LOVE this video!! I get so tired of seeing on KZfaq perfectly clean white walled milking parlors with perfectly behaved cows that stand like statues with not a speck of manure anywhere. Thank you for not editing out all the hard moments. BIG thumbs up for being REAL!!!

This video couldn’t have come at a better time I’m days away from milking my first freshener and it was nice to see this video and seeing that it will probably be awful that way I won’t feel horrible in the next few days I love that you guys kept it real thank you 🙏🏻

Yes it is frustrating to milk a first time freshener! It’s not my husbands thing either to milk but he knows I love my diary cows! Way to support!

We have surge and love it! So glad to know my husband and I aren't the only ones who have those sorts of conversations in and around the barn. It's good you left the raw truth in this video.

The defeat in Austin’s face when Kay said “we’ll be back in three hours” poor guy. 😂

And now we know why Aust looked like a broken man the day after his first milk session.

One of the BEST homesteading KZfaq videos we've ever seen! Thank you guys for the realness!!!

I love you guys. I swear the more I watch this channel, the more I appreciate your content.

First day milking a first time freshner is probably my least favorite day on the homestead. I just tell myself "3 weeks and we will be a perfect milking team". Thanks for letting us watch!! Keep up the good work.

You did great Aust. You persevered and achieved the goal, and your confidence grew as you did it. The pizza clearly helped too, and K’s coaching was awesome! It was very cool to watch your nerves abating and confidence growing. The first time always sucks with anything new, and then it starts to get easier. Tomorrow will be less frustrating. Using the machine isn’t a fail. Those tiny teats will be too painful to hand milk so you’ll be machine milking her most of the time anyway. Even if you’d gotten more milk by hand it would make sense to start her on the machine ASAP. This certainly cemented your advice that newbies should get a cow that’s already been trained though! I felt a smidge guilty laughing at a few parts when the whole experience was frustrating for you, but today is my Dad’s anniversary and I really needed to be able to laugh, so thanks for being you and having a great sense of humour even when things are difficult.

I can not wait to see this... You got this Aust... Kay you're glowing

The cow was as frustrated as Aust, great combo:))

Oh man! You both are doing such a service by sharing this type of experience. Thank you so much ❤

I see how frustrated you must be!! But you have done an amazing job!!

Some cows can hold their milk back no matter what you do. My grandmother sold off a few cows that this happened with. The calf could get all the milk it wanted, but when someone tried to milk them by either hand or machine, not a darn thing would come out.

Close is best, shoulder in crotch of leg and belly. She can hold her milk Oxytocin helps her release her milk. Just stay calm, firm and not loud. Sometimes edema of the udder at calving can prevent milk from coming out easily. Using a machine isn't quiting, Sometimes it is a must.. Not saying this is a cure all, we have a fourth calf cow who for the first couple weeks you must milk from behind, not optional... After that she is an angel

This was so encouraging. Thank you for being real and yet encouraging! New follower!

I can't tell you until my cow calves next year if it helped or not, but I've been practicing having her stand no matter what body part I touch. Including pretend milking and holding her feet up. I'll follow up if I felt like it made a difference 😆

We have a homestead as well! We are currently milking 1 Jersey and our other will be fresh in November. She’s never been milked. Not looking forward to the training! Looks painful hahah! Good job sticking with it!

I milk giant holsteins. I'm so proud of our first time fresheners this year, none have kicked. Bittersweet because it's our last year farming. I hope whoever buys them treats them well and appreciates how calm they are because we've had some doozies! I always milk up close with my body against theirs. You can feel them tense if they're going to kick. It's kind of a weird art form that is unfortunately dying. Love how you guys treat your animals, Kay definitely knows what she's doing! I hope to some day get a mini Jersey

Good Job protecting yourself! I got kicked in my pregnant belly by a cow. I vowed not to milk again for a long while after that. Baby is a happy and healthy but boy was that terrifying and painful!

I really appreciate how honest and real you guys are. We're hoping to start our homestead this year and I appreciate all your videos.

She is holding her milk back. You could get her calf on her to fake her out. She will let her milk down for the calf. Use a clothes pin to clip her tail up using the hair at the end. Put the leg tie down at her "ankle" so she can't reach you or the bucket.

Watching this, I'm so grateful for my little cow! She gave birth to her first calf 4 weeks ago, and aside from the first day of milking when she kicked one time, she stands perfectly still for me - no swishing tail, no kicking. Her teats are also the perfect size for my hands. She is so very, sweet - and I took her totally for granted until I watched this video! (Only downside is that I can only get 1/2 gallon per milking session - my poor hands just won't do more before they cramp up!)

I grew up milking 8 cows by hand. Have the calf by her head and where it will be still and she can smell it so she'll let her milk down. Put anti kick hobbles on her back legs and tie up her tail to her opposite side. Cows kick sideways just as well as backwards. It helps if she can smell her calf and not see you, so put up a blanket so she can't see you.

simple solution we used to do, use a cow kicker scissor clamp. it goes over her hip area and prevents the hind legs from kicking forward. no discomfort to cow (except when she tries to kick you...).

Oh Mann ! I have felt those hot tears of frustration. I love Milking now but it really wasn’t easy at first but kind of makes it more rewarding once you and your cow have a sweet understanding .

Austin you're a good egg! I can see and hear the frustration in your voice and on your face. I mean I've never milked a cow myself but I can only imagine grasshopper and it being her first time as a freshener and this being an uncomfortable and a scary situation for her as well... never being milked before. We all have to learn from the bottom... And slowly climb our way up to experience. I'm rooting for grasshopper cuz I think she's one of my favorites also so I think both of you will just have to learn together. She's also Young and feisty and I think slowly but surely she's going to end up being a really good milk cow but she's just not experienced. So I think both of you are on the same level. Don't give up! K is a great teacher! Cheer up... It can only get better from here... By the way grasshopper looking extremely healthy and quite beautiful and that baby calf is absolutely adorable!

Hahaha! THIS👏 IS👏 REAL👏 LIFE👏!!!!! I hear Kay telling you and it seems harsh but she's trying to steel you up for the battle that is first time milking. Then she goes right back to being doe eyes at you🤣🤣 You did a great job! Only up from here.

The cow feels your tension.

thank goodness for the calmness of Kaye - the calmer you became the calmer Grass Hopper seemed to become Austin and you are only doing one - imagine having a 300 head herd and having 80-100 first timers each year to train

Awe I could just see the frustration on your face.. I swear men take things as a failure and much harder on themselves than y’all should, listen to your wife Aus 😉 Hooking up that milk machine was for good reason of not letting grasshopper get mastitis so in the end it was a win.. I’ve never milked a cow or own 1 yet but I appreciate you sharing the good, bad and the ugly.

😂😂😂 I don’t even TRY With FF’s or newly freshened cows, I start off right away with a kicker or a tied back foot. Sometimes it’s a 2 week (or even LONGER!) rodeo, and you most certainly feel like crying and giving up (along with dreams about LOTS of cheeseburgers!) the WHOLE time! And small teats can definitely be hand milked using the 2 fingered strip method. Thanks for sharing ❤️

Awwwhh! This vid made childhood memories come flooding back a bit.. We had an old milk machine like that! As an adult I can see how doing that with us kiddos around might have really tested my dads patience lol this was definitely a very real look at how frustrating and emotional even just milking a cow can be! I think you both deserve to be recognized here for your patience and willingness to serve each other. I saw the mom in kay when she brought out the food when austin was feeling defeated.. Funny how emotional we can get when we are a little hangry. I loved everything about this video.. And yes.. I still want a milk cow! 😂❤️

"This is going to suck, this was always going to suck" - How did the transcript from my last date get into this video.

Oh yeah. The first week or so suuuuucks, especially the first day or two. I kinda "gave up" and just trained to machine first. Seems to be easier for me to get them transitioned to hand milking with no real problem after that. She's actually doing pretty good. 😂😂😂

I feel your Pain Aust, I couldn't do it 😱. He's smiling , good job Kay! You got this don't give up😰👍👊. JO JO IN VT 💕😄

You did awesome for those tiny mini teets. Just proves love for wife and family. Of that I have never had a doubt. Your love for them has always shown in every video. 👍

Can’t tell you how appreciative I am. This is everything I’ve been afraid of now I know what to expect for real. So helpful.

Listen I already saw the look on her side of her face when she was side eyeing you like. Don't even try it sir😂🙂🙂😂😂😂🙂

This is a great video. This is exactly how my morning went. My husband milks the cow. He was raised on a farm, I wasn’t. He tried to teach me how to milk this morning. It didn’t go well. He trained this cow to milk and she didn’t much care for my incompetence. She also ate her grain up before I was even close to being done. He can usually milk her out before she is done eating. I ended up asking my husband to finish. Better luck tonight I hope. Good job guys.

😭🤣This is so raw! Love you guys! Keep up the good work! ✌️❤️🙏

Your support for your lovely wife Kay is what makes you one of the BEST men on the face of the planet! Men like you just don't exist anymore.

Love videos like this. Despite the immense frustration you both did awesomely. Love it when Kay was reining things in and keeping things in perspective. Especially in handling a feisty firecracker like Grasshopper, my oh my! 😆

I loved this video, keeping it real , showing the bad with the good is so important.

you guys are so amazing together and remind me of my husband and I in the way you talk to each other. Love you guys and your channel.

It can’t have been easy to share all of that video but thank you for doing it! I’ve done 4 milkings with our new cow, she has had 1 calf herself, taken on a nurse calf and now has a new nurse calf that she is refusing to let nurse. Going to try some of these ties and keep pushing through. Definitely wish I had bought a machine milker and am going to try to find one ASAP

Fantastic video and terrific that it's so real! /ask homesteady is your backyard farm 101 still available? If so how do I find it?

I love this video. Thank you for showing us the WHOLE picture instead of romanticizing it.

K, to you, this might be an odd question but, I've never milked a cow and we get ours possibly next year but I do gave four children 😬 is milking a mini similar to milking yourself or did knowing how to nurse/ milk help with milking a cow? I did say it was an odd question. Ignore if it's to personal. 😅

Y'all, this video had to stink to make, I felt your frustration ❤️ Your transparency and honestly are such a blessing ❤️ It's 5 am and I'm about to go out and milk her for the first time 😂 She's not excited about dealing with us so you just prepped my heart for going out 😂 Thanks again!!!

You guys have the patience of a Saint. I think I'd have sold the cow after the first 5 mins haha I love Kays pep talk.

Thank you for showing everything. I want to get a cow for milk. I don't have any experience with cows, and this helped a ton on what to expect .

When I use to milk cows, I was taught to always to put my shoulder into her legs to block her in case she does kick. First calf heifers are always "fun" to milk.

That would be so frustrating, but thank you so so much for sharing this especially the raw frustrating moments. That’s what everyone needs - what reality is. You have a subscriber here.

I try to always train them (sheep and goats so far) to the stand before they give birth. It just seems easier to me. Then I pretend to milk them, but it's always a rodeo😅😂 good luck 🤞🤞

This video is so real and raw! Thank you guys for being so authentic!

Kay knows him well. Austin was just hangry.

Aust, just watch what you're doing instead of playing to the camera! You got thete in the end. Well done!

Thank you for your vulnerability and transparency.

No matter what you think Austin you did great. Kay is right it is NEVER easy to do things with any animal for the first time. You may not have gotten much milk but you did what she didn't want you to do. You win. Even if it was hard and scary you did it. You win. Each day from now on it will get easier. She will calm down and understand that you are not trying to hurt her. The only thing I would have down different is bush her down before you let her out. She will learn that is the final step before she gets to go. So good job!

This is one of the best videos on the internet. It was hard and real. Showing the “labor of love” that farming really is. And to keep it G rated! That would be a heroic amount of effort in our house

When I saw you use the Miller with out the belt I wanted to ask why. This was always placed on the cows I milked. It holds the bucket a little tipped forward, or down by the udder. This places a nice pull on the teats as it milks her. Your pulsator is much better in the sound. It’s going to be good . The rope on her belly may not be as necessary as the hobble of her legs. They also have things that wrap both legs together just enough so she is battling herself by the restraint of both legs hobbled. You are doing great. Every t I’ve is much better.

She can probably sense your frustrations and that makes her nervous plus the fact she is on the wilder side of life. To be expected honestly but take a breath...it will be worth it.

I love these guys Showing the good the bad and the ugly

I love the total honesty on all fronts ...love all u guys so much ..just take a breath

Good job Austin. Kay was completely correct. Your cow will get better.

So glad I started with a Nigerian dwarf goat... I lost some milk when she kicked over or stepped in the pail, but she's used to me now (and I'm much better at milking). Good luck with Grasshopper ❤

I'm sorry this was a pain to do, no pun intended. But also very much appreciate the real perspective and footage of what first time milking is like. When I have my first dairy goat or cow, remembering this video will be way more encouraging to keep trying than having the idea that everyone else can milk an animal, why not me?

That is a very nice-looking Jersey heifer.

I love this video. It’s real life! Thank you for sharing real life on the homestead.

A vertical bar in your chute will secure her slightly better. Look up blocking chutes for beef cattle, their design is for difficult cattle. You two rock!

rap the tail around leg so when she kicks she will pull her her own tail she will stop

This morning is the forth time I have worked with a fresh cow and this one was not handled and I have only had her for a month, I have a cage for them to go in that makes it safer for me but if you are not carful you can still get hurt. I have not trained one yet that is not a kicked. Hope things go better in a week. Glad to see that I am not the only one to get frustrated.

Just a question for you, did you bring her to the stand and get her used to being touched before she gave birth? My Uncle would bring the first time girls, or even a new to him girl, every day for a while before she gave birth to the milking stand. He would give them some grain or Alfalfa and all set to milk. He would brush, wash and touch the udders to get them used to the idea ahead of time. When the milk first comes in, those teats are very tender but the whole idea wasn't a new thing. Still, those tiny, tender teats are difficult to work with.

Kind of interesting to see. I'm a dairy herdsman in the UK. We use clusters in a herringbone parlour, I've had a good few kicks. And the fresh calvers are arseholes for sure. Stripping them by hand is a bastard. But just imo tie that rope tight, and I mean tight enough that you cant easily get your fingers under.

I've never raised a cow so I won't pretend to know about them. I'm here to learn and I love your content. I raise horses, with my foals I touch them all over every day for hours at a time. My question is, if you have a smaller operation where you have time to spend.. would taking the older babies through the process and touching them all over their bellies and getting them used to standing over a bucket change or help the training process ?

On our cows we hobble the back legs together and then tie a rope to the hobble and tie it to something and make sure her legs are pulled back enough that I can milk without being kicked.

I almost laughed tea out my nose. And it's cinnamon tea, so that would have burned. LOL Still wanna eat up those babies, however. (It's a Nana thang) LOL Excellent video, as always. 💖🧓👶👦👧

One thing that I find that helps calm them down is to rub their udder first to make sure they know your going to touch their teats so its not such a fright when you first touch the teats

Love this.. Thank you for sharing.. Makes things seem normal!.. Frustration, set backs, lots of lots of time....... Homesteading :)

The look on Austin’s face when he was told he also had to milk this evening!! 😆😆

We trained our first dairy cow in 2020 and it went about as you are experiencing, but we slapped her belly when she'd kick and yell "No" after three or four milkings she settled down. She needs to learn to let down for you, maybe some music will help her relax. Yes small teets are hard to milk, but they will lengthen after having a calf nursing. Treating for mastitis is not fun either. Our cow is now in the drying off phase, she'll be calving in Feb. We do the same with feed, no feed until milking is finished. She'll settle down and you'll laugh at this video.

We are loving these videos!! We are a little over a month away from milking our jersey heifer. We are building a Stanchion and are wondering if you have plans for yours anywhere?

Mine isnt a first time milker or even just freshened. Shes just new to me and i milked her for the first time today and it didnt go the best. I feel your frustration. We left with me pissed, her pisseed and the calf very unhappy. She wasnt even that bad but she kicked sideways and knocked the bucket over and narrowly missed me. Hope tomorrow goes better

What brand of electric Miller do you use? I’m thinking about getting one.

What do you do with the barn flies when milking in the warm months, just deal with it?

you guys are awesome, thank you for posting this

Also, leaning closer to cow side helps you not get such a powerful force of kick, lol

Sorry that was so tough! Good for taking one for the team

When they freshen, how soon are you milking and what do you do with the colostrum?

If you put the calf on her she will let down then remove calf and milk her. She is holding back and that's why you weren't getting milk. Also remove the calf at night milk her in the morning then release calf with her during day.

I never milked a cow (except as a kid, playing around), but, my idea of an animal training principle is: tie her legs down from the very start. Give her the idea right from the start that being in the stanchion somehow makes it impossible for her to kick. She'll then learn that, and after a few attempts she won't even try anymore.

This episode, my first, had me in stitches. 😂 My brother has cattle, but I’m not comfortable around them. They’re so shifty and dangerous.

There is a anti kick hobbel we used to have one hanging in our barn but i never used it

I'm really starting to enjoy this channel. You all are a lovely family. I was laughing to myself thinking if you showed this video to some Mongolian shepherds they'd be laughing their butts off. .. they are so skillful just milking horses out in the open with no station or gloves and just a pale.. Just keep at it 👍

if you let that baby stay on there the first three days, pulling at the teats and getting all the colostrum, it is better for both the calf and the mama. You do not have to start milking a cow immediately, and can actually wait four weeks before pulling your first bucket of milk. this gives the mom time to adjust to the sensation of being milked naturally and also gives her brain the boost of hormone that she will associate with feeling better as she is being milked. It is much easier to just wait and could help with some of the frustration. It will never be easy training a first timer to the milk stand, but I would definitely wait until the baby has been on there for a bit.

You did great Never a fun thing to do first time for both of you. So nice to keep your wife’s dream going.

This video made me laugh! Poor Austin, I can so relate! My first cow was a first freshener and not tame…actually a bit aggressive! I wanted to cry daily. I bought a Kow Kant Kick and it saved me.. and the cow, bcs I was totally ready to put her out of my misery, lol

I haven't had such a good laugh in awhile. Thank you grasshopper. Lol no offense ii understand your fear. Lol Lol loll