If you are raising multiple goats for fresh milk, milking the goat is the most important part for you. For a few goats or a small herd, you don’t need to use a car or an electric milking machine. You can easily milk goats by hand. Earlier we talked about how to milk a goat.
Here we will tell you more about how to milk a goat by hand. Milking a goat by hand is very easy, even if you have no experience. Although some people think that milking a goat is more difficult than milking a cow.
But as far as we know, hand milking a goat is much easier than milking a cow. With perseverance, patience and a desire to feed goats, you can easily lean on hand dairy goats and become an expert goat milker.
Just follow the step by step process of hand milking a goat. Practice makes perfect and you will become an expert goat milker if you milk your goats regularly.
Things You’ll Need for Hand Milking Goats
To milk goats by hand, you will need some necessary items. The list below captures the items needed for milking goats.
- Necklace
- manger
- grain
- metal bucket
- trading post
- Water for washing and a boiled cloth for washing.
- After milking, a balm, washing up liquid or spray to prevent infection in goats.
How to milk a goat by hand
The steps for hand milking a goat are listed below. Read the steps carefully and follow them very carefully.
Prepare a bucket for milk and cereal
Keep the feeder on the milking stand. Then put some grain in it (about 1 pound of grain). Don’t leave too much grain in the feeder. Because too much grain can cause bloating in goats.
Catch a goat for milking
Catch a goat for milking, having put the grain on the manger. If your female has a collar, you can hold it. Or attach a leash to the collar and take her to the milking area.
Separate milking from other goats
The milking process should be carried out in a separate place. It will be better if you make a special room/place to milk your females. The presence of other goats during milking interferes with milking. So take the females to a separate place for milking time.
Place the doe on the milking stall
Bring the female to the milking station by luring her with grain. She will stand up at the milking station if she finds something interesting to eat.
And if the female knows there is food or grain, then she sticks her head through the bar. Fix the post as soon as the female slips into it.
The rack should not allow the deer to slide backwards when closed. But it should be free and comfortable enough for the goat.
By doing the same process regularly, you will easily jump and jump on the rack. There is no stress in this process.
Wash the udders and teats of your female
Before milking, always rinse the goat’s udder and teats thoroughly with a sterile cloth and lukewarm water. This removes dirt, loose hairs and stuck-on bits of dung, while the heat relaxes the female and helps with milk production.
At this time, udder massage triggers the release of oxytocin, causing the release of milk. Therefore, it is very important to wash the udder and teats with a warm sterile cloth.
Place the bucket
After thoroughly washing the udder and teats of a lactating female, place the bucket on a stand. Place the bucket a little in front of the goat’s udder.
treaty
Wrap your index finger and thumb firmly around the base of the nipple to keep the milk inside the nipple. Squeeze with the middle finger, then the ring finger, then the little finger in a smooth sequential motion.
Never forget to hold the base of the nipple firmly. Otherwise, the milk will flow back into the udder and not into the bucket.
The first nipple squeeze may contain bacteria and dirt. So direct the first round out of the bucket. You can also use fewer fingers during milking if you are an expert at milking goats.
Relax your grip on the base of the teat to let the milk fill the teat. Squeeze one nipple and let the other fill. And do this process again and again.
By exercising regularly, you will regain an efficient goat milking routine. Stop squeezing when you see little milk left. Once deflated, the nipples will be sluggish.
Massage the doe’s udder again to release the remaining milk. The amount of milk per milking depends on the breed of goat you keep.
put away the bucket
Remove the bucket after milking and store it in a safe place away from other goats or animals. Keep the bucket in a place where it won’t be knocked over by a curious or unconscious goat or other animal.
Use nipples for immersion
After milking, do not let go of the doe. After you milk it, use the pacifier solution. This will prevent bacteria from entering the teats and will help keep your goat healthy.
free the goat
After diving into the nipple, grab the goat by the collar, untie the splint, and let it go.
Goat Milking Tips
- Practice leads to perfection. So try to milk your goat as often as possible. And little by little you will learn how to milk goats perfectly (like a connoisseur).
- Never forget to wash the udder and teats before milking. Washing the udder and teats with warm water also helps to relax the udder and produce more milk.
- During milking, keep enough grain in front of the goat. This will keep her entertained while you milk her.
- Do not rely solely on the strength of your hands. Roll the teat lightly around the udder to close the top. Do not pull or twist the nipple. It hurts the goat, but it hurts you!
- If you notice a decrease in milk flow, try massaging the udder for about thirty seconds. This will bring much more milk.
- Never forget to use a teat dip after milking. You can also use commercial pacifiers, balms and sprays. Not only are they good for keeping goats healthy, they also help prevent mastitis.
- Never disturb a goat during milking. So keep other goats and children away. It will be better if you can allocate a separate place/room for milking goats.
