# Milk Test Info - Anyone done a milk test???



## Bellafire Farm (Jan 5, 2010)

I would love any information regarding one-day milk testing. I have the actual formula's from both ADGA and AGS but some more personal info would be GREAT!! I have a nice small herd of Nigerians, and I'm trying to plan out a one-day test for 2011. 

Questions that I have (and I emailed both registries last week & havent heard a word yet, so I thought I'd check here),

1. Firstly - Can I do a 1-day test here at our home? Because I haven't even seen a local 1 day test at any of the ADGA shows I've been to over the past few years. Do they "advertise" on the entry form or websites if they are having a 1-day test? I'd prefer to have it at home anyway, so that I can still actually show my doe's at the ADGA show.

2. All my goats are ADGA registered, as we only have ADGA shows here...but half of them are also AGS registered... If I do an ADGA 1-day test and have a dual registered goat, can I send the paperwork to AGS for a milkstar with AGS (if I meet the AGS qualifications also of course)?

3. How do I find a local milk tester? Do I pay them or are they paid through the registry? 

4. Do I send in the Butterfat test or does the milk tester? And do I arrange the testing facility or do they?

5. Any milking tips? Tools to have on hand? Does the milk have to be milked into anything specific like only Stainless Steel or ? Do you hand milk? Do you use your milk machine? Can you use one of those little hand milkers like the Udderly EZ? Should I milk 3x per day before the testing timeframe or is 2x a day enough?

ANYTHING ELSE AT ALL would be very much appreciated.
Thanks so much!


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## logansmommy7 (Nov 11, 2009)

*Re: ADGA and/or AGS Milk Testing Info (Pretty Please)*

I am also interested in this info for my future information. Good topic!


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## QualityCaprine (Nov 24, 2007)

1. Firstly - Can I do a 1-day test here at our home? Because I haven't even seen a local 1 day test at any of the ADGA shows I've been to over the past few years. Do they "advertise" on the entry form or websites if they are having a 1-day test? I'd prefer to have it at home anyway, so that I can still actually show my doe's at the ADGA show.

_I am a milk tester, but it has been a few years since I had the test. I think my information is correct, but I might be out-dated. You can do a 1 day test at your house. A milk tester not related to your goats in anyway can do it. _
_A local show in Wyoming, that is where I show, has a one day test. It is always advertised as having a one day test. _

2. All my goats are ADGA registered, as we only have ADGA shows here...but half of them are also AGS registered... If I do an ADGA 1-day test and have a dual registered goat, can I send the paperwork to AGS for a milkstar with AGS (if I meet the AGS qualifications also of course)?

_I have no idea about AGS anything, except at the judge's conference they said to sign the AGS parpers if you will want to ever be hired to judge again. lol _

3. How do I find a local milk tester? Do I pay them or are they paid through the registry?

_You can ask the people in your area that are on test. They can give you their tester's name. If you do not know anyone on test, you can find the DHIR club closest to you. Mine is Meadowlark Testing. Some type of payment is required, but close friends usually fudge the payment details. _

4. Do I send in the Butterfat test or does the milk tester? And do I arrange the testing facility or do they?

_Your tester sends everything._

5. Any milking tips? Tools to have on hand? Does the milk have to be milked into anything specific like only Stainless Steel or ? Do you hand milk? Do you use your milk machine? Can you use one of those little hand milkers like the Udderly EZ? Should I milk 3x per day before the testing timeframe or is 2x a day enough?

_You can milk into anything that can be weighed. You or your tester should have a DHIR approved scale and dipper for accuracy. I believe you can milk 1 to 3 times daily. I have only done or seen twice a day. _

ANYTHING ELSE AT ALL would be very much appreciated.
Thanks so much!

_Getting a star on a one day test in much harder than on a 305 day test. You will get scored on pounds, percent butterfat, and percent protien. For example, you get 1 point for each pound of milk. I have no idea what the score for a nigerian must be. _


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## Bellafire Farm (Jan 5, 2010)

This is the info from the ADGA 2009 website... it's the latest they have available...

An official Milking Competition may be sponsored by any state fair, county fair, local, state, or regional goat breeders' association, breed club, or individual. The fee is $25 when the application is postmarked 30 or more days prior to the competition date; $50 if postmarked less than 30 days prior to the competition date. The application is to be signed by the Superintendent in charge or the Secretary of the Fair Board. If the application is approved, the ADGA Secretary will issue written permission to conduct an official Milking Competition and will furnish an official report form, applications for issuance of Star Milker Certificates and forms for certifications required under Rule 3. 
The competition must be open to any goat registered or recorded in the American Dairy Goat Association, American Goat Society, or the Canadian Goat Society, upon proof of such registration or recordation. If the competition is held at a state or county fair, the rules governing entry to the fair must also be observed, provided they do not, in any way, waive the requirement of registration or recordation. 
The owner shall certify to the superintendent in charge and to ADGA the fact that the goats have not received any substance, nor have been subjected to any other non- routine management practices for the purpose of temporarily enhancing components or increasing milk production within the last 10 days. This certification shall be made out and signed by the owner in the presence of the Superintendent at the time the animal is brought into the barn. The Superintendent shall forward this certification to ADGA with the completed milking competition report form. 
Goats entered in a One-Day Test shall be on the testing premises the evening before. They shall be milked dry 24 hours before the hour set for the final milking in the test. The Superintendent in charge, or his representative, shall check each doe to verify compliance with the preliminary milkout requirement. The Superintendent, or his representative, may require any doe to be stripped dry at that time to comply with the requirement. Refusal by the owner (or caretaker) will eliminate the doe from participation in the test. At the time of this preliminary milking, the Superintendent in charge will be responsible for checking the tattoos of every doe to verify that they correspond exactly to the tattoos listed on her registration/recordation certificate. Those that are illegible or incorrect cannot receive any *M award. 
There shall be no more than three milkings per day for the competition. Milk must be weighed on a legal dairy-type scale, recording in pounds and tenths of pounds. Weighing and sampling must be done by a testing supervisor approved by the State Extension Dairyman and/or DHI Manager as licensed to conduct standard DHI tests in the state. Standard DHI sampling and weighing techniques must be used. The supervisor will record the milk weights and butterfat percentage on the standard report form furnished by ADGA. The report form must be signed by the State Extension Dairyman or State DHI Manager. 
The butterfat test must be made as soon as possible after milking and may be sent to any laboratory recognized by that state to run butterfat sample tests or may be run in the regular laboratory of the licensed tester conducting the milking competition. The official milking out and taking of butterfat samples may not be done in private, but must be done in public view. 
Points shall be given for quantity of milk, for period of time since last kidding, and for butterfat as follows: 
For each pound of milk, one point figured to one decimal place 
For each complete ten days the goat has been in milk since last kidding one-tenth (.1) of a point, with a maximum of 3.6 points for standard breeds and .04 of a point with a maximum of 1.44 points for miniature breeds. 
For each .05 pounds of butterfat yielded in the milkings, one point 
Any ADGA registered or recorded standard breed goat that receives 18 or more points and beginning with competitions in 2005, any ADGA registered miniature breed goat that receives 7 or more points will be awarded an automatic *M designation without application or fee. If a Star Certificate is desired, the owner shall complete an application for this certificate and mail it with the fee (Member - $3, Nonmember - $5) to ADGA.

This is "Star" info from AGS:
DOES
Star (*D) titles are given to qualifying does participating in one-day milk tests. Standard does must earn at least 100 points, and miniature does must earn at least 35 points. The points are based upon the following:

•5.55 points per pound of milk given 
•1.11 points for butterfat (pounds of milk x butterfat percent)
•.0555 points for each day fresh (maximum of 19.98 points allowed for days fresh)

here is the link to AGS Milk testing info - (Very extensive):
http://www.americangoatsociety.com/milk ... edures.php

I have an email into the local DHIA center and will let you know the outcome...

PS. STILL no reply from ADGA or AGS... think I'll resend the email now...


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