Dimensions of anti-kick for cows and how to make them yourself, training for milking

Obviously, one should not expect high milk productivity from first-calf heifers. Therefore, it is very important to milk a young cow correctly and accustom her to the milking procedure. Very often, first-calf heifers resist the milking process and begin to kick and kick. A special holder will help solve the problem. It’s not difficult to make an anti-kick for a cow with your own hands. Using the item also does not require any special skills.

Why does a cow kick when milking?

There are several factors that can cause difficulties when trying to milk a cow:

1. The young cow is not accustomed to milking.
2. Severe stress caused by sudden changes in the environment (usually when moving). Aggressive behavior in this case is a manifestation of a defense mechanism.
3. Mastitis. The pain intensifies when the udder is compressed.
4. Incorrect milking technique. Inappropriate actions can cause discomfort to the animal, causing the cow to kick.
5. Damage to the udder or teats. Before the procedure, they must be examined for injury. If this occurs, the problem area should be disinfected.
6. Failure to comply with the milk collection schedule. This leads to disruption of the daily routine, as a result of which the animal reacts aggressively to any attempts to interact with it.
7. Fatigue. Collecting milk requires effort from the cow. A tired chick may kick and kick.
8. External stimuli (for example, loud noises, flashes of light, sudden movement) distract the animal and can greatly frighten it.

In most cases, first-calf heifers quickly get used to milking - usually within the first three months after calving.

How to accustom a first-calf to milking by hand

It is very important to accustom a young cow to milking, otherwise collecting milk will become very difficult. You can achieve results with the following folk remedies:

1. Two to three months before calving, you should regularly stroke the udder and belly of the cow.
2. Tie the front leg and lift it up. Since the cow will only rely on three limbs, she will not be able to kick.
3. Tie the hind legs with a rope.
4. Before milking, place a heavy cloth soaked in warm water on the withers or back. The animal will relax and will not resist.
5. Tie the cow by the horns so that she cannot leave her place.Then place a container of food in front of her and carefully begin milking. You need to start with one nipple, gradually moving to the next. After several similar procedures, it will be possible to milk more intensively - for two nipples.
6. Combing with a comb. While one person is combing the cow, the other is collecting milk.
7. Make or purchase a split for cattle. The device is a machine for zootechnical and veterinary manipulations.
8. Using anti-kick.

To reduce the stress of moving, it is necessary to ensure that the new living conditions are as similar as possible to the previous ones (feeding regimen, walking, etc.).

How to make an anti-kick with your own hands

The device ensures the cow's immobility during milking. The device comes in two types:

• one-sided;
• two-way.

The most common option is the first. To make it you will need the following parts:

• two curved pipes of the same shape and size (each should have one hole);
• a concave tube having a larger diameter than the previous tubes (the bend must be symmetrical);
• corner springs of appropriate sizes;
• rubber caps for pipes.

The production of anti-kick involves the following algorithm:

1. One corner spring is inserted into each pipe of the same type (the button must fit into the hole).
2. Tubes with a smaller diameter are inserted into the third tube. At this point the buttons must be pressed.
3. The edges of the anti-kick are covered with caps to protect the animal from injury.

It is important to correctly calculate the size of the device so that it fits the cows.

Rules for using the anti-kick system

If making a device at home is not particularly difficult, then using it is even easier.You need to dress the cow in anti-buck as follows:

1. Hook the lower part of the device onto the fold on the front leg.
2. Use the button to adjust the length of the pipe. The distance should be enough so that the second edge of the anti-kick can be secured to the back. At the same time, the cow's leg is raised, due to which the animal's movements are limited - the heifer will not be able to kick.
3. Start collecting milk.

If a cow does not allow itself to be milked, twitches and kicks, this does not mean at all that the cow needs to be culled. There are many ways to accustom a first-calf to the milking process. The main thing in this matter is patience and the ability to choose the most suitable option for a particular animal.