By Umar Nsubuga
Annette Nakibuuka has a cow which used to give her 15 litres of milk daily, but it abruptly dropped to nine when she replaced the herdsman.
“About the same time, the cow came on heat. It doesn’t look sick, and the feeding has not changed. I am wondering what to do,” says Nakibuuka.
Muhammad Kiyemba, a veterinary doctor says If a cow drops milk production due to heat, it picks up again soon after the heat period. So, it is likely that something else is bothering your cow. One possibility is the herdsman.
He says the udder has lumps of tissues that make milk. The milk is then released into some cavities within the udder. This release is a continuous process. That is why the size of the udder gradually grows after each milking. When the cavity gets full, the milk exerts pressure which suppresses further milk production.
“A milkman who canes a cow, shouts or makes abrupt movements can also reduce milk production. The milking style also matters,” says Kiyemba.
“A man who milks by squeezing the udder with a full hand gets more milk than the one who strips milk by squeezing the teat between the thumb and two fingers,” he says adding that stripping is not slow, but also hurts the cow.
“This is not a conclusion that your new herdsman is the problem, but it is possible. Let him follow the milking and herding routines established by the previous herdsman,” he states.
Kiyemba also advises providing water for cows regularly, although this is essential, it is often overlooked.
