Creating this page specifically for Newbie milkers
Hand Milking
We start with hand milking at the beginning of each season to let the new moms to get used to our hands and the routines on the milking stand. We hand milk about 2 to 3 weeks with each lady then switch into milking machine for the herd share purpose.
We start with hand milking at the beginning of each season to let the new moms to get used to our hands and the routines on the milking stand. We hand milk about 2 to 3 weeks with each lady then switch into milking machine for the herd share purpose.
~What do we need~
Milking Stand
The milking stand does not have to be fancy. It needs to be stable. It needs to have a way to hold the doe's head in place by sandwiching her neck. And it needs to have a place to put a grain feeder. Some people milk without a milking stand but if you are the first timer and the goat is the first timer, it will be most likely impossible to get any milk without it. Milking stand can be used for trimming hooves as well as when you want to administer some medications. Having it is very handy why you have goats. If you google, you will find lots of blueprints for you to make it at home. We started with one milking stand. Now we have 4 milking stands. We use a small chair. Some people use the side of the milking stand. |
Milk buckets/ Pails/ Containers
There are lots of things that you can use to collect milk. After lots of tries and errors, we found that stainless kitchen canister sets worked perfectly. Kitchen canisters comes with different sizes. That can be very versatile for so many ways. For example, if the doe is not used to be milked, she will most likely jump and kick. You can use the smallest canister to collect milk with a few squeezes and immediately pour into the biggest canister so milk will not get ruined by the kicking goat. |
Sanitizing set
We like to use Clorox & Dawn soap set **Be careful with fume from this combination - Warm water (2-3 gallons) in a bucket - Clorox (1 cap) - Hot water in a small container - Dawn (a few drops ) - Thin hand towel / goat - Tiny shot glass / goat - Hand sanitizer |
Grain feed
Milking goats need extra energy to produce milk. Each doe will have different needs and capacity. What we need to make sure is to provide whatever they need in order to have a maximum production while they are very healthy. You can check how much they are eating and how much they are producing each time they hop onto the milking stand. |
~How to milk~
5
Sit right next to the goat facing towards her bottom. |
9
You are ready to milk. Check this drawings how to squeeze teats. |