the most accurate exclusion, both sire (or sires) and dam (or dams) must have their genotypes included.  VGL has an excellent explanation on their website.  

Q:  All my Dexters are registered.  Why should I bother to PV my calves?  Their parents are both registered, so they can be registered, too.

A:  VGL’s website says:  “For over four decades, parentage verification has been utilized in animal registration programs. Breeder experiences have proven that parentage testing, in combination with well run breeding programs, can ensure accurate pedigrees.”  A breeder’s integrity and reputation depend on the accuracy of their animals’ pedigrees.  When a breeder sells a calf as having a certain pedigree, and subsequent PV by the new owner shows that the pedigree is wrong, the breeder’s breeding practices and even their honesty can be called into question.

Q:  But surely such things rarely happen?

A:  Just this year (2014), one Dexter owner PV'd two cows they had bought and learned that the prestigious sire on their pedigrees was not, in fact, their sire.  With the breeder's cooperation, it was finally determined that two different bulls had actually sired the two cows in question.  

At almost the same time, another Dexter owner had the same problem happen with three different cows.  Two of the cows eventually had the correct parents identified, but although this owner has been trying for more than seven months to get the breeder to determine the correct sire of the last cow, at this time the sire is still unknown.  None of the three cows ended up having the bloodlines for which the owner had bought them.  So unfortunately, these kinds of situations are not that uncommon.

Q:  If I bred my cow to a registered Dexter bull, isn't the bull already "Sire Qualified" or even "Sire and Dam Qualified?"

A:  Not necessarily.  The ADCA merely requires all bull calves to be genotyped for registration:  

1. When registering bull calves, geno lab results must be included with registration. 

Of the 34 AI sires listed on the ADCA website, only six are "Sire and Dam Qualified."  Twelve are "Sire Qualified," and 16 simply have their genotype on file.

Q: Why do some ADCA AI bulls have a blank next to Genotype?

  

A:  One important consideration for your future success in having your offspring PV'd is where a bull's genotype is on file.  Only 9 of the 34 ADCA AI sires state that their genotypes are on file both at TAMU and VGL.  Ten have their genotypes on file only at TAMU.  Fifteen of the bulls do not have the location of their genotypes specified, leaving a blank next to Genotype.  If you have your cows' genotypes on file at one lab and use a bull whose genotype is on file only at the other, it could be more complicated for you to PV your calves, especially if the bull is deceased.  You might need to have your cow genotyped at the same lab as the bull to accomplish it.  

If your cow and the bull you use are both at TAMU, you can "Sire and Dam Qualify" your calf simply by listing the parents' names on the test form.  For VGL, you will need to ask the bull's owner for a Case Number in order to "Sire and Dam Qualify" the calf.  

If you are using an AI sire, it would be wise to get an extra semen straw to send to the lab of your choice if the bull is not already on file there.  It's worth the extra expense to have the peace of mind that your calves are PV'd.

Q:  I’m convinced that I should genotype and PV my animals, but I’m not sure how to do it.  Who can help me?

A:  Contact your Area Director.  There is a list of the Area Directors and their contact info on the ADCA website.  They should be able to answer any questions you have. 

There are several posts about the process on this blog, and if you still have questions, I would be glad to help.  You can contact me using the "Contact Susan" form under the ADCA logo on the upper right hand side of this blog.

Q:  I genotype and PV my calves, but the results are my private property.  I don’t send results to the ADCA because they are no one’s business but my own.  Why should I publicize my animal’s test results?

A:  You hurt yourself and your animals by not sending test results to the ADCA.  More and more people are buying only "Sire and Dam Qualified" breeding stock, and when people look at your animals' pedigrees, it appears that they have not been tested.  With so many sellers offering fully PV'd stock, many buyers will pass you by.  However, when you send results to the ADCA that your animals are fully PV’d, you provide a public guarantee of their pedigree to interested buyers.

NOTE:  The ADCA Registrar does not make public your animal’s genotype nor your TAMU Accession Number or VGL Case Number.  The test results merely serve to authorize the Registrar to designate your animal as “G5” or “Sire and Dam Qualify.” 

Hopefully this has helped answer some questions about Parentage Verification.  If you have any other questions, please ask them in a comment or through the "Contact Susan" form so I can answer them publicly for the benefit of others.  I'll also be glad to email you or call you if you give me your phone number.

Thanks to S&H Hilltop Sara, our first cow, and our first calf, her heifer ZH Zephryhill Siobhan, for gracing this post with their photos.

Simple Udder Prep & Milking Routine for Hand-milking My Dexters

Here--in a condensed, easy-to-follow form--is the routine I use to prep my Dexter cows' udders for milking.  An expanded version, including explanations and rationales, can be found here.

Clean.  Brush or wipe the udder with a clean cloth to remove dirt and debris.

Let the cow into the stanchion and close the neck catch.

Dip.  Pre-dip each teat with an iodine dip from the GREEN for GO cup.

Count at least 30 seconds after the last teat is dipped.

Dry.  Firmly wipe each teat with a separate paper towel or separate side of a clean cloth.

Wipe each teat with a separate teat wipe to remove excess teat dip.  (This is a step I add that many milkers do not use.)

Apply Bag Balm to each teat.

Strip.  Strip each teat 3 times into a cup to check for clumps.

Milk.

Strip.  Strip each teat until no more milk comes out.

Dip.  Post-dip each teat with iodine dip from the RED for STOP cup.

Clean.  Let the cow out and sweep out (or hose, if necessary) the stanchion.

Thanks to my Keeping a Family Cow friends for their help in condensing the original post into a more manageable form!  They generously responded to my original post, and I thought the poll in the link was helpful, too--especially Charlotte Smith's video.

If you want it condensed even more, here are the Seven Essential Steps in a recitable mantra:

Clean
Dip
Dry 
Strip
Milk
Strip
Dip

Udder Prep and Milking Routine for My Dexters

Last fall I posted my udder prep and milking routine.  Then in February of this year as I was drying off Siobhan, she ended up with Staph A mastitis in one quarter.  My vet felt that her self-sucking on that quarter probably caused it, but he recommended that I change my milking routine to include use of an iodine pre- and post-dip.  I followed his advice.

The more I read and asked questions, especially on Keeping a Family Cow forum, the more I became convinced of several things:

• Water does not belong on an udder (except in very limited situations).
• Iodine (non-foaming) teat dip is the best.
• Pre-dipping is most important, with post-dipping a close second.

Using this udder prep and milking routine since early this year, we have 100% clean milk tests--two on Siobhan and one on Ebony.  Since we had to travel a lot this summer, once the calves could handle all the milk this spring, I let both the cows just be mothers with only occasional milking.  Now it's time to wean Ebony's calf, Tiggy, so I'm milking Ebby OAD (once a day) in order to monitor her before I dry her off.  Here, then, is our routine . . .

Bring the cow to the milking parlor and tie her outside.  This gives her a chance to poop and pee before she gets into the stanchion.

Now is a good time to brush the cow.  This is a bonding time and establishes a routine that prepares her to let down.

Most importantly, check her udder and clean off any hay, mud, manure, etc.  (Ebby is normally a clean cow and doesn't usually lay in her manure, but like many Dexters she does have a hairy udder, so cleaning removes anything that could fall into the milk.)  In the milking parlor I keep a gallon plastic ziplock bag full of sanitized cloths, and I grab one to thoroughly wipe off her udder.

Let the cow into the stanchion (lead her or let her walk in) and close the neck catch.

(Ebby was upset at being separated from Tiggy for 15 hours, her udder was quite full, and Tiggy was bawling her head off nearby (but out of sight) in the round pen.  So this was not Ebby's happiest time in the stanchion, but it was when I had a photographer available so we went for it.)

Thanks to Kara for the great photos!

Set the covered milk bucket somewhere safe.

I use a shelf because it's out of the reach of pee and poop splatters and can't get knocked over by accident.

Optional:  Apply mint udder balm if needed.  I used this for Ebby because she was so full and uncomfortable.  It's also great for newly-freshened cows with edema.   Massage the mint balm into the udder, but keep it off the teats because some cows don't like the sensation on the bare teat.

Have the iodine teat dip (this is Teat-Kote 10/III from Hamby Dairy Supply) in separate cups for pre- and post-dip.

(I bought this style because they fit easily under short cattle, but I don't like how they drip.  I would like to replace them with these, but they don't come in multiple colors.  So I guess I'll put up with the drips!)

Take the GREEN cup for GO, and squeeze some into the reservoir.

Dip each teat by pushing the cup up until the dip completely surrounds the teat.

When the last teat is dipped, you can dump the extra dip on one of the cow's hooves.  This can eliminate any possibly contaminated dip and is good for the hooves.

After the last teat is dipped, count at least 30 seconds.  This is the minimum time needed for the dip to do its job.

Tear two clean paper towels in half.

(I keep the roll of paper towels up high on the shelf where they stay clean.)

Firmly wipe each teat with a separate piece of paper towel, wiping the entire teat, including the orifice.

(Some people use sanitized rags.  Use two rags, a separate side for each teat.)

Wipe each teat with a separate commercial teat wipe, including the orifice.

I use Milk Check wipes from Hamby.  Using four per milking, this works out to 17 cents per milking, a cost that I find quite reasonable.

The teat wipes:

• remove most iodine residue.  (This is the most I got off; other teats had barely any left.)
• are a final sanitizing step that I like to do.
• If the cow pees during milking, the teat wipes are a handy way to re-clean the teats.

Apply Bag Balm to the teats.  This keeps the teats moisturized and makes it easier to strip without pulling the skin of the teats.

Optional:  If my gloves aren't powdered or I'm sweaty and have a hard time getting gloves on, I put a bit of baby powder on my hands.  (Sorry about the awful photos of me--just try to concentrate on the process and the beautiful cow!)

Glove up!

Why do I use gloves?  Research has shown that the use of gloves for milking reduces mastitis.  I often have splits, cracks or cuts on my hands that could harbor germs, so I think it's especially important for me.

Why do I wait till now to put the gloves on?  Because up till now I really haven't touched the teats, but I'm about ready to.

One nice thing about wearing gloves is that any time you need to re-clean your hands during milking, it's easy to sanitize them with an alcohol-based sanitizer without being hard on your skin.

NOTE that I do not touch the pump with any part of my hand that will touch the teat.  I turn my hand upside down and use the back to pump.

If I need to stop milking and touch the calf, a lead rope, or a shovel to catch manure--I sanitize.  Many days I never use the sanitizer, but it's there if I need it.

Strip each teat about 3 times into a cup . . .

. . . and check for clumps.

(I do have a strip cup which I forgot to bring to the barn.)

Note the lightweight stall mat under Ebby's feet.  There's also a larger one behind the stanchion for the cows to walk over as they enter and exit.  Cows do occasionally pee in the stanchion, and mats prevent slips and falls for both cow and milker--says the voice of experience!

Dump the stripped milk.

Milk away!  When the cup gets fairly full, I get up and dump it in the covered bucket, then sit back down.  I do it this way because:

• It keeps me from getting stiff.
• The lightweight camping cup is so much lighter to hold than a bowl and easier than a bucket.  The bowl I used to use weighed a pound, while the cup weighs 5 ounces.
• It's much quicker to move out of the way if the cow hikes her tail to poop or pee.
• It helps me gauge how much milk I'm getting since I know where the 2-cup mark is.
• A cow can put her foot into a bucket if you don't get it out of the way when she moves, but she can't step in the cup.
• Dumping milk into a bucket up on a shelf means that if an accident happens, I'm only crying over a little spilled milk.

To finish milking, strip each teat until no more milk comes out.  I strip at least 10 times.

Take the RED cup for STOP, and squeeze some into the reservoir.

Dip each teat.

Leave the dip on--do not wipe off.

If the calf is still nursing, I wait 30 seconds and then blot each teat with a separate piece of paper towel instead of wiping firmly.

You can dump the excess dip on a hoof.  Some people don't like to keep the dip that's left in the reservoir, while others leave it to eliminate waste.

Let the cow out of the stanchion, and clean up.  Ebby is not a pooper, but she did pee, so I sprayed bleach-water (that I keep in a spray bottle up on the shelf) on the stanchion and mats where the pee went.  Then I swept away the bleach water, and debris that Ebby and I tracked in.

Hang the mats to dry, if needed.

Lock the gate and take the milk back to the house.  The stanchion is clean and ready to go tomorrow.

With so many photos and detailed explanations, it may seem like my udder prep is really time-consuming.  It's not. When I get into the routine (and I'm not stopping to let someone take photos), it only takes a few minutes.  I believe it is time well spent, and I like the satisfaction of knowing that I have done everything possible to keep my cow's udder healthy and our milk clean.

Here is the condensed, simple version.

Please feel free to ask questions or make comments.  I'll do a follow-up post to answer any questions and share some resources that have helped me.