A cup of goat’s milk not only tastes great but will also give you numerous benefits!However, do you know how to milk a goat yourself? These tips are sure to help you in the process of raising a few beautiful goats of your own.While some people may think otherwise, extracting a goat’s milk is actually good for animals if it is done in the correct fashion. It lets us detect early signs of mastitis in goats, such as oil release and bleeding. Keep reading for a guide that will help you raise the best and happiest herd of goats ever!If you enjoy reading this article, why not also check out are goats good pets and can goats eat apples here at Kidadl!What is the first step when milking a goat?The first step when it comes to milking goats is ensuring that the animal is securely fastened onto the milking stand and is comfortable as it feeds on some grain or other food. Animals tend to not like the milking process initially, especially if it is their first time taking part in such intrusive activities. However, the greatest and most important tip that should always be kept in mind is that a goat will only be milked smoothly and without any kicks if the animal is comfortable. For the first couple of times, the milking process can be quite tiring since both you and the goat will be unfamiliar with the routine. Since humans take time to figure out their own rapport with a goat and also take time in understanding the finger positions required in order to milk a doe, your pet is likely to kick a little. Kicking and pulling on its ropes shows that the doe is uncomfortable and is getting hurt in the milking process.Once the milking stand is set and the food dish is placed in front of the doe, it is only a matter of understanding the finger movements required while squeezing the goat’s teats.How many times a day do you milk a goat?The milk production in nursing goats takes place over the course of around 12 months. However, for a considerable time period, in the beginning, goats reserve their milk for their kids. Hence, it is only after the kids have been weaned that you should be milking your goats. This may take seven to eight weeks, after which you can start milking your goats twice a day. These milking sessions should ideally be spaced out over 12 hours of time.However, if you want to run a dairy farm and would like to get some milk from your goats even while they are feeding a kid, it is advisable to only milk your animals one time during the first seven weeks after they have given birth. Since goats and other dairy animals have the tendency to stop their milk supply and reserve it for their kids, it is advisable that you remove the children from their mother goat’s shed during the night and then reach for the milking stand with your pail or bucket early during the following morning. This will ensure that the children have enough food from their mother during the rest of the day, while also giving you a considerable amount of milk.The 12-hour gaps between milking a goat after its children have started eating solid food (such as grains and hay) should be spaced out in such a way that you extract a bucket of milk during the early morning and another during the evening. This will make sure that each time your dairy farm animals reach the milking stand, each udder is full of sweet-tasting milk.How long does it take to milk a goat?The milking duration is different for each goat. If the animals in your dairy farm are in good health and have gotten used to the practice of milking, there is a strong chance that the process will flow smoothly and take less time. However, if your goat is a first-timer, it is certain that the process will take some time. This is because the animal takes time to understand what is expected of it and that they are not being abused in any way. If your goats have given birth to their first baby, they will also be motivated singularly towards returning to the herd.The time it takes to extract a goat’s milk also depends on the breed of goats that you have. Each goat breed has a different type of udder and teat. Hence, a lot of the time that you have to dedicate towards the extraction of milk is going to be decided by whether or not the pinching process works well for the specific breed.Are some goats easier to milk than others?Some goats are definitely easier to milk than still others. It has been noticed by many dairy farm owners that experienced goats are more agreeable towards the milking process. They take less time to stand over the bucket and pail. Some goats even get so used to the entire process that they willingly go to their milking stand as soon as the pen is opened in the morning. However, there are certain practices that can make the extraction of a goat’s milk an easy process. Dairy farm owners and workers also agree that milking is a bond-building process between their goats and themselves. For a goat to understand that a human being is of no threat to the herd shows the level of intimacy and understanding that these workers must create. Therefore, make sure that you are ready to put in the amount of time and effort that it is likely to take in order to achieve such levels of intimacy and understanding with the herd of goats that you have at your dairy farm as well.An inexperienced goat is likely to throw a few kicks your way the first few times that it is fastened to a milking stand. It will completely depend on the tricks that you have up your sleeve. The amount of love that you show the animal during its first few times on the milking stand will also determine the amount of milk that the animal later starts to give you on a daily basis. Goats have the ability to stop their udders from releasing milk if they realize that the food is going to a threatening presence. If this happens, there is little chance that the goat can be milked. Once the rapport has been rebuilt, you may expect a pail full of milk every single day!How easy or difficult the milking process can be is determined by the size of the goat’s udders and the characteristics of the teats. While it may sound a little absurd, each goat breed has a different type of udder and teat combination. The ease with which you will be able to carry out the pinching and pulling motion and how smoothly the animal can be milked is understandably also going to depend on how pliable and soft the teats are. It is, therefore, also important to understand that all goats have different anatomies, and the amount of milk that they produce can be affected by this. For example, Nigerian dwarf goats can be milked twice every day and also yield a considerably large amount of milk in every single attempt. There are other goat breeds which only yield milk once a day. It is important to understand goat breeds and their capacities with regard to milk production before investing in a herd for your dairy farm.Goat Milk CycleThe goat milk cycle has three stages. The first stage is the one that lasts till the new born baby goat is around eight weeks old and has started to eat grains and hay. At this age, since the mother goat is no longer nursing a child, you may start start milking the nanny goat with the right equipment and practices. A nursing nanny goat can also be milked; however, this often hampers the health of the baby if the process isn’t done with consideration towards the amount of milk that the newborn is getting. Hence, it is mostly advised that milking starts once goats have started their freshening stage.At the freshening stage of the goat milk cycle, you may start milking the animals twice a day, given that you feed them the right foods and make sure that they have a healthy udder. The milking sessions should be spaced out over a duration of 12 hours, since these animals also require their own time to produce more milk.The freshening stage of the milk cycle is likely to last for around 12 months. This means that you are sure to get fresh milk for over a year if the goat’s health and wellbeing are looked after correctly. Once the freshening stage is over, however, the goat’s milk begins to dry up. You will begin to notice that there is less milk in the teats every single day. This should be an indication that the goat is ready for breeding. Breeding such herd animals in a dairy farm is common once their dry stage begins.How do you train a goat for milking?The first few steps for milking a goat are to make sure that you make it familiar with the milking stand and feed it some delicious grain. Once such comfort levels have been achieved, it should be easy to trap the animal and practice a few milking tips.Always make sure to keep each udder clean so that bacteria doesn’t infect your animal. One of the most useful tips is to always squeeze the udder and teat and not pull it. If you do somehow pull a teat harshly, the animal can get agitated and kick around. Make sure that the animal is familiar with the warm touch of your fingers on their teats to ensure that the goat’s milk is not stopped midway. A gentle massage also helps in reassuring the animal that its milk is going into safe hands.Ethics Of Milking A GoatThere are certain equipment and supplies that you will definitely need for extracting a goat’s milk. A bucket and pail, a dixie cup, some iodine and a wash rag are essentials. A bucket of warm water and a gentle soap should be used to wash the udders before milking because bacteria may grow in these areas.Make sure to sanitize your hands and fingers before milking to avoid infections. Each teat should only be squeezed between the thumb and fore fingers, instead of pulling with the entire hand. It must be understood that a teat is sensitive and should not be hurt.The first few squirts of milk should always be caught in a strainer to see if there is any oil or other abnormalities that may be signs of mastitis.The last step in milking is to dip each teat in a cup of iodine. This makes sure that the teat is safe from infections.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for ‘How to milk a goat’ then why not take a look at ‘How many stomachs does a goat have?’, or ‘Goat facts’.
A cup of goat’s milk not only tastes great but will also give you numerous benefits!
