GOAT MILKING 101

Always have a cat present at milking.

My goats - are awesome!  and funny at the same time.  Ezzy has been a consistent milker ever since we got her.  I milked her through and she gave me copious amounts of milk for 4 years straight!  This is her second breeding and i am hoping she will last another four years.

So I thought i was really clever for this one:  since i clean the teats by wiping them off with a baby wipe, I have to keep these particular items handy.  Well, in -20 degree weather of the beautiful winter of Minny-sota, when cannot possible keep them from freezing without a little creativity.  That's where that old heated doggie bowl comes in handy, ya know the one i had to have because i thought the dogs might need it someday.  But honestly, NEVER, NEVER throw anything out when you have a farm, because at some point you will find a use for it.  So here it is, and it keeps the wipes at the perfect temperature not to freeze and warm enough so the goats don't kick you in the head when you rub an ice cold cloth over their personal area.

Another handy thing to have is tape, medical tape.  I wrap it on the teat when it is time to wean the babies off their mama.  They then, of course, cannot drink from the teat, and they subsequently will stop nursing.  This normally would be an effective way and has in the past, however, this year Ezzy gave birth to two very intelligent, resourceful kids that have figured out that if you pull with just the right amount of force and in the right direction, the tape will be removed and you can drink heartily.  So these little buggers have been doing this lately, which is ticking me off since i am down to one milking doe right now after letting Demeter off the hook a few weeks ago, not even to mention the fact that they are 9 months old now and shouldn't be wanting to drink any milk or the fact that their mother shouldn't be even wanting them near her to do so!  Does will usually kick their offspring away at some point when they try to nurse.  I guess Ezzy is still feeling very motherly.

They are also stealing about a quart of milk a day from me, thieves!

So Ezzy is and probably always be my best milker. I share this image of Ezzy being milked so you can compare it to Demeter:

Now look at Demeter, oh Demi as we call her sometimes. This made me crack up even every time I milked her.  She squats down over the bucket!  I've never had a goat do this!  Its hilarious!  Why?  Who knows but i had to take a picture of it.

No directions on how to milk a goat, that has to be done in person.  many people have come here and experienced such a thing. As i think all people should.  Like I think all people should have pets and goats, and horses.  It would be a better world if they did.

SO this is milking from my barn.