Meet Chloe.....our Jersey milk cow.....or will be

[kstaven]

I would be getting a halter on her very shortly and training her while she is small enough to manage easily. The brushing and washing down will no doubt help with socializing.

Jerseys tend to be calm and I have NEVER been kicked by one I have trained. Have been kicked by ones trained by others. Cows just hate changes in their handlers and routine.

One other thing I can say about jerseys is that for every bit of "nice" goes that into the cows, 2 parts "mean" ends up in the bulls.

 

[red-hen]

Quote:
Your answer about training is very logical. I may not have experience training cows first hand (except witnessing my grandma's dairy farm of course) - but I can tell you that if I've trained with and worked with a horse, I know I can expect good manners .... but I have had good reason to learn to be fearful working anywhere near a strange horse (or worse yet one that someone declares is bomb proof!) ... do your own training and you'll be able to trust the animal and have a good relationship - that's what I've always found.

Require nothing less than good manners and respect towards her handler and she will learn.

 

[kstaven]

The bomb proof horse comment is all too familiar red-hen. Cost me a few broken ribs.

When dealing with animals MUTUAL RESPECT is the point you want to work from.

 

[Frosty]

Someday I plan to get a cow, and I was thinking jersey... lots of cream to make cheese and butter, too! She is beautiful!!!

Gotta mention... you can always try my line from when I was making payments on a pony mare (that DH didn't know about...) He was always 'forgetting' things that I asked him to do. One day he looked in the check book and asked what this check was for (pony payment). I gave him my most innocent look and said 'for that pony mare!' He asked what pony mare??? (Frustrated sigh...) 'I told you about her, and you said I could have her! You always forget things that we talk about!' Funny, he didn't forget anything for a while after that! That was about 10 years ago, and I still have her... as a matter of fact she just had a baby 3 days ago.

 

[texaschickmama]

What else would you suggest for training her other than working with her everyday with brushing? I really want to be able to milk her, of course I will use hobbles, because I value my bones too much.

 

[kstaven]

Wash her down once a week and spend extra time on the legs and udder. When it gets muddy out or she has been laying in a stall you will have to wash her down before milking. Best to get her used to that now. Wish some cows you have to shave the hair down around the teats or you yank hair while milking. So getting her used to the sound of electric clippers is a very good idea also.

Train her to come when called is also a big bonus.

Get her used to you running a hand down her leg and crouching beside her. All the little things like this pay off in a big way later.

I halter tie all mine for milking rather than use stanchion. But that is a personal preference. I have found them to be less nervous doing it this way.

Quick way to keep a cow from kicking and get them out of the habit is to tie a rope to their halter and bring it up the left side of the head, along the back and under the tail. Tie it off to the right hoof. In this way if they go to kick it pulls their head around and they lose balance. I have done this with known kickers and never had it fail to get them out of the habit.

I am also sure to work a cow with other people and animals around. In this way they don't jump with distractions. My goats can walk under the cows belly while I am milking and the cow doesn't even flinch.

I know it sounds like a lot of work, but it is so much easier to do it now than try to correct problems later.

 

[red-hen]

kstaven - can you folks use those knotted rope halters with a cow - the ones like we use with horses?
(edit: adding this link: http://www.uniquelyequine.com/store-products-ROPE-C-H-Custom-Rope-Calf-Cow-Halter_24896272.html )
The reason I ask - the knotted halter acts on pressure points and while it isn't painful, it gives you the extra degree of control while training. I've used mine for riding a few times actually. Not sure if they're cow appropriate, but they're great when training a horse to walk calmly and respectfully along with you. (Although never tie an animal and leave it alone in a knotted halter - that's asking for trouble)

Also - with young horses, typically I would run my hands over them slowly every day getting them desensitized to being touched everywhere all the time. Always act super calm and gentle and they pick up that vibe. If she behaves wrongly, correct swiftly and then forget about it. Much like a mother animal corrects her offspring - swift and then let it go. No grudges, no yelling, just a correction (which might be a swift yank on the halter and a stern deep "no") Consider too, running your hands down each leg slowly (watch that tail) and as you reach the bottom squeeze just a little and say, "foot" - place your elbow sort of in the "knee" joint and help her give you the foot. Put it back down, and ask again. Do this every day until she knows that the action requires her to give you her foot. This helps immensely with working on her feet, cleaning, etc.

Daily handling is the key. Even 5 minutes a day will get you somewhere. (Note my experience is horses - but I'm sure it must work for cows)

 

[red-hen]

PS: I'm not trying to encourage you to "ride" your cow .... but you've got to see some of this info I dug up. If these people can train their cows to be ridden - you can certainly train yours to be a good partner and milk cow.

http://www.ruralheritage.com/messageboard/frontporch/8322.htm

http://www.ridingsteers1.netfirms.com/

 

[greyfields]

I love Jerseys, too. Big brown doe eyes.

 

[wynedot55]

it would take me about 4 weeks or less to have her gentle an halter broke.an coming into a feed bucket.or where i can go in the pasture an halter her.rubb her teats an bagg daily.an pretty soon she wont even lift her leg.an keep doing that.