# Teaching to behave on milk stand



## kristinatucker (Jan 3, 2012)

We were spoiled with our first milk goat who was already trained to the milk stand and we hand milked as well as used a hand pump. We have a nubian now that we purchased and have her bred.When we got her she was not the most warm and fuzzy goat ever.SHe was more distant and runs but I have been working with her and loving on her and getting her trust.She is still not as good as our goats that we brought up but I can catch her and tie her to her feeding spot.I can get her on the milk stand but when I touch under her belly on her teats she jumps around like Im touching her with a hot poker stick. What is the best way for me to get her to calm down and touch her there? We plan to machine milk this year as we wil have 4 goats to milk. The other girls I can walk over to them and rub them and rub under their belly and touch their teats and they sort of squat down but not this big girl.Any advise would be great!


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## KarmakeeFarm (Jun 3, 2012)

The best advice I can give is to just be patient-reward her with treats when she *doesnt* jump when you touch her-use marshmallows dried fruit, breakfst ceral ect-No reward if she jumps-she will learn fast! Good luck!


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## xymenah (Jul 1, 2011)

I have a thread here for milking problems. Hopefully something there can help.


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

mnblonde said:


> The best advice I can give is to just be patient-reward her with treats when she *doesnt* jump when you touch her-use marshmallows dried fruit, breakfst ceral ect-No reward if she jumps-she will learn fast! Good luck!


Yup :thumb: It is frustrating and will take awhile, but she'll get it.


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## Arkie (Sep 25, 2012)

Our nubian(dry when we bought her) had never been milked, but had had one kid. We tied her to her trough, started handling her udders and bag every time she ate (in spite of all the acrobatics) till she got used to it. Excellent milkstand manners now, though if we attempt to handle her bag off the stand she still goes balistic


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

Training can be difficult but the key is patience and not giving up or giving in.
I feed all my does on the stand, at this time my 7 month old gets her ration there and while she's eating, I talk to her as well as pet her around her belly, legs etc.
When a doe starts dancing around while you are milking, do not stop...keep your hand on her udder and plant a rear foot on the stand with the other hand, make her know that bad behavior is not rewarded by you stopping.

And... I think the worst time to try and train a doe to you touching her udder is during pregnancy, they are very protective of their bellies and udders and do not like being touched at all...even my well behaved girls dance when I touch udders during pregnancy, once they deliver or even while they are in labor, they are more accepting.


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## ptgoats45 (Nov 28, 2011)

The best thing you can do is wait for her to kid. If you remove the kids from birth and are the first and only one to milk her she will be much more willing to accept you. Most does will lift a leg or kick a little the first few days because they are sore, but they soon learn that you will relieve them. 

You can leave the kids on her, but it is still good to handle her udder as much as possible right after she kids so she sees you as someone who is allowed to touch her. If she is particularly full it would be good to milk her out some after the kids have had a chance to nurse so that you get some colostrum to keep and also start teaching her that you can milk her and won't hurt her. In the days following I would bring her in on the stand at least once a day to feed her and feel her udder. If it is particularly full, especially on one side she may need to be relieved a little if the kids are only nursing one side.


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## kristinatucker (Jan 3, 2012)

Thanks everyone! Great ideas! I will keep doing the touching when I have her tied to her eating station. I agree that all our does seem less friendly right now while they are bred and it sounds like that is pretty normal. I really hope she will be a good milker for us. She has softened a lot to us but I can tell she has some sas to her. LOL. Thank you again!


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

I found that after my doe kidded she became even sweeter. She raised the kids -- I think it was something about that motherly instinct, and the fact that she knew we helped her deliver (BIIIG kids!)


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## maryk (Dec 27, 2011)

The way my ma does it is she has the grain ready for them at the milking stand. They come up on the stand, the goat eats and she milks.


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