norseofcourse
Herd Master
I have two ewes I'm trying to milk. I built a milk stand and started training sessions this past Saturday evening (twice a day on weekends, evening only on weekdays due to time). With pellets/corn I got them onto the milkstand (finally), and now they are jumping onto it well. However, when I handle their udders, they kick. And kick. And kick. I got Gracie as a yearling last year, and she's somewhat handlable. The younger ewe, Brosa, is one I've handled from birth, and I was able to touch her all over, including her udder (and I still can, unless I'm trying to milk her). I expected some kicking from Gracie, but not from Brosa. I am currently just putting my fingers around a teat and waiting for them to stop kicking, which tonight (Thursday), they each did - briefly. As soon as I moved, the kicking started right back up.
I have the milk stand in a small pen, in a corner so the front and one side are against walls. Right now I'm just putting the feed pan on the stand, but I'll be making a crossbar soon so I can hang a feed pan on the front. They're not halterbroke, and I don't have a headlock - I didn't want to get them scared or feel trapped - or worse yet, get out of the headlock since I'm not sure how to build one, and sheep necks are different than goats. And I've read on this forum about hobbling their hind legs, but I don't want to do that when they're not tied to the stand, lest they try and jump off and get hurt because their legs are tied...
I am not separating the lambs before milking (it wouldn't work well here), but I know when they usually nurse, so I can time a milking session for when the sheep should have milk.
It sounds like I'm making a lot of excuses, and maybe I am but I wanted to lay out what I'm working with. I'm trying to figure out my best course of action.
Am I just too impatient? Do I just keep doing what I'm doing, and hope they finally get used to what I'm doing and stop kicking?
I may be able to put a siderail or section of fencing against the other side of the milk stand - will that keep them in there well enough to try the hobbles safely? I may even be able to put something along the back so they can't back out either, although that'll be tricky to do and still give me room to get enough access to milk them. Right now I'm milking them from the rear - that seems to give me the best access.
Has anyone ever tried something like the Udderly EZ milker that PBS has? It's a handheld vacuum system. I've been hesitant about something mechanical, because of all the stories I hear of them irritating the teats too much and causing bits of pink in the milk. It's also nearly 200 dollars, and there's no guarantee I'd be able to use it with them kicking...
Any answers are appreciated, or any other tips or advice. I'm only milking for my personal use, so I'm not wanting a lot, but I'd like to experiment with some cheese and other stuff. If it matters, they are Icelandic. Thanks!
I have the milk stand in a small pen, in a corner so the front and one side are against walls. Right now I'm just putting the feed pan on the stand, but I'll be making a crossbar soon so I can hang a feed pan on the front. They're not halterbroke, and I don't have a headlock - I didn't want to get them scared or feel trapped - or worse yet, get out of the headlock since I'm not sure how to build one, and sheep necks are different than goats. And I've read on this forum about hobbling their hind legs, but I don't want to do that when they're not tied to the stand, lest they try and jump off and get hurt because their legs are tied...
I am not separating the lambs before milking (it wouldn't work well here), but I know when they usually nurse, so I can time a milking session for when the sheep should have milk.
It sounds like I'm making a lot of excuses, and maybe I am but I wanted to lay out what I'm working with. I'm trying to figure out my best course of action.
Am I just too impatient? Do I just keep doing what I'm doing, and hope they finally get used to what I'm doing and stop kicking?
I may be able to put a siderail or section of fencing against the other side of the milk stand - will that keep them in there well enough to try the hobbles safely? I may even be able to put something along the back so they can't back out either, although that'll be tricky to do and still give me room to get enough access to milk them. Right now I'm milking them from the rear - that seems to give me the best access.
Has anyone ever tried something like the Udderly EZ milker that PBS has? It's a handheld vacuum system. I've been hesitant about something mechanical, because of all the stories I hear of them irritating the teats too much and causing bits of pink in the milk. It's also nearly 200 dollars, and there's no guarantee I'd be able to use it with them kicking...
Any answers are appreciated, or any other tips or advice. I'm only milking for my personal use, so I'm not wanting a lot, but I'd like to experiment with some cheese and other stuff. If it matters, they are Icelandic. Thanks!