Milk Production Has Fallen Off

Back in the spring, we were milking Rosie, Clarabelle and Luna and the fridge was stocked with fresh milk.  The grass in the pasture was green and tender, resulting in milk with a big head of cream on top.

Now we find ourselves knocking on the door of November.  The first front has blown in, bringing with it chilly mornings and the first leaves are starting to fall from the trees.  The grass is about to go dormant and lots of it has gone to seed.  Yes, the seasons are changing. And it is also time to change up our routine.

In exactly eight days, we'll stop milking Rosie.  Rosie is pregnant and will be calving in early January.  We always stop milking the cows two months prior to their calving date to give them time to "rest up." That gives them time to shift their energies from producing milk to nourishing the growing calf within them.

Milk production is all about supply and demand.  Since she is only making about a gallon of milk per day, we can stop milking cold turkey and not have to worry about having problems.  We'll simply stop milking her, cut down on her feed a little and she'll dry up.  She'll freshen (milk production begins) in January when she calves.  At that point we'll have to milk her again, but for the next couple months, we'll enjoy the break.