Doe lying down on the job

[Meg Z]

My first fresheners were coming along fairly well, I thought. Well, they've changed their minds. Rosie likes to kick, and really gets going when she's tired of her food. Blackberry kicks and bucks, then lays down. I was finally getting a good amount of foot-free milk this morning, when Rosie went into her 'I'm done eating' bit, and spilled it all.

I'm not usually emotional, but I burst into tears. :waa:

Then I came in the house and ordered a hobble from Caprine Supply. But that won't help with bucking and laying down, will it? What can I do about those?

I'm thinking about going back to a cow.

Meg

[Vicki McGaugh TX Nubians]

A hobble on a goat does not work like it does on a cow. A goat can still hop with a hobble on, which still gives you a mobile rear end to deal with. Tie each foot to the stand with the legs apart, grain on the milkstand only, so she is hungry.

Some of the attitude of the bad first freshener comes from their shear size and nearing 24 months of being dry. They learn a lot of bad behaviors, unless shown heavily, how much attention, leading, correction do they get just being fed once or twice a day? Freshen them young, especially as you get older! Dealing with a 165 pound first freshener her first 6 weeks on the milkstand, compared to dealing with a 12 month old 120 pound first freshener? A piece of cake! The older I get and the longer I do it by myself, the more I breed for temperment, or should I sell the more I sell for temperment Vicki

[Meg Z]

I figured the hobble wouldn't stop the bucking, or hopping, if that's a better term. Only the kicking with one leg at a time, so it should work for Rosie. I hope.

I can tie one hind leg of Blackberry to the stand, but there is nothing on the other side to tie it to. Hmmm...I'll have to figure something out. That won't stop her from laying down, though.

They only get grain on the stand, twice a day, and they are both eager to get up there and eat. Rosie is fine until she's tired of being there. Once I finish and release her head, though, she wants to finish eating anything she hadn't. I don't let her anymore. Only eating while I'm milking. Blackberry is another story. She likes the quick brushing she gets, then spazzes when I touch her udder. It's not tender, she just doesn't want it touched. She wouldn't let her kids nurse the first two days, either. I had to hold her for them. She can eat and buck at the same time without missing a mouthful.

I'll try tieing the off hind leg while I'm waiting for the hobble. Maybe I'll hold on to the other one and milk one handed.

Thanks,
Meg

[gccrook]

I posted this somewhere else, but I find that if you lean into their side just in front of the rear legs while milking, they have a hard time kicking or dancing. They will brace themselves against you, and this occupies the legs. I milk into a jar that I hold in my other hand, and that way it never gets kicked over and spilled. I also empty the quart jar when full, so if they manage to kick into the jar, I only lose something less than a quart. Most of my bad milkers have settled down within a week or 2 of consistent treatment. I hope things get better for you.

[TwoAcresAndAGoat]

A suggestion for the one who finishes her food early, then wants OFF the stand.

My mother is a slow milker and Maggie often finished her grain before Mom was done milking. Our solution was to put a bit of hay in the grain bucket and sprinkle the grain among the hay. This slowed Maggie down enough for my mother to finish milking.

[Meg Z]

Thanks for the additional suggestions, folks. I'll keep working on it. I lnow the longer they get away with it, the harder it'll be to break it. We're going on about a week of this, now...keep the fingers crossed!

Meg