quick chilling milk & cleaning milking supplies

[cathleenc]

We'll be milking 2 goats - purely for home consumption.

How do you quickly chill your fresh milk? I keep reading that it needs to be chilled asap - particularly if you are not going to pasturize it (we want it raw) - but I cannot find info on how to quick chill for small quantities.

Also, I keep reading about using chemicals to clean milking supplies, like buckets, to prevent milk stone build up. We want the cleanest, freshest milk we can have - but do we really need to worry about milkstone?

thanks so much,
Cathy

[Patty0315]

I use gallon mason jars. After milking I come in and strain it into the mason jars and put it in the freezer for about 1 hour.

You need an acid wash to remove milk stone build up . Rinse your milk stuff with cold water before washing with warm and you can do the rinse about every week or so.

Patty

[cathleenc]

the farm we're buying actually has an old spring house on it that the original dairy farmer used to chill and store milk .... but we have 2 small children and I'm feeling desperate to keep them away from it. The pond is fast spring-fed and never gets above or below 40 degrees.

Do you buy acid wash? Can you use a home-made version, like vinegar?

thanks so much,
Cath

[mygoat]

In exactly in your situation, though I plan on upping my number of dairy does. Currently I'm milking just two alpines. Here's what I do:

I have two 8 qt stainless steel stock pots that I got at Family dollar for like 4.00 each or something? Cheap, and there is no real difference between stock pots and fancy 'milking pails' other than about 30 or 40.00! I made handles for them out of zip ties, key rings, and dog walking 'couplers' that I had on hand.

I also have two stainless steel 2qt buckets that I bought from jeffers as a dog water bucket for much cheaper than if I had bought it from a dairy supply store (once again, same thing!) and also I have a Stainless steel mini strainer from hoegger goat supply, the milk filters for it. I also have the milk sanitizer, dairy soap, and acid wash, all from hoegger goat supply. They are very economical to purchase.

Anywho, every milking I carry down the two stock pots and a 1/2 gallon plastic bucket that has my teat dip/udder wash in it. Nested in my 'milking' stock pot is the 2qt bucket and the strainer. In the other stock pot is two baggies that I filled with water and froze. I milk, strain, and then pour right into the bucket with the baggies. Then I can even do my other chores and leave the milk, chilling, in the milkroom for an hour or more. Even if I go directly from pouring it into the second stock pot to inside, the milk is chilled by the time I get inside. I had problems with not chilling it quickly enough when I tried it any other way... This way works GREAT.

[hoofinitnorth]

You can take out a cooler or bucket or bowl of ice in which to set your milk container until you can get inside and refrigerate or freeze it.

I always wondered though, does freezing goat milk change it noticeably? How about if you drink it vs. make cheese or yogurt, etc.?

[goatsareus]

I have milked goats for 30 years and have pushed the boundaries on many goat keeping strategies. I am using the same milk pail and bucket for 30 years and have never seen, nor tried to remove any milk product (stone?) from the insides of the pails. I do immediately rinse the pails with cold water. I do nothing extrarodinary to cool the milk. I do milk in the cool of the morning. My milk does not develop any off flavors until the milk is around 10 days old. My milk is delicious. I have fooled many people, telling them it is cows milk, and they say it is the best tasting cows milk they have ever had. I keep raw milk, although I do pasturize for yogurt, buttermilk and some cheeses.

My advise, start out slow. Wait until a problem developes before you buy a solution. Goats can be expensive. I get by with stainless steel equipment, milk filters, clean water,... no special soap or chemicals.

[cathleenc]

Originally Posted by goatsareus

My advise, start out slow. Wait until a problem developes before you buy a solution. Goats can be expensive. I get by with stainless steel equipment, milk filters, clean water,... no special soap or chemicals.

thank you! It's always such a temptation - to BUY when starting a new endeavor. Nothing like the voice of experience to temper the buying inclinations.

Can I ask what your practice is when it comes to worming with goats? Would love to know.

thanks again
Cathy

[Blossomgapfarm]

I have only had my goats for about 9 mo but I have not had to use anything special to clean my milk pail. I am not saying it won't happen but as of right now, on the advise of the breeder we got our girls from, I just make sure I rince immediately with cool water then wash and rince with dishwashing soap and warm water. I only have 2 girls that milked this year. Buy stainless and it should last.

As to cooling it, I milk and then immediately take it inside and put it in the mason jars. The wide mouth are much easier to deal with. The small size allows the milk to cool much faster than a large amount in the same container would. I have a larger strainer, more expensive but I am glad I got it as it fits over the wide mouth mason jar and allows me to strain more quickly.

[Vicki McGaugh TX Nubians]

Milk stone is a regional problem, I think it must have something to do with hard water or something. I have asthma, so I can't use chemicals. I use 1/4 cup clorox bleach to 1 gallon of water to do all my dairy cleaning including teat dip, which I spray on to saturate the bottom of the udder and the whole teat to dripping. I am sure my stainless steel would be prettier acid washed, but I am not really into all that.

I also use baby wetones that pop out of the top (cheapo ones from wallmart) to prewash with, I pour about 1/4 cup of rubbing alcohol into it, milk, strain into a regular strainer with bounty papertowel in it and put the milk into icewater in the sink. I freeze nearly all my 4sale milk, frozen fresh it is exactly the same for raw drinking making cheese or soap as fresh unfrozen. During the summer I toss a plastic soda bottle that is full of water and frozen into the milkpail before milking so the milk is being chilled . IF I still milked by hand I would have butter muslin stretched over the top of my milkpail under my half moon lid, so I was milking, straining and chilling all in one motion. Vicki

[goatsareus]

Originally Posted by cathleenc

Can I ask what your practice is when it comes to worming with goats? Would love to know.

thanks again
Cathy

Worms are a HUGH concern to goat owners. In my opinion, you must be diligent in controlling worms. Worms can kill a goat, but worms are also always present in goats. The goal is not worm free goats, the goal should be keep to worms under control so the health of the goat is not compromised.

I used to have fecal exams done, but I was only coming up with one type of worm. I now also have tapeworms, so I worm for both worms, WHEN I see evidence, and also in the spring and fall. I watch my goats very carefully for hair condition, color of mucus membranes, thriftiness, behavior changes, dull eyes, general condition (losing weight?).

So I worm at least twice a year, carefully moniter the goats, and only worm again when I see a problem.

Next question ?

Also, please get advice from others. This is only what has worked for me, in Southern Ohio.