Question for farmers who hand milk?

Question

The farm I work on has just recently acquired a cow. I haven't milked since I was little, and I am having a horrible time with my hands cramping. She calved about 2 weeks ago, so she is still giving LOTS of milk. Both milkings take about an hour. And by the end, my hands are killing me. Is there something I can do (aspirin doesn't work) or will time just make it easier?

Thanks!

Answer 1

this is something that just takes time to develop the hand and finger muscles....while you are starting out....if you don't need all the milk let the calf finish off the job or see if you can share the chore with someone else and you can spell each other

Answer 2

We do not know whether you are 14 or 64, so we can not guess exactly what is going on.

If this is an old person, it is likely to get worse.

If you are young, it is just muscles that you have not used extensively arguing that they would prefer to stay on vacation. In that case you need to be milking half a dozen cows to build up those muscles faster. But don't imagine it would not be an awful lot of pain to build up that much muscle strength quickly.

However, if you leave the cow partly milked, she will reduce her production quickly to avoid over-filling her udder. That reduction will last for the whole lactation. Get someone else to help you .

Hand milking a cow should take no more that 10 minutes, this is because the cow does her let-down of milk and needs to be relieved of it. She will stop helping you after about 10 minutes, so you need to make it fast once you get started.

Wash the udder with warm water to stimulate let down just before you start so she will help you most, and to get the muscles of your hands warmed up for the task.

Before starting to milk her, pet her neck a bit, and if she reaches back to you, pet her under the chin, She will respond by having an easier let down.

Cows like quiet music while being milked, not very loud or highly rhythmic. Having the music some distance away seems to work best. Remember that you are trying to make this a pleasant experience for the cow too.

Answer 3

Find out how much of the milk is actually needed. Chances are the family is getting a lot more milk than they can use. If they are, milk the cow out less for a while and let the calf finish her off for you. After a while your hands will get stronger and your problem will solve itself. In the mean time quinine water (soda water, I mean the soda they use in Gin and Soda) (you can leave off the Gin) will help with the cramps. But mostly it's just going to take you a little time to build up the strength in your hands and forearms. Stick it out, it's good for you. At night when you are relaxing, squeeze on a ball, It will get you there faster.

Answer 4

If Ol' Bossie is producing more milk than what can be readily utilized for consumption purposes, you might consider reducing the amount of grain being fed to the cow and feeding lower quality forages such as grass rather than an alfalfa hay.  The grass will slow down the metabolism of the animals stomachs.  For your hands a product that I have used for sore muscles and have found effective is "Mineral Ice", a blue gel like substance that will put some heat into your fingers and joints.  Found at your local drug store.  Overall milking a cow for the length of time that you have mentioned is too long.  Hopefully you will find some of these suggestions useful.  Good luck.

The next fellows response regarding soothing music and rubbing the cows head is all fine and dandy, but realistically if your cow is calm and does not react with fear when you touch her for the milking period the cow will have a "let down" of her milk from the release of oxytocin in her body.  This natural hormone allows the milk to flow easier, similar to when a calf would want to suck from the cow.  The oxytocin letdown within the cow will usually last for short periods of time.  If the cow senses fear from harsh language, rough handling  or if the cow is naturally high-strung she will produce adrenaline in her system and negate any affect of the oxytocin for the let down.  Go ahead and play the music, it will most likely entertain you more than the cow.  Also if you are tugging on those teats for 30 minutes at a time, she may possibly becoming sore, so try to go easy on her and be sure to prep her prior to milking with an approved teat dip solution and also after you are done milking.  This will help to prevent a case of mastitis.  Are your hands soft to the touch.  If you work outside much, use hand lotion often and right before you milk to keep your skin soft to the touch and be more comfortable to the cow.

Answer 5

you can take help of any body Else , like your friends.

if they tell no you can deal with them that u will give them little milk .u both can work together it will take less time & and will give relife to your hands .

Answer 6

If the cow is standing nicely for you to milk, this is taking quiet a long time.  Milking a cow who stands nicely really shouldn't take more than 20 minutes at the longest....that's 5 minutes per teet.

I agree, if you are a young person, it's just developing muscles, and rhythem.  If you are an older experienced person, take something like Advil (Ibuprofen) for the pain.  Make sure the medication is in your system an hour or so before you go to milk.  

I have goats.   Sometimes I have one I'm milking out for a while.  I have very strong hands, but it makes my wrists ache horribly.  I take Advil for the pain.

Take care of your hands.  I've seen plenty of farmers with horrible crippling arthritis in their hands from the repetitive abuse and cold weather.  

Best of luck to you.

~Garnet

Homesteading/Farming over 20 years