Watch our milking movie
We have movie stars, see them at this link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvGVb8jPJFTIy64lPo8VgOw
(copy and paste the link into the address bar of the world wide web).
(copy and paste the link into the address bar of the world wide web).
Train her to the milk stand (link)
Here is a link on training a goat to the milk stand:
http://www.theprairiehomestead.com/2014/08/training-goat-milking.html
http://www.theprairiehomestead.com/2014/08/training-goat-milking.html
The Milk machine
I use the Dashna two teat milker.
My husband made me a foot stool that holds the milker in a position where I can use my foot to pump.
This foot pumping enables me to use both hands to hold the teat cups onto the does teats
until enough suction is established whereby they will stay on by themselves, and I don't need to keep holding.
The Dashna milker is kind enough to use, even with my hands pumping, without causing them too much strain,
but I needed to use both hands, as mentioned earlier.
Here is the link to the milker:
http://danshafarms.com/Goat-Sheep-Cow-Battery-Powered-1-Quart-2-Teat-Milk-Machine-1q2tbpp.htm
My husband made me a foot stool that holds the milker in a position where I can use my foot to pump.
This foot pumping enables me to use both hands to hold the teat cups onto the does teats
until enough suction is established whereby they will stay on by themselves, and I don't need to keep holding.
The Dashna milker is kind enough to use, even with my hands pumping, without causing them too much strain,
but I needed to use both hands, as mentioned earlier.
Here is the link to the milker:
http://danshafarms.com/Goat-Sheep-Cow-Battery-Powered-1-Quart-2-Teat-Milk-Machine-1q2tbpp.htm
Our milking ritual/routine
So, our routine is to pen babies in a pen overnight, and let moms' udders fill overnight, then milk in the morning.
I put about two cups of feed (all stock sweet feed and some whole corn- their absolute favorite) into the large coffee can,
let my doe in the milk pen
(which is a quick set up, consisting of a dog kennel, with a canopy, and stone pavers underneath).
Putting the can up on the milk stand, she eagerly hops up,
I latch closed the headstall to keep her in place.
While she joyfully munches, I actually hobble her feet
with a make shift hobble of 1/4 inch cotton rope and a couple of slip knots.
Her feet can then be latched to each side of the milk stand to keep them more still.
Ideally she would be perfectly still and there would be no need for the additional minute of strapping in.
I wash her teats and udder with water,
not caring for the bleach solution that leaves her sensitive skin dry and needful of udder balm.
She can be dried, ideally with her own towel (paper towel).
I put the teat cups in place, holding them with my hands
while pumping about about fifteen times with my foot,
or long enough to get milk flow from each teat.
I pump every so often, trying to be subltle so as to keep her calm, to keep the flow of milk.
DO NOT OVER PUMP, because this can result in too much suction, and she can bleed/ be damaged.
About ten minutes later, the jar has enough (about 3 cups) and she finishes with her feed can, so we call it good, and quit. Sometimes I'll milk her by hand to get the very last drop out, other times I leave it for the kids.
Her teats gets washed/ or dipped in clean water. This helps close them, making them less vulnerable to bacteria, etc.
I put about two cups of feed (all stock sweet feed and some whole corn- their absolute favorite) into the large coffee can,
let my doe in the milk pen
(which is a quick set up, consisting of a dog kennel, with a canopy, and stone pavers underneath).
Putting the can up on the milk stand, she eagerly hops up,
I latch closed the headstall to keep her in place.
While she joyfully munches, I actually hobble her feet
with a make shift hobble of 1/4 inch cotton rope and a couple of slip knots.
Her feet can then be latched to each side of the milk stand to keep them more still.
Ideally she would be perfectly still and there would be no need for the additional minute of strapping in.
I wash her teats and udder with water,
not caring for the bleach solution that leaves her sensitive skin dry and needful of udder balm.
She can be dried, ideally with her own towel (paper towel).
I put the teat cups in place, holding them with my hands
while pumping about about fifteen times with my foot,
or long enough to get milk flow from each teat.
I pump every so often, trying to be subltle so as to keep her calm, to keep the flow of milk.
DO NOT OVER PUMP, because this can result in too much suction, and she can bleed/ be damaged.
About ten minutes later, the jar has enough (about 3 cups) and she finishes with her feed can, so we call it good, and quit. Sometimes I'll milk her by hand to get the very last drop out, other times I leave it for the kids.
Her teats gets washed/ or dipped in clean water. This helps close them, making them less vulnerable to bacteria, etc.
After the girls are done working
After I socialize with the babies, after their charm school classes are done (all 10 minutes worth),
mom and babies can unite into the same pen, spending their day together,
following butterflies into different splotches of clover, sun and shades.
mom and babies can unite into the same pen, spending their day together,
following butterflies into different splotches of clover, sun and shades.