You’re probably wondering why i’m holding a bottle up to this mama’s teat, well I just needed to get a little bit of milk for the kid, because she wasn’t letting her kid nurse, and this was just the easiest way to do it at the time!
You can usually start milking the doe 2 weeks after her kids are born.
-I will usually put my doe on the stand and give her some treats, feed, or hay while I milk her to keep her occupied.
-When milking goats you don’t pull down, just squeeze and release.
-You’ll be able to feel the milk ‘let down’ into the teat, this is when you want to squeeze. Always milk into a clean container or stainless steel bucket.
-The doe’s bag will feel empty when done milking.
Milking Supply List
Milking stand
Halter & lead rope
Teat wipes
Stainless Steel Milk Pail (only used for milk & sanitized after each use)
Cheesecloth
Teat spray
Milk strainer
Milk filters
Glass jars
Labels
Pots w/ lids
Food thermometer
Iodine wash
Feed
Treats
Bag Balm
How To Pasturize Goats Milk
- Use sterile technique when milking & use clean tools
- Heat milk to 161 degrees for 15-20 seconds
- Heat to 145 degrees for 30 minutes
- Flash chill by putting a lid on the pot and putting the pot in an ice bath.
- From here you can culture for yogurt or cheese OR refrigerate or freeze milk
Why Pasteurize Goats Milk?
You can drink raw milk at your own risk. I just personally prefer pasteurized!
Illnesses that can spread from milk animals to humans via raw milk: Brucellosis, Campylobacteriosis, E. Coli, Salmonella, Listeria, Q Fever
It is always safer to pasteurize your milk!
Other Things You Can Do With Goat’s Milk
- Soap
- Pet Nutrition Supplement
- Lotion
Facts About Milking Goats That You Should Know
- Dairy goats can produce milk for up to 8 months after giving birth if you keep milking them every day.
- Some goats can milk up to 2 years if you keep up with milking at least once daily.
- Dairy goats tend to produce enough milk for you to milk them and enough to feed their kid(s), other breeds of goats just produce enough to feed their kid(s).
- If they have more than one kid the milking milk supply will be less…yes you read that right.
- A does milk supply will gradually decrease over time naturally.
- Feed WILL affect the does milk supply and milk taste, so be cautious what kind of treats, type of feed, and type of hay you are feeding your does in milk.
- Feeding 14-16% protein will help support milk production
- Mastitis = red, swollen, painful, infected udders (see DISEASES & TREATMENTS section)
- Nigerian Dwarf goats produce the highest butterfat milk of all dairy breed goats (6-10%) their milk makes good butter, ice cream, cheese, & yogurt. They can also produce about a 1/2 gallon of milk a day, although some of that will go to their kids, if they are still feeding
- You should test your goats before drinking their milk
- A bucks stench can through your milk off flavor.
- Goats have only 2 teats on their udders.
- A lopsided udder can mean one side is being milked more OR mastitis…make sure when you’re milking you milk equally.
