Milking Goats!

[funnyfarm19]

Hey All! I have a question about milking goats! I have a year old doe, who just had a doeling about a month ago! I’m just starting to get her used to being milked and I’m running into some problems along the way. We have a stand and we are getting some feet holders to keep her feet down. But she eats so quick I can barely even get settled before she’s done. I’ve only had her for about 5ish months and before I got her she wasn’t used to people at all. Since that she isn’t used to being touch back there, but I really want to get her used to it. I feed her sweet grain at night to get her to bed, it’s the only way she will go in. I also just bought alfalfa pellet...but I heard it gets them bloated very easily. What feed do you guys use when you milk, and how can I slow her down and get her used to being milked. Also she no milk will come out when I try, which I THINK means she is kinda stressed out?! Thank you for reading this, and I hope I can get some good info! I will keep you all updated!

 

[RiverOtter]

I haven't had a problem with goats bloating from (reasonable amounts, of course) of alfalfa pellets. But there are also timothy hay pellets and you can use those as well. You can also put a few smooth, fist-sized rocks in her feed pan so she has to nose them around.

I wouldn't tie down her feet, unless she's flipping out to where she's in danger of hurting herself. Some foot stamping is normal. If it's a lot, or she's raising it high, I'll hold it down with my hand for a minute.

For does (and it's never new-to-milking-does that do this, it's always ones that know the drill and are in a snit about something) that get the nasty habit of purposefully sticking a foot in and kicking the bucket over, they wear it. First time is free, I assume it's an accident because goats don't like wet. But if they do it again, either the milk or the wash bucket, whichever is fuller, gets tipped over them and I walk away. No yelling, absolutely no hitting, no stomping and cursing (and goats can drive you to it, for sure) just leave them drip until you can go back to them calmly and nicely, dry them off and be done for the day.

Milk goats can be frustrating, especially when you're both learning, but just remember to stay calm, be soothing and try to make it nice. Do a bit of grooming with a slicker brush (because goats like those) first, then sweet talk her a little, get all set up and her udder cleaned off first, then give her her grain and sit and milk. Make sure to not take her off the stand the moment you're done, because then when she's in a mood (and they can be moody!) she'll want to jump off as soon as she doesn't feel full. But brush her a little, clean up a little, give her another handful of grain, and THEN let her off the stand.

 

[funnyfarm19]

I haven't had a problem with goats bloating from (reasonable amounts, of course) of alfalfa pellets. But there are also timothy hay pellets and you can use those as well. You can also put a few smooth, fist-sized rocks in her feed pan so she has to nose them around.

I wouldn't tie down her feet, unless she's flipping out to where she's in danger of hurting herself. Some foot stamping is normal. If it's a lot, or she's raising it high, I'll hold it down with my hand for a minute.

For does (and it's never new-to-milking-does that do this, it's always ones that know the drill and are in a snit about something) that get the nasty habit of purposefully sticking a foot in and kicking the bucket over, they wear it. First time is free, I assume it's an accident because goats don't like wet. But if they do it again, either the milk or the wash bucket, whichever is fuller, gets tipped over them and I walk away. No yelling, absolutely no hitting, no stomping and cursing (and goats can drive you to it, for sure) just leave them drip until you can go back to them calmly and nicely, dry them off and be done for the day.

Milk goats can be frustrating, especially when you're both learning, but just remember to stay calm, be soothing and try to make it nice. Do a bit of grooming with a slicker brush (because goats like those) first, then sweet talk her a little, get all set up and her udder cleaned off first, then give her her grain and sit and milk. Make sure to not take her off the stand the moment you're done, because then when she's in a mood (and they can be moody!) she'll want to jump off as soon as she doesn't feel full. But brush her a little, clean up a little, give her another handful of grain, and THEN let her off the stand.

Thank you! Do you think I could give her the alfalfa pellet during milking, just like you said about a fist full, and then at night still give her the cup of sweet grain at night? I know the pellet isn’t the same as grain, but I wouldn’t want to make her get fat or anything.

As far as the feet and kicking, she’ll kick up her feet, one or both, and she’ll knock off my hand from her teat

 

[RiverOtter]

For that kind of kicking, try just leaning into her flank. it makes it hard for them to lift their legs that high, and you'll feel her begin to move to do it.

My dairy girls, they get all their grain on the milk stand, and don't get grain at any other time. I'd cut the night-time feeding and just give it to her while milking.

 

[funnyfarm19]

For that kind of kicking, try just leaning into her flank. it makes it hard for them to lift their legs that high, and you'll feel her begin to move to do it.

My dairy girls, they get all their grain on the milk stand, and don't get grain at any other time. I'd cut the night-time feeding and just give it to her while milking.

Alright! Thanks so much! I might have to clip a leash to her after the night milking to be able to get her into the barn! Thank you so so much!!

 

[cassie]

Alfalfa pellets should not cause the goats to bloat. At times I used to feed them free choice. The only thing about alfalfa pellets is that they have to have access to roughage too. Holding her feet down? I never did that. If you milk her twice a day and she gets grain only at milking time she will settle down. I have been known to push my head into the flank. One thing you can do is to have one bucket you milk into and another bucket to pour milk into. Just milk a small amount, pour it into the other bucket and then milk some more. That way if she throws a hissy fit and tips over the pail you have lost only a small amount.

 

[cassie]

I haven't had a problem with goats bloating from (reasonable amounts, of course) of alfalfa pellets. But there are also timothy hay pellets and you can use those as well. You can also put a few smooth, fist-sized rocks in her feed pan so she has to nose them around.

I wouldn't tie down her feet, unless she's flipping out to where she's in danger of hurting herself. Some foot stamping is normal. If it's a lot, or she's raising it high, I'll hold it down with my hand for a minute.

For does (and it's never new-to-milking-does that do this, it's always ones that know the drill and are in a snit about something) that get the nasty habit of purposefully sticking a foot in and kicking the bucket over, they wear it. First time is free, I assume it's an accident because goats don't like wet. But if they do it again, either the milk or the wash bucket, whichever is fuller, gets tipped over them and I walk away. No yelling, absolutely no hitting, no stomping and cursing (and goats can drive you to it, for sure) just leave them drip until you can go back to them calmly and nicely, dry them off and be done for the day.

Milk goats can be frustrating, especially when you're both learning, but just remember to stay calm, be soothing and try to make it nice. Do a bit of grooming with a slicker brush (because goats like those) first, then sweet talk her a little, get all set up and her udder cleaned off first, then give her her grain and sit and milk. Make sure to not take her off the stand the moment you're done, because then when she's in a mood (and they can be moody!) she'll want to jump off as soon as she doesn't feel full. But brush her a little, clean up a little, give her another handful of grain, and THEN let her off the stand.

You are a lot nicer than I am. I didn't bother to dry them off. I just let them drip.

 

[funnyfarm19]

You are a lot nicer than I am. I didn't bother to dry them off. I just let them drip.

Alfalfa pellets should not cause the goats to bloat. At times I used to feed them free choice. The only thing about alfalfa pellets is that they have to have access to roughage too. Holding her feet down? I never did that. If you milk her twice a day and she gets grain only at milking time she will settle down. I have been known to push my head into the flank. One thing you can do is to have one bucket you milk into and another bucket to pour milk into. Just milk a small amount, pour it into the other bucket and then milk some more. That way if she throws a hissy fit and tips over the pail you have lost only a small amount.

Any tips on how to get her to letdown her milk? Should I just let her get used to me touching her and keeping her calm? Do I just test the test every time I put her on the stand?? Thank you guys!

 

[cassie]

Any tips on how to get her to letdown her milk? Should I just let her get used to me touching her and keeping her calm? Do I just test the test every time I put her on the stand?? Thank you guys!

I had a dairy so my view may different than yours. Some of my goats were friendly and some of them were not. I just put them on the stand and milked them. I didn't have time to coddle them. Sometimes it was a bit of a rodeo, but they learned the routine and got over it. I missed it but what test are you talking about?

As for the goat not letting her milk down that may be another issue and not the one you think it is. The animal lets down her milk in response to the hormone oxytocin. I worked as a milker in a cow dairy for many years. If a cow is upset she can hold her milk and you won't get anything out until she relaxes and lets her milk down. I have not found that to be true in goats. Unlike a cow goats can hold some of their milk but not all of it. If you think she is able to hold her milk, ask your vet for some oxytocin and try that just before you milk her. If that is the problem you will know in a few minutes. Oxytocin is sometimes used at cow dairies for the first few milkings with nervous heifers. but personally, I have never found that to be necessary with goats no matter how hysterical they were.

Are you able to get milk out of her some of the time? If not is the udder hard and swollen? If it is, have her tested for CAE. Just so you know, if she does have CAE she can't give it to you but she can give it to her kids through the milk. One symptom of CAE is a hard swollen udder at freshening. If the udder is not hard and you can get milk out sometimes CAE is probably not the problem.

 

[funnyfarm19]

I mean I’ve only tried milking her like 3 times. When she’s on the stand, she won’t let any milk out, but if I take her off and her baby comes over she will let her get milk off. And when baby comes you can see the milk on her lips. Maybe Im just dumb and don’t know how to do it...she’s very difficult her udder is small and it’s got such small tests to grab onto...I usually try to put my 4 fingers behind the teat, and push down with my thumb, nothing comes out. As far as udder, I’ve never had a dairy goat, so I’m not quite sure what is normal. I will look it up, to kinda see the how a normal one is, and then I will try to see if her udder matches that.

I would agree with what the internet said. A soft udder with tougher tissues in the middle