Occasionally we get a heifer that gets into the habit of helping herself to some milk from another cow, we take calves away from their mothers at 24hrs old and rear them in groups with milk from buckets with teats on.
Most of the time they drink the milk, are weaned at 12 weeks and never have any interest in milk again.
Currently we have two heifers who still take milk from any cow who will stand still for them and this is bad for the cow being milked, bad for the rumen of the cow drinking the milk and bad for us because the milk is not going on the tanker.
The only way to stop it is to fit the sucker with a spikey nose ring so that when she is "making up" to her milk supplier the spikes hurt the cows udder and she wont let the other cow suck. Its unfair but it has to be done. It doesnt hurt the cow wearing it as it is only tightened to hold it in place and doesnt pinch or break the skin, mind you they do spend a while trying to shake it off and when they get kicked by the cows they spike it hurts.
It is very effective and now we have one heifer in the milkers wearing one and one heifer in a mixed group of dry cows and young stock wearing one.
Nice colour eh?
It looks ike the cow is armed with a green ninja throwing star. Better watch your back in case those heifers get angry with you for getting in the way of the milk. If you hear a whooshing noise it's probably best if you duck!
ReplyDeleteThis is a problem at our place too, and we have a heifer wearing an identical ring. We tried the metal type with the swinging plate, but this plastic type works much better.
ReplyDeleteHi GL we were very dubious as to how well these plastic ones would work, but so far so good and the offenders dont seem bothered by wearing them.
ReplyDeleteOff to have a peek at your blog, N