Do you milk from the side or the back?

I milk most from the side sitting on the milking stand right next to them. The way our stands are it's more comfortable and I find it relaxing listening to their belly noises. However, I think most of the shorter teated ones are easier to milk from the back.

Wow, thank you all for the great input!

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For all Beginners who want to milk there first goat, and are a little bit confused on what to do and how

Just a thought to take into consideration.

There are no milking tits to get milk out of on a goats back, that's to high up.

There are no milking tits to get milk out of on a goats side either.
You must go down a little further below.

Try to look under the goat and that is where you will find the milking apparatus.

There will be two things hanging from a sack to grab hold of, and lightly squeeze, and the milk will come out freely

If those two things are inside of one big sack then you have the wrong goat that is the Billy.
Turn him loose and let him go.

Go to the other kind of goat with two thing hanging down from the out side of the big sack that is the Nanny goat, and she has the milk.

Any more questions ?

bumpus
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Leave it to Bumpus...

I've always milked from the side. I may have to try it from the back after reading this thread. Although, I do have dd to do most of the milking.

I milk from the side. I tried to milk from the back but they kick and fuss and step in the milk! But I like the side because I can put my head on her side. (The place where the kids are) and it's huge! and better then a pillow! warm and sweet smeling like hay! Plus I can keep them from kicking on the side!

I milk from the side, sitting on a bucket. Right now the bucket is a little lower than the milking stand (I hadn't realized how far the stand was sunk in the mud until I moved it to the new, dry, shelter!), which is okay with the shorter Kinder does, but not so great for the mostly-Ober doe (who will be even taller next year, as she's still growing). So, I need to start sitting on the side of the stand. Can't milk from the back with this stand, as it's got posts at both ends to support the shelf on top (my goat shelters are metal tube frames with tarp covers, so no place to put a shelf for the milking equipment).

I've seen pictures of girls overseas milking by straddling the goat while facing the goat's tail, then bending over to milk from the back. I noticed that it always was young girls doing the milking in those pictures, LOL!

Kathleen

How does milking from the back relieve the pain?
Are the does at the very edge of the stand? Do you have really narrow stands? I'm trying to picture how you sit if you milk from behind by hand.
I milk from the side, same way we do with the cows (though wehave bucket milekrs for them). I'm used to leaning in and knowing when they are shifting their weight that way. My shoulder is bothering me, however.
Our stand is very wide and quite long as well. It was a "bed" for a float years ago and I turned it into a double stand.

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Roseanna
Morning Mist Herd
Journey's End Jerseys
Jerseys, Jersey/Norwegian Reds, Beef, Boers, Nubians & crossbreeds

As a kid, I was trained to milk from the side, just like with the cows. Never even heard of milking from behind. Interesting thread.

Hey bumpus, what if the Billy likes it?

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"Iron" Mike - Semper Fidelis
Jack of all trades - Master of none

I have an old office chair that I use to milk and I move from the side, equal distance between the front and back legs and then when I reach behind I slide my chair until I am almost right next to the hind leg. The changing of positions helps with the pain in my shoulders and the shifting also makes milking the far teat easier on the hand that goes to the rear. It just allows me more positions. Less time spent locked into one position and one motion, means less pain for me. I hve artritis neuropathy, degenerative joint disease, and a few others ot related. I am on major pain meds just to function, so anything that helps even a little , I do. I also use parifin wax on my hands. It helps loosen them up before and helps the hands open up and release, after I am done milking.

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Reverend George Hoppes

Available to preform Weddings, Blessings and other services in Southern Missouri.
http://ministers.themonastery.org/profile/Hoppes65761

Milk from the side.

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If you don't know how to hunt the right things,then forget it.

I too prefer to milk from behind. I originally sat on the milkstand behind the does with one leg on either side of the stand (sitting straight on facing the doe). It does work very well for kicky young does as you can block their kicks with your forearms (your arms are basically between where the legs are and the bucket). I now have a roll-around stool that I set so that I can roll the seat right up over the milkstand (the rollers fit nicely between the stand legs). I was able to better see if a doe was uneven and it didn't seem to put more strain on one side of the udder than the other (like I see when I watch people who milk from the side).

When I have to milk from the side (at a show etc. where the stand has to be stuck against a wall) it hurts my left arm and shoulder to reach across the doe. Milking from behind you don't have to stretch your arms out to reach quite so far, and yes, you can still rest on your doe if you'd like.......you just lean forward and rest your shoulders below the pin bones and your head goes to one side to rest on a thigh (one of my does milked better when I leaned on her......go figure).

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Australian Cattle Dogs & Custom Artwork
http//LisaAmbrose.com

Its soothing....like singing to them is....

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Emily Dixon
Ozark Jewels
Nubians & Lamanchas
www.ozarkjewels.net

"Remember, no man is a failure, who has friends" -Clarence

You lost me here......why would milking from the side put more strain on one side of the udder??? It never has here.

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Emily Dixon
Ozark Jewels
Nubians & Lamanchas
www.ozarkjewels.net

"Remember, no man is a failure, who has friends" -Clarence

There are a lot of people out there that pull the offside teat toward them when they milk. Not everyone, but I still see it a lot.

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Australian Cattle Dogs & Custom Artwork
http//LisaAmbrose.com

Ah. I center the bucket and the milk goes straight down. I grew up milking cows the same way. Its just natural here.

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Emily Dixon
Ozark Jewels
Nubians & Lamanchas
www.ozarkjewels.net

"Remember, no man is a failure, who has friends" -Clarence

First of all, keep in mine that I raise Lamanchas, a very intelligent and willing breed. And I have been working with my particular line for a number of years.

So each morning I wake up to a gentle "tap tap tap" on the back door and the herd queen hands me pail after pail of fresh filtered milk. On days when she is in a particularly good mood, she will tip-toe in and put it in the fridge.

On weekends, she deligates this responsibility to a younger doe.

Works for me.

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Diane Rhodes
Feral Nature Farm
LaManchas, MiniManchas and Boers
Member ADGA, MDGA

I don't know about you-all, but I am rushing to Diane's to buy my next goat!!

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Emily Dixon
Ozark Jewels
Nubians & Lamanchas
www.ozarkjewels.net

"Remember, no man is a failure, who has friends" -Clarence

"the art of salesmanship"

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Diane Rhodes
Feral Nature Farm
LaManchas, MiniManchas and Boers
Member ADGA, MDGA

I prefer a side view than the rear view,

Those are some fine goats and I sold them to her so give me a call, cause I'm selling the heard out, and they are cheaper by the dozen. How many dozen you want.

I got Ocean front property in Arizona, if you buy that, I'll through the goats in for free.

Stay in line and don't get pushy.

NEXT.

bumpus
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