Question for old dairy guys

Al Baker(pumpman) · Feb 7, 2016

I have two Jersey cows I hand milk for our own families dairy needs. Even though I feed them the same feed day after day, sometimes the milk is thin and goes through the strainer really fast. Other times it will make a real head of foam in the milk pail and seems thicker when going into the jars. The taste never changes,or the cream level in the jars stays the same. I do notice the color seems a little more golden when thicker, more white when thin. I have milked other family cows over the years and seen the same deal. I feed real nice second cutting square hay while in the stanchion for half the day, and nice first cutting, plus the second cutting while in their loafing pen. I have asked a few dairy farmers from my area about this but none really understand what I am saying. When you send milk up a hose each time you never see any difference. Could it be a moon cycle? Barometric pressure? Any guy who hand milked much will understand what I am seeing. Anyone know what causes this?

kevinecwi · Feb 7, 2016

Just a guess, but maybe the cow is coming in to "heat"

todd hamilton · Feb 7, 2016

Like any female mammal cows have fluctuations in hormone levels, seriously

Bruce from Can. · Feb 7, 2016

The faster you milk , and the harder you squeeze , the more foam you will see on the top of the pail. Only reason that I can think of why the milk wold go through the strainer faster one time than another could be perhaps a sub-clinical mastitis , giving the cow a high Somatic Cell Count (SCC). I have milked a cow or two in my day, but I don't have all the answers , though I don't think cows care much about the moon.

Bruce from Can. · Feb 7, 2016

If she is coming into heat see will "hold" her milk , and won't let it down , so you won't get much.

RandyB(MI) · Feb 7, 2016

I hand milked most of my teen years. We milked out what we needed then let loose the veal calves to finish them dry. I don't remember having the issue you ask about. Are they getting milked dry each time consistently?

centash · Feb 7, 2016

...and she'd probably give you a good kick..

Ben

JMS/.MN · Feb 7, 2016

Well, I heard about one jumping over the moon....

MARK ROBKE · Feb 7, 2016

Could they be drinking different amounts of water at different times?Mark

farmerwithmutt · Feb 7, 2016

I hand milked and remember filling cans in the barn remember also cat jumping in strainer for cream. But I think your on the right track a good head of foam will make it look like it's slow going down but it's not . Take a glass of soda shake it and see how long the foam takes to settle it might look like it's slower but your waiting on the foam. Your other idea is also good wring out the pad and look at it every time and notice changes subclinical is hard to spot but after time you can tell by feel also there are kits available to check.

farmerwithmutt · Feb 7, 2016

Remembered this old one the reason guys milked jerseys is that they are to poor for Holstein and to proud to milk a goat. Love the little darlings milked and raised 1/2 jersey herd for almost 60 years. I miss them

coonie minnie · Feb 8, 2016

The gold color (in Jersey and Guernsey milk) is butterfat. It is very common for milk components to vary from milking to milking, if the DHI tester tests in the afternoon, we get higher milk components than in the morning. The shift is probably related in some part to when feeding is done, and the fact that cows like to sort their feed before consuming all of it. And as feed varies, so will milk composition.

rockyridgefarm · Feb 8, 2016

Are you milking them at the same times every day? Perhaps the thin milk comes when there's a shorter time period between milkings, & the thicker milk comes when there's a longer time period between milkings?

Question for old dairy guys

Al Baker(pumpman)

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kevinecwi

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todd hamilton

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Bruce from Can.

Well-known Member

Bruce from Can.

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RandyB(MI)

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centash

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JMS/.MN

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MARK ROBKE

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farmerwithmutt

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farmerwithmutt

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coonie minnie

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rockyridgefarm

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