Category: Milking & Dairy
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CALF SHARING
Here is an interesting approach to calf sharing. We do a much similar approach, which works really well for us and our Dexters.
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Importance Of Horns In Dairy
This is an interesting read about horns and their possible importance to the dairy cow. Wonder if this holds true in our Dexters that we milk? https://www.researchgate.net/publication/377750796_Importance_of_horns_in_dairy_cattle
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UDDER CARE. HOW TO AVOID FROST BITE OR DAMAGE
Spring is right around the corner, but for many you are still dealing with cold and snow. Caring for a dairy cow during the winter can be a challenge, but it doesn’t need to be insurmountable! Teats chap and freeze when wind-chills are at zero and below. You may choose not to post dip at…
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COULD THIS BE TRUE FOR DEXTERS?
The study below show that there are differences in the milk produced for boys and girls. Could this be true for our Dexters we are miking…and note what it says if there are two girls in a row! This could be very interesting to study. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/boys-and-girls-may-get-different-breast-milk
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Clean up with a simple pulse machine
This was part of the reason I purchased a simple pulse machine. Clean up is this easy!
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Milk Fever – Prevention and treatment By Juliette Albrecht
Juliette Albrecht is a contributing member of the Irish Dexter Cattlemen, who was born and raised in the dairy industry. She has helped a fellow IDC member save their cow. Look for her articles each month and for past articles in the Gazette. Juliette also runs two Facebook groups. One is under her name. The…
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Is milk production like egg production? Submitted by Janelle Soja, Royal Fare Farm, OH
Maybe this is why we get less milk in the winter months? https://www.bovinevetonline.com/news/education/light-can-have-huge-impact-milk-production
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LET’S TALK CREAM AND DEXTERS
Here is an interesting article from a fellow Dexter milker, Michele Parsley. Real facts about how it varies and why. Don’t forget, some of our cream stays behind and never completely separates, making two incredible products, cream and still some pretty creamy milk for drinking or making something else. Celebrate your Dexter milk and cream!…
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From Freezer Camp to the Milk Pail: Maggie’s Story
How “Accidental” Breeding Created a Little Black Cull Heifer that Turned into One of the Best Milk Cows in the World… The year was 2015, and I had never touched a cow before buying one. I had read every book I could find and devoured countless online articles about cattle, but I had absolutely zero…
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Is Your Dexter Udder Hairy?
Let’s face facts. Some of our Dexter gals have some pretty hairy udders. All that hair is not something we want if we are trying to milk them and provide a clean product. I use these handy dandy scissors pictured below, but some folks also use electric clippers, as in the short video below. What…
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Enhancing Milk Let-Down
The benefits of ensuring milk letdown has occurred include improved milking efficiency and max milk production. https://www.dairynz.co.nz/milking/fundamentals/enhancing-milk-let-down/
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How Can A Milk Cow Pay for Herself?
We now know that paying top dollar will come back to us. We no longer look at price. A healthy cow will give us many lactations to come.
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Pasteurization …The History Behind it.
Pasteurization is a personal choice! This history behind is interesting. Seems like the movement now is for smaller homestead dairies, selling to local folks. Give a listen, she gives many perspectives!
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Need Help Pricing Your Dairy Products? By Sunstone Orchard & Rabbitry.
Knowing the value of your milk, can help you value the products you make from your milk. Here is one person’s breakdown. There is a wide range of raw milk dairy prices across the board, but how do you know your prices make sense based off a gallon of milk? Here is a simple breakdown…
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milking machines
The milking machine market can be so confusing. In an effort to help you wade through what is currently on the market, I created this spreadsheet. For the budget conscious, make sure that it has a true pulsation, an added bonus is ease of cleaning. While I have tried to include everything on the market,…
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What is Kefir?
It’s tangy, it’s creamy, and it’s full of active probiotics: it’s kefir! – Submitted by Riley Wohlgemuth https://www.maplehill.com/post/what-is-kefir-its-health-benefits-history
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Raw Milk Summit in Tennessee
There was a Raw Milk Summit in Bon Aqua, TN. Several guest speakers included politicians, local producers and Dr. Ken Berry. This video is of the organizer Dawn Gorham of The Gorham Homestead. She has an interesting story and message for people who are trying to sell their milk thru herd shares in Tennessee. You…
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Man vs Machine When Milking a Cow
I believe that you should learn to hand milk your Dexters and other dairy animals. For me the journey was to master hand milking. I moved on to a machine after I was milking several Nubians and Dexters. My body was telling me I needed help. I have never regretted this, as you have to…
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Preserving Irish Dexter Dairy and Beef
By Eliena Bodtke, Stay’N Put Farm Since many of us are homesteaders or practice some kind of preserving, I thought I would take a moment to discuss an alternative to canning, pressure canning and dehydrating. Are you scratching your head, thinking where is she going with this? Consider freeze drying. While the initial cost seems…
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Liquid Gold Trend!
Make sure you’re collecting it! Submitted by Katie Sears https://www.cnn.com/2024/08/27/health/colostrum-supplements-pros-cons-wellness/index.html
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HAVE YOU EVER HEARD OF BOVRE?
This the name used to describe chèvre cultured cow milk. Traditionally made chèvre is done with goat milk, but the process can be made with cow and sheep milk also. When made with sheep milk it is called brebis. We have experienced all three and love each of them. Give it a try and see…
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DID YOU KNOW AN INSTANT POT CAN PASTEURIZE YOUR RAW MILK?
Not everyone is comfortable with consuming raw milk. No need to buy an expensive pasteurizer if you have an instant pot in your kitchen. This article covers a few ways of doing pasteurization in your home. It can be done even if you don’t have the yogurt button, but it definitely makes it easier if…
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MILK LET DOWN – HINTS AND TRICKS
For the first time milker or the heifer that is getting milked for the first time, there are some important things to remember for success. The article below goes over some of the basics. We have, thankfully, only had a few that were very stubborn. We found that putting the calf in front of the…
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Milk dispensers in Germany…interesting …wonder what breeds of cattle are behind this.
In Germany, a new wave of farm-to-table convenience is flowing through vending machines — quite literally. Across rural towns and even urban neighborhoods, you’ll find self-serve milk vending machines that dispense fresh, unprocessed milk straight from local farms. Open 24/7, these machines let customers refill their own bottles with creamy, cold milk at any time…
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Mastitis …while not common in Dexters an ounce of prevention can go a long way.
” The disease can be treated with antibiotics and supportive measures. The mastitis can be prevented by taking adequate measures like maintaining udder hygiene, sanitation of the cow barn, clean food and water supplement, and maintaining a milking schedule.” If you are looking for a more holistic approach, there is another article in the Gazette about…
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Reproduction and AI, by Kim May of the Facebook group The Science Of Owning Dairy cattle.
REPRODUCTION AND AI For those interested in learning more about the bovine reproductive cycle and how we manipulate it, here is a basic summary. Bovine Estrous Cycle Physiology The bovine estrous cycle typically consists of 21 days, plus or minus a few days in each direction. Estrus is the period where the cow is receptive…
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Preparing Your Dexter Cow For Milking
https://discover.texasrealfood.com/dexter-cattle/preparing-your-dexter-cow-for-milking