# Which side do you milk from?



## keren (Oct 26, 2008)

Which side do you milk from, the goat's left side, right side or from the back?

Just cos I'm curious ... 

I like to milk from the goats left side and yes I am left handed, although my right hand is the stronger milking one I seem to finish the teat in the right hand quicker than the teat in the left hand.


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## goathappy (Oct 5, 2007)

I've never milked from the back(and I've never seen anybody that does) but I milk on both sides. We have two stands side by side and I milk one goat and let the other goat eat, then switch. Normally when my mom is helping me milk I milk on the right side of the goat.


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## RunAround (Feb 17, 2008)

I said left, but I sometimes milk on both sides depending on the doe.


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## keren (Oct 26, 2008)

I added an option that says both sides :greengrin:


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## RunAround (Feb 17, 2008)

Lol thanks


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## kelebek (Oct 5, 2007)

I usually always milk on the goats right side but I am facing towards the back end - however, on my "jumpy" does, I do both, because I put my knee under their tummy to make them not jump. ( I sit on the stand next to my milkers)


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## heavenlyhaven (Apr 17, 2008)

we bought an old metal stand years ago
dont know what it was really made for but it is low to the ground, has a place to put feed dishes, did have a head stantion of sorts but (long story) we had to remove it and both sides have metal bars going across about 3 inches apart
IIIIIIIIIIII
like that - lol
well, one side was missing a bar IIIIIII_IIIIIII
so we just cut out a couple more IIIIII___IIIII
and that's the side i milk on and it just happens to be the right side of the goat
now, we showed at fair for the first time this year and every one there picked on me and said i was a "city milker" because i milked on the wrong side...?


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

I milk from the right side.....before I had the milkstand for my mini's I milked from above! I straddled the short girl and faced her butt, milked with my right hand one side at a time and held the pail with my left! lol...boy do I love my milkstand!


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## capriola-nd (Jul 6, 2008)

I milk both sides. Sometimes I do milk from behind though.


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## Cinder (Mar 3, 2008)

I want to see a picture of Liz milking from above!  

I milk all my does from their right side, thus far. It's easier on my back, I don't know why, and more comfortable for my arms/hands.

When I was going to different farms learning (before I got my milk goats) one of the lady's teenage son did her milking. He had four does next to each other on a large platform. He would squat behind them and milk from behind. I tried it, didn't like it.


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## Pam B (Oct 15, 2007)

I milk from the left even though I'm right handed. My milk stand is up against a wall so that the girls can't fling themselves sideways off of it (if you've ever seen posts about my girl Freckles you know why). The only available space is on the left side, so that's what I have been doing for 10 years now. A friend that I occasionally milk for when she is away milks from the right side. I find it very difficult to get comfortable and do a thorough job without kinking up my back when I have to milk from that side. There have been times when a goat has been in a particularly foul mood that I've tried milking from the back. It works, but it just feels weird after all these years of milking from the side.

I second the motion to see pictures of liz milking from the top!!! :clap:


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## fcnubian (Oct 23, 2007)

I milk from the goats right side, (When you are facing the same direction as the goat.)


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## SDK (Jun 26, 2008)

i milk on the doe's right side and i'm fairly sure it's because i'm right handed


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

Sorry....no piccies of that maneuver! It did work for awhile til DH built my milkstand, mind you that these are mini's and what a back killer that was!


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## Sweet Gum Minis (Oct 6, 2007)

What an interesting thread. It took me a while to find my milking groove I must admit. However, once I got the right doe (Faith) on the milkstand and the force to make it happen I found it. Faith's 2 kids weren't putting a great enough demand on her udder so I had to relieve her. Well that meant milking. I wouldn't let my hubby do it because I knew I had to learn sooner or later and the sooner the better. 

So I put her on the stand. Got on her right side and had no luck no matter what. I could do only one side at a time. Well that meant I had to change sides sometimes to make it easier. Well boy I learned quickly I could do both sides on the left. So left it is for me.

Oh and I'm right handed.


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## Laurel_Haven (Oct 20, 2007)

I have only ever tried doing it from the right side as my milk stand is against the wall to keep the does from stepping off. I just may have to try from the left after reading Ashley's (Sweet Gum Minis) post. I too am right handed.


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

I am right handed and milk in the goats left side. That is how I was shown and I havent had to much luck trying to milk from the right side.


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## Amy Goatress (Oct 2, 2008)

I actually milk one side then go to the next side and milk that side out, I only can milk one handed though.


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## Sonrise Farm (Sep 18, 2008)

I milk from the back.


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

I'm right handed and have no problems milking from the right side??? Maybe that would explain why I shoot left handed :shrug:


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## FarmGirl18 (Oct 5, 2007)

I milk on the does left side. I can do it from the right...but left is most comfortable for me.


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## Muddy Creek Farm (Oct 5, 2007)

Doesn't really matter to me. I think I prefer milking from the right....


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