A few questions for those that milk on a small level.

[Cashs Cowgirl]

I am just starting to get into milking-for us only-I only have 4 goats...two of my goats and I have been learning a little together and my dogs/chickens/cats are enjoying the rewards of our labors, LOL. I've been leaving the kids (both 9 weeks old) with them during the day from 9:30am to around 5-6pm, then separating them at night-is this okay for them? I just started on that on Monday. I looked in my goat book and it didn't specify an age to start, but the kids are eating feed/grass/browse and looking nice and healthy and they aren't nursing a whole lot. I'm a SAHM and keep a good eye on all of the animals habits here.

I want to start using the milk for us though. I have a stainless steel pot that I've been using. It works well for now, but I plan on getting a 4 qt pail. I won't have but 2 goats at a time to milk.

I need to make sure I'm doing this as sanitary as I can. We're building a more stable milk stand this weekend to keep in the feed shed for milking.

What are some products that you all recommend for bucket washing/rinsing, udder washing, udder dipping, and disinfectant for afterwards. What is neccessary to keep this as sanitary as I can for a small operation. I have lots of quart and larger size glass canning jars for holding of milk so that's no issue.

I've looked on the web at all the stuff, but there is so much. I can't figure out what is necessary to buy...I don't want to waste my money buying so many products that may do what another one does plus more. KWIM?

Oh and a question about pastuerizing: I believe I read that your supposed to bring it to 165 degrees for 15 seconds...is that correct? I also read that it's best to do it over a double boiler, right? (stainless steel I'm presuming which is great since that's what I have in my kitchen for pots).

Thanks to you all!

[mygoat]

First, don't expect high production from your does at this point - the only way to assure they produce at their potential is to milk them 2x per day from the get go, wether they have kids on them or not. They'd produce enough, trust me. But now, they've begun weaning their kids and have adjusted to their intake, and therefore have much lower output.

Also, why pasteurize? If your goats are healthy and you're very sanitary about the entire process, the milk doesn't need pasteurization and is much better for you. Now, if you have young children (like 2 years old)/babies receiving the milk, I can understand. But otherwise pasteurization is not neccessary.

For udder wash and post- milking teat dip, I mix 1 qt water with 2 tbls bleach and a 'squirt' of original blue dawn. It is very sanitary and less harsh on the udder than commercial dips and washes. It doesn't keep so only make enough per milking. I keep dixie cups in the barn which I fill with the teat dip and dip each doe after milkout.

As for equipment, I use a pair of 6qt stainless steel stockpots from the local dollar store - 6.00 ea. I use one as a milkbucket and the other holds a frozen pop bottle. After each doe the milk is weighed, then poured into the pot with the frozen bottle for a quick chill.

Everything is sanitized with dairy sanitizer pre-milking. I also use the dairy soap. Acid wash is used once per week. All of those products cost about 2.00 ea from Hoegger goat supply, and is VERY economical - I've barely made a dent in mine and I milked 2 does all last year. I just keep prepared soap, sanitizer, and acid wash in individual spray bottles below the sink.

[Alice In TX/MO]

I milk two goats. This provides the three/four (depending on who's working where) of us with MORE than enough milk.

I have stainless steel buckets, the stainless strainer, and LOTS of glass jars. I prefer the 1/2 gallon jars, but they are hard to find.

I wash udders with Fiasco Farm's homemade wash/teat dip. Here's the link to the recipe:
http://fiascofarm.com/goats/teatdip-udderwash.html

If you have a plastic Folgers coffee can, it is *just* the right size for 1/2 a roll of Bounty paper towels or the blue shop paper towels. Cut the roll in half, pull out the center cardboard. Put the 1/2 roll in the coffee can and pour in the udder wash mix. Put the lid on and let them soak. I use one sheet per teat.

I have a plastic cup that I put some of the dip/wash in after milking to use as a teat dip.

We separate the mom/babies at night, about 7:00 PM, and they get back together after morning milking about 7:30 AM.

Go ahead and get some chlorhexaderm http://www.1800petmeds.com/Chlorhexi...rod218143.html

to have on hand for surface udder bumps.

I don't pasteurize unless for a special cheese or to take to my grandchildren who have health issues anyway.

[Mrs. Jo]

You don't need the 4 quart pail, the pot will work just fine. My favorite milking receptacle is a 2 quart, flat copper bottom pot I took the handle off. It fits nicely under my mini's.

You will need a stainless steel strainer, and milk filters. I do not recommend filtering in cloth. I like disposable things, so I also use disposable gloves, and paper towels. I got a paper towel dispenser at costo, and this keeps them clean.

Spray bottles. One for the udder wash, one for the teat dip.

Any kind of gentle wash works well. Wipe off the udder with it. Milk when dry, should be about 30-60 seconds. Discard the first few squirts into the cat dish, being sure to check it for lumps or strings. Keep things clean and dry and things should be fine.

Filter the milk right away and start it cooling down. We use either sterilized jars or plastic jugs.
I have another squirt bottle with sanitizer in it which I use to spritz the utensils down with and to spritz the sink area. It stops all mold and rotten milk smell, and icky wash cloths.

[cjb]

I freeze 2 quart jars and milk directly through a filter into them. I use mild soapy water for wash but have used bleach as well. Bleach just seemed a bit harsh to me.

Question to some of the responders - I understand that production will have gone down as she is starting a bit late, but can't you bring it up by milking twice per day?

[Didgery]

I have three does and have been milking for family use only since last August. We have healthy goats and have never felt inclined to pasteurize. My one year old daughter (as well as our other children) has been on raw milk as a supplement since 5 months. I had to stop breastfeeding and wean her onto solely goat milk at 8 months due to health issues (mine) and she never missed a step! She's thriving on goat milk.

We too use fiascofarm's teat dip recipe and use a stainless steel pail, glass jars, and milk filters from the local feed store. We just wipe the udder and teats (as well as our hands) with a clean paper towel soaked in teat dip, dry off, milk into the pail, strain into the jars, and stick 'em in the fridge. We put everything through the dishwasher and that seems to get things clean. If we were to do without the DW (we will one of these days), we could just wash by hand with very hot water and dish soap. We freeze whatever we can't use within about three days, and it thaws out just fine.

The only milk the dog and cats ever get is the stuff that sloshes out of the bucket due to sloppy handling . . .

[jBlaze]

About timing of milking. Sure, you may have gotten more if you had started right away, but often times the kids will take all there is anyways. By seperating them and milking in the evenings, you are taking the amount they are weaned from. When you think they are big enough, simply milk twice a day and keep the kids seperated for a couple months. (Ours tried to nurse after a short seperation.) I see absolutely no problem with what you are doing. Just be sure you milk the doe out completely each time, masaging the udder to get all the milk. Whenever you leave milk, you are telling her that she does not need to produce as much. The more you milk the more they will produce, some are more flexible than others. If they milk a lot, give a lot of grain.

[mpillow]

Just starting out you can milk one handed into your quart canning jars especially if new milkers and dump into larger SS pot----I like the cheap guage stock pot sets 4pots and covers for $25....

I keep unscented baby wipes for washing udders but only as needed....bag balm for use on dry/scabby spots as needed (rarely)

For a filter I use coffee filters and a funnel (designated to milk only)
Strain, chill in freezer without cover for 1hr and then cover and into fridge. No need to pasturize. I do use a bit of bleach in my washing water for dishes and air dry.

Keep the kids separate at night, milk moms in the "a.m." then return babies to pasture with moms until the kids are 3 months then wean entirely...your babies will grow faster.

My children still like a squirt right from the udder as much as the cat!

[tmfinley]

When is the best time to start taking the kids away at night?

Tiffany

[cathleenc]

I just gotta chime in with a different approach...

I don't wash the teats at all. no dip before and after. I do use my gloved hand to brush the teats and udder - then remove the gloves to milk.

Dipping with bleach solution seems so extreme to me. I try to avoid bleach at all times.

[Didgery]

Originally Posted by cathleenc

I just gotta chime in with a different approach...

I don't wash the teats at all. no dip before and after. I do use my gloved hand to brush the teats and udder - then remove the gloves to milk.

Dipping with bleach solution seems so extreme to me. I try to avoid bleach at all times.

I've been thinking about "quitting" the bleach water too . . . we are almost out of our first container of bleach (the one we bought when we got our first freshened doe last summer) and I was just thinking about not bothering with another. After all, I'm perfectly happy pulling a carrot out of the garden, wiping it on my jeans, and eating it. Guess what the carrots are growing in? Yup, goat poop!

I never dipped MY teats in bleach and my three breastfed daughters are doing just fine . . .

[mpillow]

You can separate as early as a week old but I usually start at 2 weeks.

[cathleenc]

Originally Posted by Didgery

I've been thinking about "quitting" the bleach water too . . . we are almost out of our first container of bleach (the one we bought when we got our first freshened doe last summer) and I was just thinking about not bothering with another. After all, I'm perfectly happy pulling a carrot out of the garden, wiping it on my jeans, and eating it. Guess what the carrots are growing in? Yup, goat poop!

I never dipped MY teats in bleach and my three breastfed daughters are doing just fine . . .

Yup. And I know many others who don't use bleach nor dip, also. We're all alive and not getting sick.

[Cashs Cowgirl]

You all are just great! Thanks a bunch! So it seems like I'm doing most things okay thus far. I have noticed that I've gotten more each day, but then again, I'm milking much better than three days ago! LOL. I got a full quart from both does this morning. That's great for us.

As for pastuerizing the milk...I have a friend that wants to barter for some. He wanted it pastuerized though. He has a sensitive system he says.

So is the 165 degrees for 15 seconds right? I wanted to make sure.

My son keeps asking me if the milk is ready yet...he really wants to use it. I didn't want to make him sick if I wasn't doing it right. I'd feel really bad! LOL.

Also a question on deworming them. I plan to pull fecals on them soon and what if they need to be dewormed? There must be a withdrawel time that needs to be taken into consideration when keeping/discarding the milk. Thanks!

[wildhorse]

Ivory dish liquid and water is wonderful to wash with its mild and easy on the skin. After you milk use fight bac it kills germs and is easy on the teats a little goes a long way.

[6e]

On pasturizing it's 145 degrees for 30 minutes or get it to 165 and shut it off. If it goes much higher then 165 then it kills off everything.

We use an udder wash and teat dip that we found a TSC. I used the bleach solution, but one doe it dried out her udder so bad that I'm still trying to get it back right. This new wash seems a lot gentler.

[crazygoatgal]

I use antibacterial baby wipes on my girls teats and sometimes put a bit of iodine/betadine solution in the wipes container, but the paper towel thing has also worked for me. I am not real worried about germs, so I actually didn't do anything until someone made me nervous about bacteria growth. I am immune suppressed and I never got sick on my goat milk when I washed or not and I also do not pasteurize. The idea of a frozen soda bottle in the pot is new to me and I am going to use it! Having a lid for my milk pot is vital, I can't tell you how many ways I used to try and cover my milk pail which did not come with a lid. If I saw a fly in my pail, I would wig out and throw the milk away. I also got Guineas to help my fly problem this year.

[mygoat]

Bleach, at that concentration, really isn't that strong and isn't harsh... My hands get chapped worse from dish detergent. Also, it's not really for OUR safety, it's to prevent mastitis in the doe. It's not expensive or difficult, and I'll use it if it's effective in keeping udder - ruining mastitis out of my herd - Which does take time, money, and annoying treatments which hopefully work.

[Freeholder]

I stopped doing teat dips and washing udders when I had a problem with chapped udders (in the winter). The milk keeps just as long as before, and I haven't had any issues with mastitis at all, so I haven't gone back to doing it. It was also hard on my hands -- I was chapped at least as bad as the goats. I suppose I could wear disposable gloves, but I try to minimize the amount of disposable stuff we use, and the amount of garbage we produce. Not washing is doing just fine (my goats are kept on clean, deep bedding, so they are seldom dirty anyway), so I'll continue with it.

As for milking procedure, I carry my milk pail, filter (I do use the disposable filters), and clean jars all out to the shed. After milking each doe, I filter the milk into the jars. If I was stronger or had more arms, I could carry a bucket of ice water to put the milk jars in, but as it is they have to wait until I get back to the house to go in the frig. The milk keeps well and tastes great, so I'm not going to worry about it having to wait a few minutes to start chilling. My milking pail does have a crescent lid, but once in a while in the summer a fly will get in -- I flick it out, because it's not really in the milk, it's in the foam on top of the milk. The only time I dump the milk (usually either give it to the chickens, or to the dogs -- they get milk as part of their regular diet anyway) is if a hoof has gone in it.

Kathleen

[DQ]

I use the generic antibacterial wipes. they have vit e and aloe that also help with chapping. I milk through a paper towel filter held on with a rubber band (started that recently, i used to use a fine weave cloth) into a 2 quart stainless steel canister. I stopped pasteurizing it since my daughter is a little older I just stick it in the frig when I am done. in the evening I add the milk to a pitcher that is rotated so that it gets washed every couple of days (the newer milk goes in the pitcher in back and when a pitcher is used up it is washed) the canister goes through the dishwasher at night and is ready to go again in the morning. you don't need all that fancy stuff. I got the canister at walmart. it is small enough to hold with one hand for those bouncing and kicking ff, and rubber band a paper towel onto so that I never get gunk or flies in the milk.