Need tips for training to the milk stand

outofmire · #21 05/12/05, 11:29 AM

Citygoatwoman, I didn't save any of the links since I just printed out the pictures I liked. You can do what I did though, and go to google.com and do a search for things like "woman milking goat" or "woman milking a goat". If I remember correctly, I got the most hits using those keywords, but make sure you put them in quotations or you'll get way to many. I found some under "milking a goat" as well, but not as many and I had to hunt for them.
Let me know if you don't have any luck finding them, and when I get time, I'll find some links for you.

outofmire · #22 05/12/05, 11:30 AM

Quote:

Practical advice and common sense are hard to find in books IMHO. Experience is the best teacher.

I couldn't agree more.

GoldenWood Farm · #23 05/12/05, 03:57 PM

My first freshener doe is fine with me milking her. I thought she would be horrid as before she kidded she wouldn't let NOBODY touch her on her udder.

If I have a doe who starts kicking I do tie her legs. No to the point where she can't lift them up or anything just to where her back legs can't get to the milking bucket.

Also try being VERY gentle with her..as a newbie at milking you might be hurting her. It took me a while to get the hang of it and I my self learned on a first freshener.

About her not letting down, she will start to in about 2 weeks. I have noticed when they first freshen that it takes them a while to let down..they have to learn to let down. Also try bumping the udder like a kid would.

I milk with both hands and I sit on my knees facing the goats butt to milk. Lol..MUCH easier on my poor back :no: .

I am glad she is doing better for you. Once you know that she has the milking thing down you can tell her when she kicks, lifts her leg up or what not to knock it off and give her a little smack on the belly.

I have a nubian doe who just LOVES to lift up her leg during milking..she is a 4th freshener but its like a game to her..so I smack her belly when she does and tell her to knock it off. Works like a charm:-)

MotherClucker

TexCountryWoman · #24 05/12/05, 11:19 PM

My bst milk goat has a huge full udder each morning that has got to be painful. I breastfed all four of my children and certainly remember the sensation. I use "Udder Butter" or "Bag Balm" on her washed and dried teats prior to milking on her cleaned teats (I use unscented baby wipes). I squirt out a few streams of milk to clear the teats of bacteria or dirt prior to putting it into my milk bucket to clear ir out, sssssometimes I just squirt it into the ground if the goats bags are healthy and i haven't been jhaving any signs of mastis or lumps in their milk. I have fine straining cloth over my bucket at the time of milking so i don't have to restrain the milk, I strain as i milk. Then i start out slower tan i want to to relieve the tight pressure in the bag as the engorement is bound to make her tender. I also keep my nails VERY short. After the initial pressure is off the udder i start milking two handed in quite a rhythym. I milk fast then as i have heard that the let down reflex is 11 minutes. My arms and upper body are quite hard and toned from milking. It takes time to develope your own muscles to milk hard and fast. Don't pull the teats, but rather treat them like you are catching milk in water baloons and quirting the milk out. Don't allow the feeling of milk being pushed back into the teat (into the "cisterns") as this is not good. You want the goat not to feel uncomfortable with you milking her, but you want to get it done fast. Also, biting flies cause a goat to jump around. If I see them, I hold my handled milk bucket with one hand and milk one handed so the goat doesn't stomp a fly and accidently spill the milk. I have plenty of feed in the pan so the goats can eatr and eat. I bring them to the stand rather hungfry so the food is what they are concentrating on, not the milking. I have a solid routing that never varies and they like that. They anticipate the sameness of eavh milking and don't like changes and surprises. I massage the bag and bring down more milk each time. I massage several times and get mote milk this way. I never worry about starving the kids, there is always plenty of milk for the Also, my baby does are handled from the very beginning as if they are being milked. I play with thier udders every day and they start squatting as if they are hunkering over a milk pail as young as a few days to a week old. This behavior is natural and is constantly reinforced so they are very used to me fooling around with their udders. Some have better "dairy temperment" than others and are better "sqatters". They just expect me to "fake milk them" and know no different.....Diane