# Milking questions



## Mrndly (Aug 16, 2012)

So I am planning for next year when I will be able to start collecting milk. I work full time and 1 or 2 xs a week I need to commute over an hour to NY. I usually leave my house between 6:45 and 7:00. It typically takes me about 20 mins to complete my animal chores. How much additional time will I need to add to my morning to milk 1 or 2 goats? I am hoping I can work this out

Note - I have Nigerian Dwarves if that makes a difference. My point on telling when I leave for work is that although I am somewhat of a morning person 5 am is going to be the earliest I can get up


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## clearwtrbeach (May 10, 2012)

Maureen,
This was the first year I actually was able to milk, SO for me being new and a first freshner I felt like a failure at first.  I used the stanchion and the grain, and she'd squirm after about 1-2 min, she kicked the milk bucket a few times- that was horrible after all that work. It started taking us from finish of sterilizing to putting her away and straining the milk like 45 min! Good news is that was only temporary we'd gotten down to 20 min from finish of sterilizing to her put away and milk strained. I have to lead her from her pen through front yard to back to the milking area. We'll be better next year . Although I'll be adding another first freshner


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

When you first start milking, it will take longer than once you get used to it. I would add an hour for safety sake to make sure you are on time for work. It shouldnt' take that long but better to be safe than sorry. Ultimately it should probably only take about 10 minutes per girl.


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## peggy (Aug 11, 2010)

That is hard to say. If your does are first fresheners, then it may take longer because they have to get used to the idea and of course having the kids makes extra work if you are going to bottle feed them. If the does have easy to milk teats, longer teats with larger orifices, then that helps. Smaller teats are harder. It could easily add another 20 minutes or more to your time. Presently I milk 2 does and with all my other chores, water, refreshing the hay feeders, caring for the buck and feeding the chickens, it usually takes me about 45 minutes. But I don't have a time table and take my time cause I enjoy the time spent with the goats. I think I could do it faster if I had to though.


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

The goat's personality makes a HUGE difference too. I have one doe with huge teats and great orifices. I have to hobble her because she's such a dancer on the stand! My other doe is a first freshener, and although her teats are tiny 'lil things, she's an angel on the milk stand and is faster due to that.


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## Mrndly (Aug 16, 2012)

If I could do it all under 45 min that would be great. 
I will have FF's - I plan on leaving the kids on mom until I can wean them ( that would be ~2 months?). My thinking was leave mom alone with kids the first 2 weeks. Then separate overnight so I can milk in the morning. The other concern I have would be the evenings most nights I can be home to milk around 6:00 but I do get days I am not home until 7 will that be a problem? 
Also,I am getting a pregnant doe next month to add to the 2 5 month olds I have. I was planning on staggering breedings to keep in milk most of the year. I am hoping I get 6-7 months of milking from each doe, is this realistic?
All these things I think about while driving to work


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

Mrndly said:


> If I could do it all under 45 min that would be great.
> I will have FF's - I plan on leaving the kids on mom until I can wean them ( that would be ~2 months?). My thinking was leave mom alone with kids the first 2 weeks. Then separate overnight so I can milk in the morning. The other concern I have would be the evenings most nights I can be home to milk around 6:00 but I do get days I am not home until 7 will that be a problem?
> Also,I am getting a pregnant doe next month to add to the 2 5 month olds I have. I was planning on staggering breedings to keep in milk most of the year. I am hoping I get 6-7 months of milking from each doe, is this realistic?
> All these things I think about while driving to work


They'll adjust to your schedule :thumb: The first few times are the harder, and your girls will NOT be happy. But they will learn, it just takes time. Start touching their udders now until they'll stand for you. That helps them be used to you handling their udder.

Your plan sounds great.


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## Mrndly (Aug 16, 2012)

Woodhavenfarm said:


> They'll adjust to your schedule :thumb: The first few times are the harder, and your girls will NOT be happy. But they will learn, it just takes time. Start touching their udders now until they'll stand for you. That helps them be used to you handling their udder.
> 
> Your plan sounds great.


I guess I should add a weeks vacation so I can them used to it without the time pressure. My husband will love it, "what did you do on vacation?" "watched my wife learn to milk goats - woo hoo"


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## aussieheelr (Jul 29, 2011)

First year milker with FF goats here. I let her raise the kids and would just practice on her once a day. It would be about 15 minutes for a measly swallow of milk, but it trained her to know the routine and get use to me handling her. Once the kids were gone it was about 15-20 minutes from begining to end for my one doe. Now, 2 months later we've got it down to 10 minutes from begining to end and I don't know... that includes prep and clean up which won't be much longer once adding a second doe since the washing up takes longer than the actual milking. 
But OH so worth every minute.


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## Farmgirl675 (Oct 21, 2010)

Start "fondling" her udder now, get her used to being touched there. Then train her to get in the stand, brush her, give a treat, touch her all over, whatever, make her comfy there long before you NEED her there. Then once she kids and before you plan to start seperating and milking get her in the stand a couple times a day and milk a small amount out just so she gets the idea before you have time constraints and "want" the milk. The more you can introduce her to before hand the easier the actual milking will be (well hopefully. U know they have their own agendas). As for time I would start with and hour just to not be in a crunch, once you and her get the hang of it I think you will find that the actual milking will take less than 10 mins then just add time for your prep and clean up time. Oh and if your girl is anything like mine she'll know if you are in a hurry and play kick the bucket, step in the milk squirm so you can touch me and swear her feed it toxic and she must have new


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## JaLyn (Oct 10, 2012)

The hardest part for me was my hands weren't used to milking, try milking with a cramped hand lol


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