Getting a milking goat! Now what should I know?

[MissPrissy]

You should milk her every 12 hours. Say 7 am and 7 pm or 8 am and 8 pm. etc. Be consistant. Don't miss a milking or she will dry up on you and there won't be any milk until you breed her and she kids.

I will warn you - if she is to be a lone goat you need super extra good fencing and an electric wire run at 2 or 3 levels.

She will climb the fences trying to get out and find her herd. Bored and lonely goats do a lot of damage.

 

[Harley's girl]

Can I tie her up? I have lots of fence rows that need some clearing out. Would it be okay to do that?

 

[MissPrissy]

Goats are very strong. It is not a good idea to tie them up. They will either hurt themselves or hurt you. Also they become very easy prey for dogs and other predators.

 

[Harley's girl]

Dang it! I may rethink the whole thing now. I have horses here, she could run with them. If she can't run with them and shouldn't be tied. Well, I just will not have a place to keep her.

SHOOT!

Maybe I can find a farmer near by that would be willing to sell me some milk. Thanks for all the advice. I will let you all know when I find my farmer.

 

[smpezzi]

I wish I was closer I would take her and sell/trade milk to you

 

[hazelton farms]

Harley's girl, what about a dexter cow in milk instead? They are smallish, provide about 1-2 gallons (depending on the cow) and can be alone. Something to think about???

The milking part is easy enough to learn and once you're doing it and your arm muscles are done hurting for the first couple of weeks, you'll be fast and good at it. So don't let that part of all this be a worry to you.

Goat or cow, make sure you have a stand (goat) or stanchion for a cow. It helps your back a ton and keeps the animal still and gives her a good "usual" place to go for the milking routine.

Also, try and find a place as fly free and quiet as you can when milking. That helps a TON!

You'd need something to clean their teats with and there's many schools of thought on that. You'd also need a stainless steel "something" to milk in to. Also, some jars you can store your milk in and are able to clean. The detergent they sell at hoeggers is great for cleaning out your milking supplies. Doing it by hand saves you cleaning a milking and with only one animal to milk, it wouldn't cause you a lot of pain or misery and actually, milking quietly with just your loving animal is a fun, relaxing time.

If you can't get the cow, try and talk your husband into a small whether. Tell him that one could eat the brush up and weeds.

Shouldn't cost you much money to get a whether and it'd keep your girl quiet and happy.

Also, if you let her eat brush, make sure you take her away from it a few hours before milking times and give her some sweet feed, otherwise you may have 'different' tasting milk each time you milk your goat.

Stacy

 

[Solsken Farm]

Your goat could run with your horses, but that isn't sufficient company in my experience. We bought a single goat as a companion to our mini horse. He was the one I described earlier. It was no solace for him, and why we went and got a few more. He still gets out to visit with us and steal food from the chicks.

Even with his buddies.....they are smart. strong and mischeivous and needs lots of stimulation, a herd and very strong fencing, as Miss P and I have said. Good luck with your decision. I would take 2 goats over a cow any day, as I adore them. But that's just me. Cows are alot more mellow, and can be with the horses too.

Let us know what you do!

 

[americana-chick]

i milk goats and cows around 7:30 in the morning and 5:30 at night

 

[Davaroo]

Goats? I only know one thing about htem:

Stay away from the front end. They are nasty little buggers with a bad disposition and the disturbing habit of butting whomever they choose, whenever they choose.

 

[G.C.]

We had a small "goat" barn. Two goats......then six goats. A horse barn stall would work. You need a milking stand. Goat feed in the tray and they learn to climb on and settle down. Keep the belly and the bag very clean. Soap and warm water works great. Wrap your hands around her teets, start squeezing while lifting up, forefinger and thumb first then the other fingers. Pull down gently with a smooth but firm motion. Use a stainless steel pail. Then dip each teet in a iodine solution. Before you milk put a small pail half full of water in the freezer. After milking strain the milk into two quart jars and put them in the freezer water for a hour. Then in the fridg. Trick is to chill the milk quickly. Milk every day at the same time. We did it at 7am and 6pm. Hope this helps. G.C.