Dairy Devil Goat

[hiddensprings]

Why is there always one doe that wants to fight like a tiger when it is milking time? I have 7 that I milk by hand. 6 of them are waiting for me at the gate. Happily eat their grain while I milk and are very loveable. Isabell is a nut-case! I have to catch her. I have to practically lift her on the stand, and then continually move the bucket before she kicks it out of the way. She gives a lot of milk and she is heathly. I've checked!! This girl is going to be looking for a new home soon if she doesn't get with the program

[mpete]

I have had those type of does... typically it takes a LONG time to try to tame them down. In my case, I didn't have the time or the facilities to calm her so I sold the goat that was a pain... You might try putting her in a small pen, next to your other does, but making you her "herd".

[julieq]

We call that 'milkability' (or lack thereof) here. They're sold as brood does or pets, but we definitely don't keep breeding them for milk production. We've found out the hard way that those characteristics can be passed on to daughters...

[pookshollow]

Is she a Nubian, by any chance?

[April]

Originally Posted by pookshollow

Is she a Nubian, by any chance?

!!!

Only one of my Nubians is a dairy devil. The others are only minor demons.

[hiddensprings]

Originally Posted by pookshollow

Is she a Nubian, by any chance?

Why, yes, she is. That is all I have. I was spoiled by my first Nubian, Gwendolyn. She jumps right up on the stand, eats her grain, gives me a kiss or two, and we're done. I am starting to wonder if maybe Isabell was use to a milking machine and I am a hand-milker. Or , more likely, she is just a problem child.

[Pony]

Where is the stand?

I found that my Trub does NOT like to be milked in an enclosed area. If the back of the stand is open to the great outdoors, she climbs up on that stand like a pro.

Otherwise, it's absolute misery and a battle of wills - always frustrating when dealing with goats, because we all know who has the stronger will (and it ain't us hoomans!)

Good luck with your gal. I know it's a struggle, and makes milking time so very frustrating.

[Alice In TX/MO]

I had an Alpine with claustrophobia. Had to build her a stand to keep near the door of the goat shed so she could see out. She would NOT come in the milk house.

[pookshollow]

My only problem child is a Nubian. Every single time I milked her last year, I had to tie both back legs, or she'd send the milk pail flying. When I gave up on her, she dried up in two days.

She's due to kid any minute.

All my Saanen FFs get up on the milkstand and say "oh, you want to milk me? Here, let me squat down so you can reach."

[Lada]

Originally Posted by pookshollow

I milked her last year, I had to tie both back legs, or she'd send the milk pail flying.

This was my Nubian the first year we milked her (we bought her already freshened). The next year, she kidded here, and was just fine when it came to milking. This year she kidded here again, and again I had no problems. Then we moved the goats into their nice new HUGE pen across the street and the stomping/kicking has begun again. It does not take that long to tie her legs to the legs of the milkstand, so that's where we are now. She has wonderful milk, and lots of it, so it's worth it to me. I hold out hopes that once she kids in the spring again, things will be o.k. It seems that once she kids, if things stay the same, she does fine. If there's any change...any at all...after she freshens then she turns to devil goat.