# Milking difficulty



## Palis55 (Apr 20, 2012)

So here's the thing. My mama alpine goat has a 7 week old kid. She is fed free choice hay, but not alfalfa, about 2 pounds of dairy goat ration a day plus fresh pasture when I take her out for a walk for half an hour in the evening. The kid nurses mostly from one side. When I go to milk the goat on the other side, I persevere while she eats her grain but between my wife and myself we end up with about a shot glass worth of milk by the time we're done messing around by which time the goat is getting restless. Obviously we are new to ths. We have only been trying once a day in the evening. I was expecting to get about a quart of milk out of each side even while mama has a kid on her but we're falling far short of this. Does anyone have any tips? Are my expectations unrealistic? Is it likely my inexperienced milking technique? I am likely to give up if things don't improve soon. Thanks for your help.


----------



## rssgnl27 (May 9, 2012)

I'm having the same problem with my Nigerian Dwarf. Sorry I can't be better help, but it makes me feel good to know someone else is in my shoes too.


----------



## use2bwilson (Aug 4, 2011)

I am new to this as well and have been learning as I go ...

we have been separating the babies from the mama for a few hours before we milk her, otherwise there isn't much milk in her udders. Are her udders full?

Also, the suggestion was made to me to put a couple large (fist size) rocks in her feed bowl. This will slow down her eating and keep her occupied a bit longer to give you more time to milk her.

I've been frustrated as I learn but keep trying to remind myself that it seems like forever in the beginning ... but we will look back a few months from now and be surprised how easy it is ...


----------



## Rev144 (Jan 22, 2011)

Sometimes, giving them the grain AFTER you are done milking makes them not so restless... Also using a stern voice "knock it off" helps. They will be restless if you let them get away with it..

Try keeping the baby locked up with out Mom at night, In the morning, milk mom and you should have more than a shot glass. You would be amazed at how easy it is for a 7 week old baby to keep mom drained. If the baby has been trained to only eat off one side, then moms milk could be drying up some on the side it does get not eat off of. In the future, you can train the baby to eat off both sides by taping up one teat at a time.


----------



## potentialfarm (Apr 11, 2011)

at 7 weeks, I would be locking the kid away from mom at night & completely milking mom out in the morning...then leave kid on mom during the day. This would be a good way to start weaning the kid, and allow you to see what mom is producing. 
It's easier if you have 2 kids (so one isn't left alone all night), but I've used a large dog crate & left it in momma's stall (locking single kid up only at night), so they were "together", but no nursing happening...

Are you & your wife feeling at all comfortable with milking at this point? Those girls can hold their milk back... Fortunately, I had a wonderful doe when I was learning HOW to milk. I think SHE taught ME!  A bucket of grain, a warm cloth to wipe her udder/belly down before milking, calm humans, a gentle udder massage, and a goat kid that isn't disturbing the works by dancing on mom AND the humans during milking...also, do not discount how much one 7 week old kid can drink! Hence, locking the kid up at night...

Do you know anyone that has experience milking goats, so you could see how they do it & maybe you'd feel more comfortable?


----------



## luvmyherd (Apr 9, 2011)

Please do not give up. The rewards are wonderful. :thumb: 
The advice given is sound. By seven weeks I don't think I can get a teaspoon out of my does if the babies are with them.
I have a one week old single and have to milk the mom every evening as he is not taking enough yet. Sometimes, one side is so full that I have a hard time squeezing it off and some milk goes back up. Make sure you are getting a good grip. And yes, they sense weakness and will test it.
Massage her udder with a warm cloth and give it a good bump, like the baby does, to get her milk to let down.


----------



## .:Linz:. (Aug 25, 2011)

It sounds like you are mostly trying to milk from the side the kid is not nursing from, correct? Is that side pretty full and you're just not able to empty it? 

It can take awhile to get the hang of milking, and she may just not be letting down for you. Like others said, massage her udder and bump it, sometimes having the kid in the area where mom can at least hear her baby will help her let down as well.


----------



## Palis55 (Apr 20, 2012)

Thank you all for your advice. I will try to sepreate the kid from the mama. I do massage and bump her udder. I like the idea of the fist sized rocks in the food. The difficulty is that I prefer to milk in the evening because I leave for work so early in the morning. Would it be inhumane to seperate the kid from mama during the day, if they could still see each other through a fence, and allow them to be together at night instead? Will the mama go crazy trying to break through the fence to be with the kid? Thanks again.


----------



## milkmaid (Sep 15, 2010)

I would try it, for a little while anyway. I doubt if the mama will go crazy (unless she's a very attentive mother) but the kid might scream a lot.
When I was learning to milk, I finally had to stop feeding on the milkstand because the doe would always kick when she was done eating. Once you learn how to milk and can do it pretty fast, you should be able to start feeding on the stand again.


----------



## GingersMaMa (Aug 4, 2011)

I found it easier to feed after I milked because she wouldn't let me touch her while she ate :greengrin:


----------



## luvmyherd (Apr 9, 2011)

^^^Mine won't let me touch them unless they ARE eating!!!!!!


----------



## rssgnl27 (May 9, 2012)

I actually use blue seal hay stretcher, its a pelleted form of hay; and I also give them alfalfa cubes. I know some people say they're too big and they may choke, but I've never had a problem. I give them 1 cup of hay cubes and 1/2 cup blue seal hay stretcher. Then after they're completely finished and if they get ornery I will give them their regular grain. The nice thing about the hay stretcher and hay cubes is that it takes them time to eat them, but they're not full of sugar or excess minerals. The stern "knock it off" voice works wonders too, its a fine line between them acting up and being nervous. This is my first year milking and I had the same problem as you are having. I also had a FF who likes to kick, I hobbled her back legs with baling twine and let her stand on the stand for 2 hours or so to relax and learn that it was easier to behave than to use her energy kicking and carrying on. Of course I gave her a flake of hay to munch on too. After the hobbling the kicking drastically improved.


----------

