# Milking stand woes...



## fruittartcaprines (Mar 3, 2010)

My doe was milking beautifully on the stand. And then, her hooves got slightly long and she slipped and fell ON the milking stand. Apparently, it was very traumatizing to her (understandable). Now she wants nothing to do with the milking stand. I cannot force her to get up there, nor can I lure her up there. She'll be lured to the point where she puts one foot up and then once she susses out that you actually want her to get on the milkstand she flat out refuses and won't even look at you. 

I'm on day 4 of milking her tied to the stall door which is significantly less comfortable for me, and she doesn't get to eat while she's there.

Any tips or tricks? She's a big doe, and I cannot lift her.


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## fruittartcaprines (Mar 3, 2010)

Oh, and I have since added a rubber mat to ensure that it never happens again to any doe. *sigh*


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

If you have an hour before milking time, spend it working on getting her up there...teasing her with her grain will help as she knows she can't have it till she gets up to get it and she will trust the stand again knowing she won't slip once shes up there.


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## Realfoodmama (Apr 13, 2010)

I had a problem with my girl this year. She got a shot on the milking stand (something I will NEVER do again) and it literally took her about a month to forgive and forget. I did exactly as Liz suggested and lured her with grain which she wasn't able to get until she at least put BOTH FRONT FEET on the stand. 

I let her eat this way for about a week or so, then started making her hop up there all the way. Of course, I wasn't trying to milk her so I had the extra time to let her ease into it...

That brings up a good point though, my milking stand seems extra slippery even though I was it down and stuff. What do people put on them to keep the goats all grippy? I've heard roofing shingles work well...any other thoughts?


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## fruittartcaprines (Mar 3, 2010)

Thanks guys! I'm glad I'm not the only one with a goat with a long memory. Lesson learned!

I actually got a rubber mat from TSC (for use on car floors). It fits almost perfectly and it's very grippy. Definitely helped the other goats, who RUN to the milking stand and jump up without complaint!


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## Realfoodmama (Apr 13, 2010)

fruittartcaprines said:


> Thanks guys! I'm glad I'm not the only one with a goat with a long memory. Lesson learned!
> 
> I actually got a rubber mat from TSC (for use on car floors). It fits almost perfectly and it's very grippy. Definitely helped the other goats, who RUN to the milking stand and jump up without complaint!


I should get one of those...I've had one run, slip, and literally slide off the front....

I should really put the milking stand in a building lol...


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## goathappy (Oct 5, 2007)

We put those rubber mats on the stands too, they're the nuts 

In the past I've had a few does who have had bad experiences with the milking stand then refuse to go on it....*cough* trimming hooves *cough*....what i usually do is just lift them onto the milkstand and hook them in, giving them lots of food, rubbing them down etc.

Another thought, this is what I've learned from horse training when you have a horse that refused to approach an object(like a trailer) is approach and retreat. Take her near the stand and just brush her, or feed her hay or grain near the stand(like put grain on the platform for her to eat) and when she seems to act more comfortable around the stand start rubbing her front legs up and down, then take just a foot and put it on the stand and see how she reacts. Then as she seems to act more comfortable move the food farther back on the platform so she has to put two feet up or get on her knees on the stand to reach it.


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## fruittartcaprines (Mar 3, 2010)

> what i usually do is just lift them onto the milkstand


LOL I think this doe outweighs me, because lifting her is just not happening! *laughing* I tried that with somewhat less than stellar results (although, I'm sure it was comical to watch). It is a good suggestion though, and one I could probably do with my much smaller doe...this girl is just a beast!!!

I didn't think of it like I do my horses - I've definitely had my fair share of bad loaders in my lifetime. I'll have to try that.

Thanks everyone for the suggestions!!


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

My stand is handmade with a plywood top, though it is in the shed out of the weather the top is still slippery, I used a piece of roof paper with grit on it stapled to the top, easy to broom off and the goats are happy being slip free.


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## luvbug*diapers (Feb 23, 2010)

we have a plywood top that we put a rubber mat on.
we screwed it down real tight all along the sides to keep it in place.
what i really like about it is the cleanablity of it.
with the wood i could never seem to get it very clean,but now i just wipe it down with the towels i used to wipe the udders with.
renee


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## fruittartcaprines (Mar 3, 2010)

Yayyyyyy! Success!

Though she didn't "hop on with glee" today I at least got her to put her front feet on. Then finally after a few times of that I lifted her back legs on and she stood and got a TON of praise (and milked, which she needed). 

We'll practice more tomorrow. 

I'm so happy!!! :stars: Thanks everyone!!!


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## MiGoat (Apr 21, 2010)

Good deal fruittartcaprines!

I made our milk stand out of old cedar siding. It is very rough. BUT It also seems to trap poop. So I put a rubber mat I found on the stand under her lower legs (to catch the poop)

This whole thing brings me to wonder where everyone trims hooves? I thought you did it on the stand. 
We did it next to the fence before stand. That was a fiasco. I haven't done the stand yet.


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## fruittartcaprines (Mar 3, 2010)

My other doe I do on the stand and she's just fine with it. She also doesn't mind getting her hooves done. The doe that fell is a particular pain in the rear about...oh...everything, so I do her with someone holding her front end as if it were the stand. She's not very good about it, but I've not had her for more than a month or so.


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## goathappy (Oct 5, 2007)

I trim hooves on the milking stand.....they know whats coming though so they dont' cooperate with me. I'm not the biggest person and my goats aren't the smallest but I still manage to get them on the stand with them fighting me most of the way


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