Chocolate milk

Kathy Millar · Post by **Kathy Millar** » Sat May 12, 2007 5:03 pm

Last night I milked out about half a cup of colostrum and it looked like pale chocolate milk. The colostrum I get from the dairy farm (Holsteins) is dark yellow. What does this mean? I hope my cow isn't sick. She seems fine.

Duncan MacIntyre · Post by **Duncan MacIntyre** » Sat May 12, 2007 8:02 pm

Milk from new calved cows and particulary heifers often has some blood in it for a few days, sometimes shows like you have seen and sometimes only seen as sediment in it if you leave it standing and pour it out of a jug or bowl. Unless there are mastitis type white/yellow clots in the milk this is almost certainly nothing to worry about.

Duncan

Kathy Millar · Post by **Kathy Millar** » Sat May 12, 2007 9:11 pm

Thanks, Duncan. I am hoping I didn't cause the bleeding by my clumsy attempt at milking.

Duncan MacIntyre · Post by **Duncan MacIntyre** » Sat May 12, 2007 9:17 pm

You are not likely to have caused this, it happens spontaneously probably due to rapid expansion of udder tissue.

Duncan

Inger · Post by **Inger** » Sun May 13, 2007 9:39 am

Extra protein for the calf eh? :laugh:

Kathy Millar · Post by **Kathy Millar** » Mon May 14, 2007 3:51 pm

I confess, this almost turned me off milk. I may try milking one of the heifers when she calves but it is debatable whether the two novices can figure it out. At least she is halter trained....