Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
milk by hand. If you decide to increase your herd, you may want to invest in mechanical
milking equipment that allows you to milk many animals quickly.
Before bringing your first goats home, acquire the following supplies for milking:
• A milk stand or a stanchion, also called a head gate. You will use this restraint device for
milking and occasionally for feeding, trimming hooves, or during veterinary procedures.
The stand is often elevated to hold the goat at a comfortable height for milking. A milk-
ing stand can be purchased from a dairy supply outlet or a goat catalog, or you can
build one yourself. Plans for building milking stands are available online and from agri-
cultural extension offices.
• A milking stool. You will need more than one if several people will be milking at the same
time.
• Glass containers for milk storage. Large jars are made for this purpose.
• A stainless steel milk strainer, with extra disposable filters
• At least one seamless stainless steel pail for milking
• A second stainless steel pail to be used exclusively for washing udders
• Towels and sponges for cleaning udders. These must be kept separately from barn
cleaning supplies.
• Udder wash, also called “dairy soap.” This is a sort of disinfectant soap made specifically
for safely and efficiently washing the udders of milking animals.
• Teat dip
• A strip cup to test for mastitis, which you will be using regularly from the first time you
milk
• A supply of mastitis testing kits such as the California Mastitis Test (CMT)
In order to better understand and predict the outputs of individual does, keep a chart of pro-
duction. After milking, carefully weigh and record the yield of each goat by pounds weight to
1/10 pound. This practice eventually reveals the daily pattern and lactation curve of each goat.
It also provides steady documentation of the quality of each animal as a milker, if you need
the information later when selling the goat or applying for special recognition or status. The
output of an individual doe will vary from year to year as the animal matures and ages. Over
time, you will learn how to stagger the pregnancies, kidding, and drying off your goats, so
they are not all drying off at the same time. The goal always is to have a steady milk supply
available.
