[backyardFarming]

For those of you who DO NOT have a heated barn, how do you milk? This will be my first Fall/Winter season milking. Any special care to the udder and teats? Does anyone's milking prep routine change during the cold months?

 

[janeen128]

This will be my first fall/winter doing it too. I'm planning on warming the teat dip.... I did milk my girl Peppermint last February and she seemed to relax a lot better when I did this... I also for extreme cold weather I warmed their water and put molasses in it, they drank it right up... Good way to keep them hydrated...

 

[ksalvagno]

The only thing I do differently is keep all my supplies inside the house so they aren't cold (like the wipes). But the milking routine is the same.

 

[lottsagoats]

Nothing is different for me either except I keep freezable stuff in the house near the wood stove (or it will freeze, even in the house).

 

[Sylvie]

Nothing is different, I live in South California (I know that wasn't what you're looking for, but...)

 

[TDG-Farms]

Just make sure you hands to freeze to the teats!!! hehe

 

[J.O.Y. Farm]

I normally dry my girls off in November or there abouts.. But I use warm udder wash, and dry the udder well, I also make sure to use bag balm to keep teats from getting chapped

 

[OakHollowRanch]

The coldest it gets here is about 25F at night. I just wear a jacket and rain boots.

 

[fibromom]

It gets well below freezing here in the winter and, because I have debilitating fibromyalgia, I'm very concerned that milking will have to end, for my hands and body's sake as well as for my dear Gator.

So, my question is: should I let her twins, who were born in May, nurse as they want to (she's almost got them weaned) as I slowly reduce the amount of milk I take from her each a.m.? If I do that, will she stay in milk and I can go back to milking in the spring? That would be PERFECT!

 

[janeen128]

If her kids were born in May and they are eating hay and grain already then the chances of her still being in milk in the Spring time is really not very probable. The best thing to do is breed her in October/November for March or April babies and do the cycle again.. I might be wrong but I don't think she will still be in milk in the spring...

 

[ksalvagno]

If she is already weaning them, then that may not work through the winter. More than likely she will dry up. I agree that you would be better off to dry her up and breed her for early spring kids.

 

[WarPony]

It gets well below freezing here in the winter and, because I have debilitating fibromyalgia, I'm very concerned that milking will have to end, for my hands and body's sake as well as for my dear Gator.

So, my question is: should I let her twins, who were born in May, nurse as they want to (she's almost got them weaned) as I slowly reduce the amount of milk I take from her each a.m.? If I do that, will she stay in milk and I can go back to milking in the spring? That would be PERFECT!

If you cut back until you stop milking her she will dry up and won't go back to milking in the spring without kidding.