How to milk a goat: rules for beginners and how best to do it yourself or with a machine
Goat breeding is becoming a popular livestock industry. These animals are kept both in large farms and in private backyards. They do this, first of all, for the sake of tasty, nutritious, he althy milk and products from it. Novice goat breeders do not always know how to milk a domestic goat correctly. But the amount of milk and the well-being of the animal depends on compliance with the basic rules of milking.
General rules
In order to maintain the he alth of a dairy goat and get the maximum amount of milk, you need to follow the general rules for milking:
- the first time a goat is milked not before lambing, but immediately after it in one and a half to two hours;
- 3-4 weeks before birth prepare the udder for milking;
- carry out the launch of a previously giving birth goat;
- if an animal is milked until childbirth, then before them you should not give out all the milk to the drop;
- during milking, rough treatment of a goat is unacceptable;
- milking will be organized at the same time;
- all procedures are carried out in a place familiar to the animal;
- in the first week after lambing, the animal is milked up to 5 times a day;
- hand milking is done with clean and warm hands.
Important! If you are late with milking for one and a half to two hours, then the milk yield decreases by at least 0.5 liters.
Preparing the animal for milking
In order for a goat to calmly relate to the milking procedure, preparatory manipulations cannot be dispensed with.
Udder preparation
To ensure the suitability of milk, to protect the udder from the penetration of pathogenic microorganisms, it must be washed with warm water. Washing the udder increases the return of milk. Wash it once a week with baby or laundry soap.
For today's pet owners, devices are available to produce foam that can be used on teats. With their help, special preparations, for example, "Bioform", foam. The nipples sink into the foam for just a few seconds. This udder cleaning is very convenient for handling multiple animals.
Massage technique with video
To prepare the goats for milking, immediately after hygiene procedures, you need to massage the udder. This procedure takes no more than 2-3 minutes. Even a novice breeder can master the simplest massage technique. A goat's udder, unlike a cow's, consists of two lobes.To perform a massage, you need to lift one lobe with both hands first. Make a few gentle squeezing movements. After that, repeat the procedure with the second beat.
What drugs improve the condition of the udder
The udder of a dairy goat needs to be processed with special means. Their action is aimed at protecting tissues from damage, accelerating wound healing, and preventing infections. Most Popular:
- Zorka cream, the active ingredient floralizin, is used in manual and mechanical milking, has no analogues in the last few decades;
- Fitolit concentrated product, contains aloe vera, used to prepare a solution;
- EloMix detergent, contains natural soap, used diluted, can be used as a spray.
Combination with feeding
Goats are not usually fed during milking. This technique distracts the animal and reduces milk yield. However, each animal has its own character. Some individuals are so excitable that they do not let a person in, they simply cannot be calmly milked. In this case, you can combine the process of feeding with milking.
Usually a goat gets used to the procedure in a few days and then calmly milks without eating.
How to milk a goat
If the farm contains no more than 2-4 heads, then it is easy to milk them manually. When the number of animals exceeds 5, it is advisable for the owner to purchase a machine for mechanical milking.
Hand Milking
There are several manual milking techniques for beginners and experienced milkers:
- Fist - this method is convenient to use for animals with large udders and rather long teats. First, they take the nipple at the base with the thumb and forefinger and squeeze out a small portion of milk, which may contain pathogenic microbes. After that, the nipple is captured in a fist, rhythmically squeezing it, milking is carried out.
- Pinch - the method is used for small udders and short teats. Milk is milked with hands, squeezing the nipple with fingers. To do this, you can use your thumb, index and middle fingers.
- Mixed is the most popular way, most of the milk is milked with a fist and the rest is pinched.
Some milkers sit behind the animal, which is not very correct. Almost all experienced goat owners advise to sit on the side of the animal and always do it on one side.
Using the machine
Hand milking becomes tiring for herd owners of more than five heads. In this case, the process is best carried out with a milking machine. The first portions of milk are milked by hand, after which the cups of the milking machine are put on the nipples.
The principle of mechanical milking is to create a vacuum. As soon as under its action milk stops flowing into a special can, the device is turned off.
Household machines are most often designed for milking one animal. With its help, with dexterity and little experience, you can milk up to 10 goals in an hour. The purchase of one device will require about 20,000-30,000 rubles. However, given the high cost of goat milk, cottage cheese, cheese, it will justify itself in a few months.
Modern manufacturer implements convenient, reliable and relatively inexpensive models:
- "Leader 20.2" - a mobile device for one goat, the volume of the can is 20 liters.
- "Leader 20. 4" - mobile model for two animals.
- "Farmer" - a convenient and relatively light mobile model on a soft move, for one animal.
- "AID-2-04" - apparatus for two goats, equipped with a dry pump.
- "Melasti" - the device meets European standards, has a couple of complete sets.
When choosing a milking machine, it is important to pay attention to the quality of cups, the power of application. It takes about 6 minutes to machine milk one head. For convenience, you can make a stand for the animal 30-40 cm above the floor level.
What to do after?
After finishing manual or mechanical milking, you need to check if there is any milk left in the udder. Then you can start processing it. For this, special antibacterial agents are used. They soak napkins and gently wipe the udder and nipples.
You can pet an animal and reward it with a cracker. Petting a goat will help build trust with her.
Helpful tips
To milk a goat by hand, you need to do up to 70-75 movements per minute. You can learn this from a more experienced milker. When an animal is kept for milk, it is advisable to buy a dairy breed. Such goats get used to milking more easily, they can be milked immediately after birth, they are highly productive.
Many animals like to lie down immediately after milking. To avoid this, attractive food can be placed in the feeder. For example, some clover or alfalfa hay. This technique will protect the udder from infection.
Recommended
Goat milking machine: types and sizes, drawings and how to do it yourself
Beginner breeders and those who have many animals, it is useful to acquire a machine for milking goats. We will show the advantages of its use, the choice of models and how to make it yourself.
Goat milking machine: varieties, pros and cons and how to make it yourself
There are different types of milking machines for goats. With the right choice, the use of this device helps to facilitate and speed up the process of milking animals.
The goat does not eat well and gives little milk: what to do and the reasons, the rules of treatment
What to do if the goat does not eat well and gives little milk. Causes: disease, improper feeding, poor care. When does a goat normally start producing less milk?
