Milking Questions

[sweetshoplady]

I'm ordering a stainess milk pail, a couple of them. Should I also order a milk strainer and filters?

The doe I'm buying is used to being milked twice a day. I should plan to milk her the evening I get her home?

I have read the articles on Fias Co Farm and plan to follow their sanitation procedures of washing the doe's udders and dipping the teats afterwards. And I read in a different article about putting a few squirts of milk into a bowl from each teat before I begin the actual milking.

Any tips and advice would be greatly appreciated.

The articles on Fias Co Farm sounded like if good sanitation is practiced, shouldn't have any problems.

Will I be able to tell if something is wrong with the milk, thus a problem with the doe? One article I read talked about ropy milk and all sorts of things - under udder care. Having only had grocery store milk and no one nearby to see what is "normal" is it hard to tell if its "abnormal"?

 

[ibpboo]

Sounds like you've got a good start on info. I do not know about milking, can't you also strain it through cheese cloth or something? I think that after a little experience you will be able to see what the milk should look and smell like. Have fun with all this!

 

[UnttouchableRose]

Fias Co Farm has some really neat info I ahve looked at it before. I personally would trust their opinions and info. I don't have any thing to add other than that, though. Sorry.

I just recently tried milking my Nubian for her kid that was orphaned and in 3 days time I was so sick of it I just settled for Milk Replacer and it went much better. So I am really no help at all. I thought it would be fun milking her and I HATED it!

Happy Milking!

 

[lacyloo]

If you have goats, and need info please check fiasco farm, it has the most significance amount of everything goat on it.

 

[helmstead]

You should aim to milk every 12 hours. I do about 9 am and 9 pm. I strain my milk through coffee filters...works great.

And yes, sanitation is KEY to good milk, as is quick refrigeration.

Before you get all gung-ho - milk her once, chill it a few hours and taste it. Not all does make good milk!

 

[sunnychooks]

To answer you question about "ropy" milk, I use a strip cup to squirt the first few squirts of milk from each teat in. It has a mesh top on it so that you can examine the milk a little more carefully than if you were to use a bowl. If you see anything abnormal, such as stringyness, off color, bad smell or lumps it may be a sign a mastitis. The best indicator of the health of a goat is her milk.

Everyone has different procedures for milking. The fiasco farm site is great. If you follow their advice you're off to a good start. Have fun!!!

 

[sweetshoplady]

What is a strip cup? Would you describe it in more detail? Is the mesh like a coffee filter or a window screen? Can I make one? Or do I need to find a place that sells them?

 

[sunnychooks]

A strip cup is a stainless steel cup with a removable lid that has a mesh screen (like a door screen) on the top. You could probably make one, but the one I have I got from Hoeggers Goat Supply. Here is the link:

(www.hoeggergoatsupply.com/xcart/search.php?mode=search).

Be sure to discard the milk from the strip cup. Bacteria collects on the orifice of the teat and will be flushed out in the milk that's first drawn.

 

[sweetshoplady]

Thanks! Yes that would enable you to get a good look at the milk for abnormalities.

So it should strain through like milk from the store, maybe a bit thicker. Great!

I appreciate the help.

 

[flyingmonkeypoop]

When we milk, we wash the udder with a little soapy water. The first 2 or 3 squirts from each teat are given to the cats. We milk into a pail then when done milking we spray the teats with fight bac, you should be able to find it at the feed stores, if not see if they can order it for you, its normally for cows but works all the same. When we get the milk inside we fill a large pan/pot of cold water and put ice cubes in it. We then put a strainer for jam or whatever from the grocery store over the mouth of mason jars, then put a coffee filter over that and start pouring the milk into it. Once all the milk is poured, we put the jars of milk into the pan of ice water to cool them. Once they are cool, we stick a lid on it and put it in the fridge. We make sure we use it within the week.