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What do ye lads do with cracked heifers??

  • 03-10-2013 5:36pm
    #1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,190 ✭✭✭


    What do ye lads do with cracked heifers?? I have one calved a week and she is a lunatic. She wont stay in the line no matter what and soon as shes half milked she'll kick the machine off and jump the rest of the cows or push off the board at the end of the line. She did that tonight and i was up behind her and went to pick up the board and she kicked. Was no more than an inch from my nose she would have done me some damage. Then when i had her in the line again she jumped the cows. Theres no stopping her


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 11,786 ✭✭✭✭whelan1


    jersey101 wrote: »
    What do ye lads do with cracked heifers?? I have one calved a week and she is a lunatic. She wont stay in the line no matter what and soon as shes half milked she'll kick the machine off and jump the rest of the cows or push off the board at the end of the line. She did that tonight and i was up behind her and went to pick up the board and she kicked. Was no more than an inch from my nose she would have done me some damage. Then when i had her in the line again she jumped the cows. Theres no stopping her
    push her up in the row, put an extra cow in


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,884 ✭✭✭mf240


    jersey101 wrote: »
    What do ye lads do with cracked heifers?? I have one calved a week and she is a lunatic. She wont stay in the line no matter what and soon as shes half milked she'll kick the machine off and jump the rest of the cows or push off the board at the end of the line. She did that tonight and i was up behind her and went to pick up the board and she kicked. Was no more than an inch from my nose she would have done me some damage. Then when i had her in the line again she jumped the cows. Theres no stopping her

    I get rid. Used to persevere but it's just not worth the hassle.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,242 ✭✭✭iverjohnston


    jersey101 wrote: »
    What do ye lads do with cracked heifers?? I have one calved a week and she is a lunatic. She wont stay in the line no matter what and soon as shes half milked she'll kick the machine off and jump the rest of the cows or push off the board at the end of the line. She did that tonight and i was up behind her and went to pick up the board and she kicked. Was no more than an inch from my nose she wuld have done me some damage. Then when i had her in the line again she jumped the cows. Theres no stopping her

    She will stay quiet in the freezer . The taste is even better when you remember the time she nearly killed you.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,190 ✭✭✭jersey101


    whelan1 wrote: »
    push her up in the row, put an extra cow in

    cant really do that parlour is built for 12. and only 6 units in it at the moment. O dont whats the storey with her some days shes grand and then she just goes spare. Cant afford to get rid either


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 11,786 ✭✭✭✭whelan1


    She will stay quiet in the freezer . The taste is even better when you remember the time she nearly killed you.
    have a mental suckler going to factory tomorrow , we will celebrate tomorrow evening, pure cracked at calving


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,949 ✭✭✭delaval


    jersey101 wrote: »
    What do ye lads do with cracked heifers?? I have one calved a week and she is a lunatic. She wont stay in the line no matter what and soon as shes half milked she'll kick the machine off and jump the rest of the cows or push off the board at the end of the line. She did that tonight and i was up behind her and went to pick up the board and she kicked. Was no more than an inch from my nose she would have done me some damage. Then when i had her in the line again she jumped the cows. Theres no stopping her
    Vice grip HIGH on her tail and tight. If you put on too low you'll get a busted nose.

    Try in the morning and let us know how it goes


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,079 ✭✭✭grazeaway


    We used to squeeze them in with a couple of cows. Other thing is to tie her leg to the rail.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,081 ✭✭✭td5man


    delaval wrote: »
    Vice grip HIGH on her tail and tight. If you put on too low you'll get a busted nose.

    Try in the morning and let us know how it goes

    Done this last year with a heifer who was kicking mad worked a charm think i got idea of you delavel:-)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,396 ✭✭✭✭Timmaay


    I really need to practice what I preach ha, but make sure you stay calm yourself also, shouting and cursing will only annoying her more. Leaving the calf under her for longer, and only trying to milk her OAD can save you 1/2 the greef also, still bring her through the parlour twice a day and feed her nuts etc. I had one afew weeks ago, she was a bad heifer anyways, got some sunburn diesese, spins all totally chaffed as a result, and impossible to milk 1st few days. Left the calf on her and after a week she had calmed down. In the end she was giving feck all milk anyways, only on 3spins, so will be off to the factory asap.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 63 ✭✭cavandown


    Is she only cracked when machine on her or at other times when in parlour!? If so, could she have small sore or pimple that you night not see which machine aggravates? Otherwise i shove tail as far as possible over her back and solved problem in week or so.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,190 ✭✭✭jersey101


    cavandown wrote: »
    Is she only cracked when machine on her or at other times when in parlour!? If so, could she have small sore or pimple that you night not see which machine aggravates? Otherwise i shove tail as far as possible over her back and solved problem in week or so.

    shes like a mouse when she comes in first i can whipe her teats no botther. She'll either half milk and kick off and go mental or milk fully and kick off and go mental. I dont like bringing tge father in to milk because he tends to shout at the cows and all and id prefere he didnt do it.
    Will try the vice grips in the morning delaval


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,949 ✭✭✭delaval


    The last time I used a kick bar was 24 years ago when I was milking for the boss man. Mad bitch of a heifer was giving trouble for days and busted me the milking before so I said I'd teach her a lesson

    She came in, same routine so I got kick bar stood on rump rail to wallop her. Drew back, I was going to fix this heifer and instead with my backswing broke a recording jar. The boss went banannas and if he had a kick bar would give buried me.

    Worst thing is I didn't even get to hit her!!!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,190 ✭✭✭jersey101


    delaval wrote: »
    The last time I used a kick bar was 24 years ago when I was milking for the boss man. Mad bitch of a heifer was giving trouble for days and busted me the milking before so I said I'd teach her a lesson

    She came in, same routine so I got kick bar stood on rump rail to wallop her. Drew back, I was going to fix this heifer and instead with my backswing broke a recording jar. The boss went banannas and if he had a kick bar would give buried me.

    Worst thing is I didn't even get to hit her!!!
    Id say if we had jars they'd all be broke by now. The father usually gives em a whollop of the kick bar if they kick him


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,190 ✭✭✭jersey101


    She was like a lamb this morning not a kick out of her and i didnt have to tie or do nothing. Weird heifer


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 197 ✭✭case 5150


    sh must have been oon boards and read the suggestions given to you so she decided otherwise today ha


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 33,770 ✭✭✭✭RobertKK


    If they are really bad kickers and not friendly overall, I just get rid.

    Some will kick in a way that is not malicious, but the very rare one that is kicking very hard and intentionally at you rather than the milking machine. I don't bother with, life is short and well, a cow with mental issues can have a short life too...

    I notice kicking bar works on most cows that need it, others it drives them crazy.
    Love the first calvers that come in and act as if they have been milking their whole life.
    Others it is kicking bar and their leg tied. Maybe they need to listen to some Mozart...

    If feeding meal in the parlour, then you need to milk the contrary one as quickly as possible, it is when the contrary one is finished eating they can get the ideas. Unless she has the mental issues :P


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,433 ✭✭✭Milked out


    Could be that another cow gets nervous alongside her and she then goes cracked sensing that?? Leg rope normally sorts ours, strong enough that it won't break but light enough that they wont be long stopping pulling against it, never use a kick bar. If you can get a few strong cows around her it would help keep her in place too


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,084 ✭✭✭kevthegaff


    i have one with no tail:confused:, she was a real lunatic anyway forgot to take the bar off for 2 milkings, she never kicked it off since:D


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 63 ✭✭cavandown


    Well jersey, have you any "tale" to tell on how your heifer behaved this evening?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 402 ✭✭J DEERE


    delaval wrote: »
    Vice grip HIGH on her tail and tight. If you put on too low you'll get a busted nose.

    Try in the morning and let us know how it goes

    +1

    Too busy wondering what's going on with her tail to even know there's a machine on her


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 832 ✭✭✭satstheway


    Kicking bar company need to send a manual with every one sold, your supposed to hook it just in front of the cows back leg, not fell the poor devil over the back with it.
    Any pics of where to put the vice grips?
    Some up here use a welding clamp but I tried last year and no difference.
    I have a cow can sh1t up to 3 times when in. Never get her through quick enough she not be here next year.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,949 ✭✭✭delaval


    satstheway wrote: »
    Kicking bar company need to send a manual with every one sold, your supposed to hook it just in front of the cows back leg, not fell the poor devil over the back with it.
    Any pics of where to put the vice grips?
    Some up here use a welding clamp but I tried last year and no difference.
    I have a cow can sh1t up to 3 times when in. Never get her through quick enough she not be here next year.
    I have a neighbour who has a real settled excellent herd, one cow **** each time during milking so he culled her to the factory. He's well past culling for scc, yield or fertility


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 11,786 ✭✭✭✭whelan1


    satstheway wrote: »
    I have a cow can sh1t up to 3 times when in. Never get her through quick enough she not be here next year.
    have one of them here too, but she has to shake her tail as shes doing it and plasters anyone within a certain distance


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 197 ✭✭case 5150


    delaval wrote: »
    I have a neighbour who has a real settled excellent herd, one cow **** each time during milking so he culled her to the factory. He's well past culling for scc, yield or fertility


    i'd have to cull quarter of the herd if that was the case then :eek:


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 832 ✭✭✭satstheway


    whelan1 wrote: »
    have one of them here too, but she has to shake her tail as shes doing it and plasters anyone within a certain distance

    That's he worst bit milking only fun if ya can stay half clean , sparks in the eye, ear or down the neck:mad: never help


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 532 ✭✭✭wats the craic


    jersey101 wrote: »
    What do ye lads do with cracked heifers?? I have one calved a week and she is a lunatic. She wont stay in the line no matter what and soon as shes half milked she'll kick the machine off and jump the rest of the cows or push off the board at the end of the line. She did that tonight and i was up behind her and went to pick up the board and she kicked. Was no more than an inch from my nose she would have done me some damage. Then when i had her in the line again she jumped the cows. Theres no stopping her
    shotgun I reckon


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,190 ✭✭✭jersey101


    Grand this evening again i think she'll be quite from now on she's still a bit sore from the whollop i gave her yesterday morning. I think its part of her brreding her mother was the one that held the calf for 11 days and she's a bit touchy too. She has a split teat now and is fairly mad now.
    Speaking of cows dunging in the parlour we had a cow two years ago without fail she would dung twice. When she got in and when machine was one her. Father even used to turn the washdown pump on her and still no use so had to get rid


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 185 ✭✭pbthevet


    Little tip for heifers in general in the parlour. First time milking, first time udder engourged and full of milk. Its hurts and is uncomfotable to them in the beginning and the milking machine doesnt help.

    Udder mint. Lash it on. Very soothing even on yourself if you get a knock.

    Also pack her into middle of run if possible, less freedom. If coming from an out farm, get them used to the sound of the parlour running. Some tend to be a bit shy letting the milk down and seem to fight it. Half a ml of oxytocin will sort that out.

    Good luck!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,190 ✭✭✭jersey101


    pbthevet wrote: »
    Little tip for heifers in general in the parlour. First time milking, first time udder engourged and full of milk. Its hurts and is uncomfotable to them in the beginning and the milking machine doesnt help.

    Udder mint. Lash it on. Very soothing even on yourself if you get a knock.

    Also pack her into middle of run if possible, less freedom. If coming from an out farm, get them used to the sound of the parlour running. Some tend to be a bit shy letting the milk down and seem to fight it. Half a ml of oxytocin will sort that out.

    Good luck!

    never used udder mint but i throw on udder cream is it as good? Id put them in the middle alright but little jerseys are the pits i tend to try them on the machine first and see how they go if they start to act up i go with the rope or kick bar.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,949 ✭✭✭delaval


    pbthevet wrote: »
    Little tip for heifers in general in the parlour. First time milking, first time udder engourged and full of milk. Its hurts and is uncomfotable to them in the beginning and the milking machine doesnt help.

    Udder mint. Lash it on. Very soothing even on yourself if you get a knock.

    Also pack her into middle of run if possible, less freedom. If coming from an out farm, get them used to the sound of the parlour running. Some tend to be a bit shy letting the milk down and seem to fight it. Half a ml of oxytocin will sort that out.

    Good luck!
    Product called Udder Comfort, spray on really helps with flagging and soreness. I'll post a link when Mrs Delaval has time


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 172 ✭✭Farfield


    Re the vice grips, do you clamp them on pointing out at you or sideways in next her flank? I have used welder clamps also before and I find them pretty useless. I just try to get the clusters on quickly and step up and hold her tail as far forward as possible until she's done.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,949 ✭✭✭delaval


    Farfield wrote: »
    Re the vice grips, do you clamp them on pointing out at you or sideways in next her flank? I have used welder clamps also before and I find them pretty useless. I just try to get the clusters on quickly and step up and hold her tail as far forward as possible until she's done.
    As high as possible and as tight as necessry


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,190 ✭✭✭jersey101


    Would ye believe that heifer broke the glass peice on the cluster yesterday and i was told that they were near impossible to break ha


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,949 ✭✭✭delaval


    jersey101 wrote: »
    Would ye believe that heifer broke the glass peice on the cluster yesterday and i was told that they were near impossible to break ha
    Go through about 10 her every spring:rolleyes::rolleyes:


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 172 ✭✭Farfield


    Yea, but when you put them on are you squeezing the tail from the side or from front to back if you know what I mean? Basically are the grips pointing out at you? Some say the nerves are on the back of the tail next her arse and you must squeeze there? Do you really find it good?


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,396 ✭✭✭✭Timmaay


    http://www.magentadirect.ie/proddetail.php?prod=SMDH0128&cat=13 we use these ones, utter rubbish 2bh, always need to have 2/3 to spare. Although more get broken by dropping the cluster onto the concrete pit, than heifers/cows breaking them.

    The cracked heifer that calved here 6wks ago got left out in the paddock with her calf under her, as I was sure as sh£t not arsed trying to milk her when she was only giving out about 5litres a day. Calf was a tiny easy calving angus when born, he did savage well under the heifer, sold him last week for 355, was well happy with that. I brought her back into the parlour then, still only bloody giving 5L a day now ha!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,396 ✭✭✭✭Timmaay


    farfield, yep vice grips facing out. Use a new enough one, an old one with the teeth flat will definitely fall off.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,190 ✭✭✭jersey101


    Timmaay wrote: »
    http://www.magentadirect.ie/proddetail.php?prod=SMDH0128&cat=13 we use these ones, utter rubbish 2bh, always need to have 2/3 to spare. Although more get broken by dropping the cluster onto the concrete pit, than heifers/cows breaking them.

    The cracked heifer that calved here 6wks ago got left out in the paddock with her calf under her, as I was sure as sh£t not arsed trying to milk her when she was only giving out about 5litres a day. Calf was a tiny easy calving angus when born, he did savage well under the heifer, sold him last week for 355, was well happy with that. I brought her back into the parlour then, still only bloody giving 5L a day now ha!
    :0 has she a small bag or what?? I had a JE calve the other day and she started off at 5l and now on around 12ish so im happy enough with that


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,949 ✭✭✭delaval


    Farfield wrote: »
    Yea, but when you put them on are you squeezing the tail from the side or from front to back if you know what I mean? Basically are the grips pointing out at you? Some say the nerves are on the back of the tail next her arse and you must squeeze there? Do you really find it good?
    I get you now. Handle end facing you that is side ways. We find it very good, let us know how you go


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,396 ✭✭✭✭Timmaay


    Only on 3spins, she is a runt of a heifer anyways, sick all summer before calving, got bad sunburn and spins all cut up when she calved. I thought she'd be bloody giving 10l now, and as I'm under quota I'll milk anything that I can.

    12L a day is good from a JE, give her another week or so and she'll hopefully be up at 15 or so. The JExs I have started out at 17l last spring, during the drought they dropped back to 10, and at 12ish now, which I'm happy enough with. The old man still drops in the odd comment about the "crap" production from them ha! Actually quick question for ya, how much of a jump in production will the heifer give in her 2nd lactation? I know HOs will have a big jump, is the JEx much flatter?


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,190 ✭✭✭jersey101


    Timmaay wrote: »
    Only on 3spins, she is a runt of a heifer anyways, sick all summer before calving, got bad sunburn and spins all cut up when she calved. I thought she'd be bloody giving 10l now, and as I'm under quota I'll milk anything that I can.

    12L a day is good from a JE, give her another week or so and she'll hopefully be up at 15 or so. The JExs I have started out at 17l last spring, during the drought they dropped back to 10, and at 12ish now, which I'm happy enough with. The old man still drops in the odd comment about the "crap" production from them ha! Actually quick question for ya, how much of a jump in production will the heifer give in her 2nd lactation? I know HOs will have a big jump, is the JEx much flatter?

    here id say they wouldnt do much more than 12l in there first year and would be well able for 20-22 in second. You would notice a big difference any way.
    I was looking through the herd her today and the JE that calved is a half sister to a cow that is 4yr old and im culling that cant be got back in calf since last winter. Hope this heifer dont turn out the same way


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,701 ✭✭✭moy83


    Timmaay wrote: »
    The old man still drops in the odd comment about the "crap" production from them ha!

    I was going through Limerick the last day with my old lad and we saw a small but lovey herd of jerseys , them are nice looking says I making small talk . "I'd sooner shoot the little wicked bitches than let them be milked" was his answer :D


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,081 ✭✭✭td5man


    Timmaay wrote: »
    http://www.magentadirect.ie/proddetail.php?prod=SMDH0128&cat=13 we use these ones, utter rubbish 2bh, always need to have 2/3 to spare. Although more get broken by dropping the cluster onto the concrete pit, than heifers/cows breaking them.

    Dairymaster ones aint any better always need a few spare ones :rolleyes:


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 923 ✭✭✭raher1


    Sell her to the factory, her calves will be crazy aswell.its her breed.


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