Why we milk our own cow - an interview with Bella Lowes
Red Devons were known previously for being a dual-purpose breed however with the way that farming has gone there is no longer a need to produce both. It has become more about producing a big yield of either meat or milk. If people specifically wanted to raise cattle for milk then they’d typically choose a dairy cow such as a Jersey or Guernsey.
When one of our heifers- Izzy had a calf who died last September she could’ve dried up on her own, however there is a degree of discomfort from having a full udder and being her first calf ultimately we wanted her to be able to breed again without any stress or mental strain potentially causing problems in the future. There is also a huge benefit from the hormone Oxytocin being produced during lactation, this can help with so many aspects such as social interaction with other cows, herd relationships, anti-anxiety hormones, happiness and comfort. For all of those reasons we thought we’d at least give it a go so that we could breed from her again and knowing that the milk produced would be out of this world, and sure enough it was.
We’d milked before out of necessity when a cow has had mastitis or if we’d needed to stomach tube a sick or slow calf. However both scenarios were never in a productive or routine way, more in the here and now. This meant that the concept of milking wasn’t completely foreign. You’ll know pretty quickly when you’re doing it wrong, you’ll either get no milk or a kick in the head.
Izzy made it clear quite quickly that she appreciated us milking her and she soon adopted Bella as her calf, she would even groom her whilst also keeping the other cows away. This was due to all the maternal hormones being produced when the nursing began. As time went on Bella noticed Izzy becoming less protective and maternal, the same as she would with a real calf, the natural process of motherhood. However, she still appreciates being milked, she’d walk over to Bella and stand next to her, ready to offer what she had.
Milk is one of the most hydrating liquids you can consume, due to so little waste being produced. The cow is producing milk to grow a calf, hence why it has so many incredible nutrients in it. Red Devons are known for having a lot of fat in their milk which if you’re drinking it raw, unpasteurised, non-homogenised it is very beneficial to you and your digestive system. There’s also lots of friendly bacteria in there, helping your gut microbiome and auto-immune system. Bella had chronic eczema before drinking Izzy’s milk, it has since cleared up a lot and is now manageable. Bella believes drinking raw milk could cure a myriad of physical problems, it’s so nutritionally-dense.
A modern traditional dairy cow is bred for predominantly yield, and generally doesn’t raise it’s own calf and so the goodness of the milk is decreased. When you take away the calf or nursing of the cow, then quite a few of the nutritional benefits will be missing. Some would argue that you’d get better milk from a beef cow rather than the dairy cow, the beef cow usually has a calf to raise meaning nutritious milk will be produced.
Bella has described the process of milking Izzy as going beyond her expectations, the emotional bond she has formed with her and trusting between each other is so powerful. She now has a whole new appreciation for Izzy and her liquid gold. She explains becoming so aware of all of Izzy’s physical movements when under the bucket, her physical and mental health became so apparent to Bella she could read her like a book. She knew when Izzy had mastitis without checking her teats, she knew when Izzy was going to shift her weight through micro-movements and muscle memory so she wouldn’t ever tip the bucket. Izzy was not that tame before being milked. She now trusts most humans around her and accepts them. She keeps Bella present and grateful on a daily basis. In exchange Izzy is also feeling grateful for being milked as much as possible. A very powerful bond between human and heifer.