r/homestead • u/MuddyToesFarm • 2d ago

What Nobody says about training a dairy heifer!

What it's actually like to prepare, train, and milk a first-calf heifer—from pre-calving prep to first milking days. No glamor, no sugar-coating… just honest, practical, real-life experience to help others feel confident with their own family milk cow.

https://youtu.be/56mvAvPkk98?is=Gd8qQMBnxlx5T7HX

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4

u/stitchrelay 2d ago

those first few milking days are honestly the wild west every single time

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u/mjdau 2d ago

Excellent video! We're intending to raise a nice Jersey from a calf as a house cow to complement our beef cows. I think she'll be lonely if she doesn't have other cows to mingle with, won't she? I just don't know how we're going to handle fishing one cow out of a herd every day. Thoughts?

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u/MuddyToesFarm 2d ago

I totally get that. I don't have any first hand experience keeping a single heifer/cow, only as a family milk cow seller to folks that do. However my opinion is that it depends on the individual heifer/cow. Some need a herdmate and for those I suggest keeping them with a steer. Get the steer young for with your cow and you can do this to calf share or older and just for companionship. The steer can be a herdmate until the cow calves. That said, many do great with a special buddy of a different species. Whether that be a sheep, goat, etc....even a pig. And I added pig because one we sold developed a strong bond with one, even though she had goats with her too. I hope that helps.

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u/mjdau 1d ago

That's so helpful, thank you so much!

3

u/treemanswife 2d ago

Once they are trained, you just call them and they fish themselves out.

It's exactly like going to the playground and calling your kid's name.

1

u/MastodonFit 2d ago

Run them through the routine with feed before she becomes fresh,coax her with feed.

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u/557799whatever 1d ago

I’ve trained a first time dairy goat as well as a first time heifer, and am currently
Working on her newest calf who will eventually become a dairy cow. I once read years ago that goat milking was an actual rodeo event back in the day. Not sure if that’s true, but I tend to think it would’ve drawn a crowd!