Best way to teach a goat to start milking

[HaysFarm]

Hello,
What would be the best way to start getting a goat trained to stand for milking?
We ahve two girls that are getting ready, But one is a in your lap type and the other is a bit stand offish.
Any help would be great.

[topside1]

Start by giving them their daily grains on the stand that you will be using. If you not feeding grains then I'd start. While on the stand simulate milking, touching everywhere in an effort to milk them feel comfortable with you, the stand and being touched. Do this daily or as often as possible and more often than not you will have no problems come freshening.

[topside1]

What town do you live near in Florida? I spent 20 years in Fla, loved it while I was there, but will never ever go back...

[farminghandyman]

I do about the same, jsut start feeding them on the milk stand, and then start to touch them after a few days, and except for some times getting them on the stand the first time or two things usually go smoothly.

[HaysFarm]

Yes we do feed grain.
Ok so like any other animal, Just get them i to a routine, I didn't know if there was a trick to getting them use to it all. I'm a little worried about them freaking out or getting hurt waile trying to ger them on the stand.
Is it best to use a stand?
We live in Middleburg, We ae south of jacksonville,But 2 hours north of Ocala.

[topside1]

Yes, use a stand, it's a back saver and can be used for other purposes. Good luck in getting out of Fla.

[HaysFarm]

I've spoken with people that do and don't use stands, That seems to be the all around is a back saver. And helps with keeping everything clean.
Ya we are more or less here untill the kids are grown up. And maybe more. Work is here year round. But one day, Well have the big farm we both want. It just woun't be here. Land prices are just nuts. But that's ok,Very greatfull for what we have, Very blessed to have what we do.

[Freeholder]

It's a good idea to start getting your does used to getting their grain on the milking stand. But the key, and critical, thing is to be there when they kid, and milk immediately, while you have birth fluids on you. The doe identifies her kids by smell alone, not by sight, and if you have the smell of birth fluids on you she will accept you as her kid and let you milk her with no problems (except in the small minority of cases where the doe wouldn't accept her own kids, either!). Don't worry about getting them used to being touched on the udder before they kid. The hormones that kick in at kidding time will make them instinctively allow their kids (you) to nurse (or milk them). Someone on here a while back said that they thought that touching the does udder before kidding just made her more nervous about being touched there, and didn't do any good.

Kathleen

[HaysFarm]

Wow that's good info to have. Well there not breed as of yet. I'll be picking up a buck rag ( i belive thats what its called) in a couple of days. I'm hoping that theat will help bring them in.( The lady that will be breeding them says they should come in)
Ok that's good info to have. I just wanted to get them ready , and get them use to being on the milk stand before they were even breed. Thought the more time i had on them the better.
Ok so when they kid bethere and make sure not to wear gloves, Kinda like imprinting but with smell. So touching there udders could make them more nervous? I thought by getting them use to having there udder touched would be better. But ok
thank you for the good info

[cseger1]

Something we learned the hard way - does that let you touch their udder may stop letting you when they are bred. We worried a LOT about one who would jump every time we touched her, but once she kidded, she sat there like a pro. It's a way off for you, but file it away under "just in case"

Also-- when you start out - pet them in places they are used to and work your way back and down toward the udder.

[ozark_jewels]

Be sure and have one side of the stand against a wall so that they can't sidle off the other side. Its soooo much easier when they are against a wall.

[Angie]

I had 2 new milkers this year and didn't milk them till the kids were 4 weeks old. It was a circus at first and most of the milk went on me instead of in the bucket. I put a bucket of feed in front of the stand and put the stand up against the wall. I had a tie attached tot he wall and tied it loosly around their neck. I found that after a few times they got used to the milking and I had no trouble while they were eating. I had one that kicked really bad so I slipped a tie around her back leg and anchored it to the stand. I am happy to say they are all doing great now.

[DQ]

Its way in the future for you, but when you are miking plan on milking into something you can hold, so if they dance around you can move with them, and they won't learn that dancing around gets you to stop.

[HaysFarm]

i have some time, But i thought like anything else, get hem use to being there ahead of time and it might put me ahead of the game.