Rodeo Milker Revisited - Total Success Story

[nehimama]

You all may remember the post where I was wondering what breed this goat is. (Still don't know, but it's okay.)



She had a half Boer doeling in March, and I needed to milk out the side the kid wasn't using. What a rodeo! This gal had never been handled or socialized before I'd gotten her, and we were in the middle of kidding / milking season when she came here.

Anyway, I worked with her for about three weeks, getting her to the point where she'd willingly get up on the milkstand, and no longer needed to be hobbled for milking. It was a real picnic (NOT), as I had five other goats to milk, and more kidding going on.

Finally, I decided she and the doeling were going to the sale barn, as I hadn't the time to finesse her any more. I spoke to a neighbor first, though, outlining all Nellie's good points and bad points. The neighbor decided to buy her and work with her. (She got her really cheap!)

That's all Nellie needed! She needed to be with someone who had a much smaller herd, and had the time to finish working out her quirks.

Nellie has turned out to be a sweetheart, easy to handle, and gallon-a-day gusher to boot! And her milk is delicious. I'm SO glad I spoke to the neighbor before hauling Nellie to the sale barn. She has a great home and is very productive.

Just thought I'd let you all know how Nellie turned out.

NeHi

[KimM]

That's great!!! She's a very pretty doe, I'm so glad she found her place. I bet your neighbor is especially happy!

[Chaty]

Always glad to hear they didnt go to the sale barn...and now she has a happy home and someone to give her more 1 on 1 time...She is a very pretty girl too...glad you found her a good home.

[hoofinitnorth]

Isn't that awesome when they come around?! Last year I had rodeo does - first fresheners that hadn't been handled much. One was an absolute WITCH. She just was STUBBORN. This year she is a whole different doe. It was a combination of my stubbornness outweighing hers and my being there when she freshened this year, I think. Same with my other scaredy-goat that came around this year. When they freshen next year I hope that my other scaredy-goats will do the same!

I just bought a doe that another herd gave up because she was an absolute terror on the milkstand. Another first-freshener, the seller told me it took three people to hold her down to milk her out! After 2 days, they gave up and then she didn't want her kids back! They somehow got her to nurse them again but they pretty much gave up on the doe. I brought her home and it was kismet. She loves the change of scenery and is a total lap goat. Another scaredy-goat but very easy to milk once you get her past the initial freak-out.

[joyceb]

I am so glad to hear this! I'm in my first week of milking (ever) and the one doe I have in milk is a first freshener who had not been handled much. I milk her mornings and leave her kids with her the rest of the day until bedtime.

Each morning has been a battle of wills.

I'm hopeful that, with time (gosh - I hope it only takes a couple of weeks!) she will feel calm enough that we can enjoy the sunrise milkings. Either way - there is not sale barn in her future. We need the milk.

JoyceB

[nehimama]

JoyceB, your girl will come around. Just stick to the routine and remain firm. Make sure you and she both remember; YOU are the boss. I'll bet, in another two weeks, you and she will have the routine down pat, and you'll both be "old hands" at the job.

Hoofinit, yes! It is awesome when they finally come around. I'll have several FFs this coming season, and a few Old Faithfuls. Looking forward to it -

NeHi