There is not real right or wrong way to milk as long as you are getting the milk out of the goat without injuring them. We have a goat who just had her first kids yesterday. I know I have big dreams and I’ll have a reality check later. You can mix alfalfa crumbs or alfalfa pellets into her grain so that she’ll have more to eat, and you’ll have more time to milk. Single kids also tend to be quite chunky because they can have all the milk they want. Makes perfect sense no kids currently on her they have been weaned for a long while now she’s giving around 7.1 lbs a day ! If you can learn to milk without ever separating the kids, that’s great. So, if you just brought home your first kids this spring and won’t be milking until next year, keep reading! For now, feel free to continue reading. If you are not able to get out any milk, then once the kids are a month old, separate the kids as late in the evening as you can so that they will only be separated for about 8 hours before you milk in the morning. This is why it’s a great idea for you to get an experienced milker as your first milk goat. Practice. The variation you use here will usually be dictated by how long the teats are. The whole time I’m talking to her in that voice that you use with a baby that is upset, telling her that everything is going to be okay and that I understand this is new to her. I complained non-stop for the first couple of years I had Nigerians. Even though it’s harmless and won’t make you sick, it is what causes that “goaty” flavor that some people assume is normal in goat milk. We’ve only had three cases of mastitis in 17 years, so this works for us. Put the milk bucket on the base of the stand just under the nanny goat’s teats. The kid can have everything the doe produces all day long, so is getting about 50% of the production that way. The bottom line is that if you’re milking them from day one when their hormones are raging, they think that you milking them is just as normal as their kids nursing. One quart of milk is plenty for us. The first thing I do is just put her on the milk stand and let her eat, and I’ll put my hand on her udder. Most people think of cows when it comes to milk, but goats are easier to handle, less costly to feed and require far less space. And all those people who talk about the birth fluid thing also bottle raise kids. If you can get them up there within 12 hours, you are usually good. Also she’s in a DHIP so she’s constantly checking production I will definitely weigh it and see where she’s at and compare thank you so much for the advice. It is best to sanitize equipment 30 minutes or fewer before use. Learn how to milk a goat, and you will have your own source of fresh, healthy milk for you, your family and a neighbor or two. Just relax your fingers and try again. (We have a dozen now!) She’ll probably get mad when you do that, but just stay calm and put your hand on her udder until she calms down again. Don’t be hard on yourself if you get more milk on yourself than in the bucket and if it takes 15 minutes to get a cup of milk the first few times. 1. What Is the CDT Vaccine and Why Is It Important for Sheep and Goats? If you use these links to make a product purchase, I may receive a commission. Homesteading Tips On How To Properly Milk A Goat. The main marketing issue for prospective dairy goat producers is the number of commercial processors to whom raw milk can be shipped. When a doe’s kids are sold, her milk supply naturally decreases because her hormone levels change, so you will probably see about a 30% drop in production after the kid is gone. I don't have goats at the moment, but hope to in the future. You should not breed a goat until it is 60% of its adult weight to avoid kidding problems. Success! This is not only for the kids’ benefit but for yours! When you milk a goat, you'll find it is vey similar to hand milking a cow. There was an error submitting your subscription. There are dozens of different ideas on how to clean the udder, but we have used nothing other than a wet washcloth, using a clean quadrant for each doe. So, the goat also needs to learn to be milked. Maybe your children are looking for a 4-H project. If a doe is raising her own kids, you are not necessarily going for volume when you milk her, although I’ve had goats that would produce more than their kids could consume. They’re sharing their milk with me because they want to, not because I’m bigger and stronger and am taking it by force. I assume you’ll get a much smaller amount at each milking, maybe none on occasion. As long as does are well fed, there are no issues with stunting their growth. Please try again. I’m milking Delilah in the mornings and getting about a quart of milk from one side. A couple weeks? Otherwise, the goat will wind up with a lopsided udder, which could be permanent. Use a milk stand and a head catch and … If you give up now, it will be much harder later on. I'll tuck this into the recesses of my brain and hope to find it again when the need arises. By the time they were a couple of weeks old, however, they were consuming most of what she was producing. I was caring for a friend’s goats who have never allowed anyone to milk them and I don’t want to find myself in that predicament. Select options. I will start getting them use to the stand. Without anyone to teacher her, she learned a lot of her farming techniques from Reddit, which earned her the nickname, “the internet farmer" amongst some of the other local farmers for awhile. But as they say, it’s the tone of voice that’s important, so if you can talk soothingly while reciting the ABCs or the weather forecast, go for it. New owners are falling in love with their goat’s affectionate demeanor, quirky personalities, and of course, their delicious milk. Three or four shorter milking sessions will be less stressful and more productive than two longer sessions. Of course, goat teats tend to be smaller than cow teats. If a doe has twins, it is usually safe to milk once a day without separating the kids. (I say “most” because it is not impossible.) To use goat milk as an alternative feed source requires that th… Now that you are ready to actually milk the goat … Trap the milk in the teat by pressing your thumb against the teat, which presses the teat against your hand. Then I learned how to milk them. I’ll just leave it there until she stops kicking. Your pinky finger may not be strong enough to actually do much, so if it needs to just hang out, that’s fine too. The doe needs to have goat feed to eat on the stand while you’re milking. If they aren’t consuming all of the milk, then the doe’s production will decrease to meet their demand. And even though I “complain” about my goats beating down the milking parlor door — some of them jump on the door while waiting their turn — and fighting to get in ahead of the other goats, I really would not have it any other way. We’ve only ever done this once, and it was with a LaMancha that my daughter had sworn to “never milk again” after the doe exploded on the milk stand and sent half a gallon of milk into the daughter’s lap. For milking a goat, simply put both of your thumb and forefinger around their teat, right up against the udder. Then put the doe back with her kids, and they’ll take care of getting the rest of milk. Be sure to squeeze with top finger first, followed by the middle finger, ring finger, and if it fits on the teat, the pinky finger. Unsubscribe at any time. An alternative use for goat milk is as an on-farm substitute for milk replacer in lamb, veal, and pig diets. So, before we talk about how you milk a goat, let’s talk about how you teach a goat to become a milker. I’ve had goats on my homestead for years now. Sure, sometimes goat milk can taste different, especially if you just gave your goat a full head of garlic, however, if you know the secret to delicious tasting goat milk you would be pleasantly surprised at just how amazing it does taste. Raising goats for milk production is generally considered the most labor-intensive reason for keeping them. But she can eat as much alfalfa as she wants. You are brilliant! I completely understand the frustration of learning to milk when you have an uncooperative goat — and in 2002, I gave up on my second goat and quit milking her after only a week. Goat’s milk has been consumed for thousands of years, and in recent years, goats are making a strong comeback. She feels that the milk is for her babies, so she is trying to stop you from taking it from them just as she would butt away another kid that tried to nurse off her. I bought them from Caprine Supply — caprinesupply.com. She sat on her udder when we tried to milk out some colostrum to freeze. All equipment and utensils should be thoroughly washed in water between 100-120 degrees Fahrenheit (37.8-48.9 degrees Celsius), using an alkaline-based or chlorinated cleaner. If you are just learning to milk, it can be helpful to have someone hold one of the hind legs because most goats cannot kick the bucket over if they only have three legs on the milk stand. In the future, I’d suggest milking both sides in the morning after an overnight separation. With my Nigerians, I have three different techniques that I use to milk them, so when a couple of fingers get tired, I can switch to a different technique without missing a beat. At least one of your knows how it works. However, you may only get a few squirts, and that’s fine. There are over more than three hundred breeds of goat and most of them are known for the quality milk and meat that they provide. This is totally new to her, so she just needs to understand that you’re not going to hurt her. This is to prevent the growth and spread of bacteria. You pay the same price when you purchase through affiliate links as you would if you went directly to Amazon, and our site earns a small commission, so by shopping through our links, you are helping to support our blog so that we can continue to provide you with free content. This is all about training. My daughter actually studied this when working on her PhD in biological chemistry. The milk breed of goats produces a lot of milk, dealing a lot of pain. I don’t usually wrap my fingers around shorter teats. Once in awhile you will find a doe that really needs to be milked one a day because she produces a lot more than the kids can consume. 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