Milking time

Cheribelle · #1 01/25/11, 03:31 PM

OK, Experts, tell me it gets better!?!??

I have 2 I am currently trying to milk, very little experience here. Allison is a second freshener Saanen, lovely girl. Last year she had a single, her bag is a bit lopsided because he must have only used one side. This year she had another single and it got killed by a falling bale of hay, so I decided to try to milk.
One teat points decidedly to the front and outside, I am getting milk all over me, although I did find a milking container that helps.

Ruby is a first freshener, lost her baby, also a Saanen but smaller. Also a Sweetheart. Her little teats point FORWARD, enough that I'm tempted to put her back legs on a step. She milks easy, if I could just hit the bucket!

How many goats to you have to try to find one that milks just right?

We are messing with a milker, not much luck yet....

Sorry, babbling....

I have a LaMancha first year girl I have high hopes for,

Do you pick one and learn to deal with it, or do you milk several and find the best fit?

ACK!

I also have to go through the rest of the begging gang to get to that particular barn, may need to rethink this.

Then the dang dog stole the milk bucket, I have to find a better system, soon.

Sure wish I could just build them a room addition on to the house!

hhhmmmm...........
OK, I am in trouble, this is starting to make sense, DH will kill me.

HELP!?!??!

CraterCove · #2 01/25/11, 04:44 PM

My Saanen doe had a single her first time around and has one blown out teat. It makes things a little more difficult and I was milking for the first time last year. You just need practice! I learned to grab her teats in a certain way and squeeze towards the bucket and eventually I was able to milk relatively fast and not miss the bucket too often.

Chin up! It gets easier, from one newling to another, it does get easier!

Oat Bucket Farm · #3 01/25/11, 04:48 PM

We have just always milked. A lot of your problem is just lack of practice. At first, once you get the hang of milking, then you have to get the hang of aiming while you milk. You will get there.

The Tin Mom · #4 01/25/11, 07:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oat Bucket Farm

We have just always milked. A lot of your problem is just lack of practice. At first, once you get the hang of milking, then you have to get the hang of aiming while you milk. You will get there.

Yep. Plus, even a second freshener will change over the season.

Used to take me 40 minutes to milk a goat that now takes under 5 minutes. Just stick with it! You can do it!

Alice In TX/MO · #5 01/25/11, 07:18 PM

Got barn cats? Practice spraying them with milk. Use two buckets and spray in different directions?

Point the teat where you want the milk to go!

LaManchaPaul · #6 01/25/11, 07:44 PM

I milked into a strip cup last year, then poured the milk into the strainer atop a Mason jar. I could hold the cup closer to the teat.

Like TheTinMom said, I now milk in less than 5min. and into a milk buck with ease. Hang in there. The wonderful milk is worth it!

nehimama · #7 01/25/11, 07:53 PM

Oh, yeah! You'll get there. You can adapt to almost any doe's teats. We were all new at this at one time, and we can all tell you "It does get better!"

GeorgiaGirl · #8 01/25/11, 08:07 PM

Yes, it gets a whole lot better! Last year was our first time milking also. Let me tell you.........the first several weeks in the barn was COMICAL

Milk was going everywhere but in the bucket. Then the goats would step in the pail, etc. WHAT A SCENE! Towards the end of last year, things had improved 100%. Really.

Pony · #9 01/25/11, 08:14 PM

You've gotten some great advice, Cheribelle. Just remember that Practice Makes Perfect. There's no such thing as a doe with perfectly aimed teats. That's where all the challenge and excitement of milking start.

Maybe if you try to think of it as a video game, and the teats are newfangled controllers....?

You can make noises to yourself ("pwaCHING!" "beep! beep!" "ZOT!") and a little "ding-ding-ding" every time you hit the bucket... Yeah!

Heh... Boy, is Trub in for a surprise when she freshens. BWAhahaha!

CraterCove · #10 01/25/11, 08:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pony

Maybe if you try to think of it as a video game, and the teats are newfangled controllers....?

You can make noises to yourself ("pwaCHING!" "beep! beep!" "ZOT!") and a little "ding-ding-ding" every time you hit the bucket... Yeah!

Heh... Boy, is Trub in for a surprise when she freshens. BWAhahaha!

Pony, I have just decided you are very funny.