Walk me through milking please

[doubleatraining]

I'm a complete newb at milking and plan on getting 1-2 ND does soon and will hopefully be milking by late summer/fall.

What I understand:
-Get/build a milking stand
-Train goat to walk on stand. Bribe with food and handle her.
-Clip her

- Wash/dry before starting milking
- Milk into a SS bowl
- Filter/strain the milk
- Cool quickly
- Store in glass containers
- Clean/dip after you are finished milking

Now what am I missing? Where do I get the supplies? I understand SS dog bowls are best for ND.

 

[Harbisgirl]

check out www.fiascofarms.com. Awesome website , has about everything you'll ever need to know - including what you'll need to milk and a tutorial on how

 

[OneFineAcre]

check out the udderly EZ

Works great for ND's

 

[babsbag]

check out the udderly EZ

Works great for ND's

I have heard conflicting information on those milkers and the other hand held ones. I read that over time it can ruin the teat as it applies constant suction on the teat and not the suck and release that a kid or a "real" milking machine does. I know my vet won't use them on her herd.

 

[madcow]

After you've cleaned the teat you will need to milk some milk into a strip cup and check it for clumps, etc., and then discard it (got a cat?) and then begin if you are satisfied with the way the milk looks; then milk into your larger recepticle.

 

[OneFineAcre]

check out the udderly EZ

Works great for ND's

I have heard conflicting information on those milkers and the other hand held ones. I read that over time it can ruin the teat as it applies constant suction on the teat and not the suck and release that a kid or a "real" milking machine does. I know my vet won't use them on her herd.

I've read that also on this website, but had never heard before. I've seen posters call the effect on teats as "questionable".

Not wanting to harm my animals, I asked if anyone had any actual information on studies related to this, and was given some links to some academic papers.

As it turns out, none of those studies were actually on suction only hand milkers. The first study was obviously commissioned by a manufacturer of a pulsating milking machine to show that it caused less teat damage than other pulse milkers.

The others were about overall milk management and mastitis caused by milking machines in general. A couple of points in the studies. One, was that teat damage by milking machines was more likely with newly calved cows. Not relevant in my situation because we dam raise our kids so their babies are nursing them when they kid.

Over milking- continuing to apply suction when no milk is flowing. This can easily be avoided if you are paying attention.
Under milking-leaving milk in the udder. The suction milkers will not get all of the milk out, and with ND's you half to hand milk out the last half cup or so.

Bottom line at least in my situation, I'm not concerned and we have confirmed this with our vet. We do not intensely milk our herd. We dam raise our kids, and switch most to once per day milking relatively shortly after they are weaned. We occassionly will milk a doe twice a day if we are trying to keep her in milk for a show later in lactation.

I think if you only have a couple of animals and you are going to intensely milk them you should probably hand milk them. If you have a lot of animals and you are going to intensely milk, you should probably get a pulsating milking machine.

I think the suction milkers like the udderly ez are fine for low intensity milking if you have do 5,6, or 7 to milk like we do.

 

[Egg_Newton]

I've tried milking machine and actually prefer to hand milk. I think you've about got everything you need. It helps to start with a seasoned goat. That way you both aren't learning. Less stressful for you. Luckily my first milking goat was third time freshened and very used to being milked. So she was patient while I learned the ropes. It is a very nice bonding moment for you and your girls too.

 

[babsbag]

check out the udderly EZ

Works great for ND's

I have heard conflicting information on those milkers and the other hand held ones. I read that over time it can ruin the teat as it applies constant suction on the teat and not the suck and release that a kid or a "real" milking machine does. I know my vet won't use them on her herd.

I've read that also on this website, but had never heard before. I've seen posters call the effect on teats as "questionable".

Not wanting to harm my animals, I asked if anyone had any actual information on studies related to this, and was given some links to some academic papers.

As it turns out, none of those studies were actually on suction only hand milkers. The first study was obviously commissioned by a manufacturer of a pulsating milking machine to show that it caused less teat damage than other pulse milkers.

The others were about overall milk management and mastitis caused by milking machines in general. A couple of points in the studies. One, was that teat damage by milking machines was more likely with newly calved cows. Not relevant in my situation because we dam raise our kids so their babies are nursing them when they kid.

Over milking- continuing to apply suction when no milk is flowing. This can easily be avoided if you are paying attention.
Under milking-leaving milk in the udder. The suction milkers will not get all of the milk out, and with ND's you half to hand milk out the last half cup or so.

Bottom line at least in my situation, I'm not concerned and we have confirmed this with our vet. We do not intensely milk our herd. We dam raise our kids, and switch most to once per day milking relatively shortly after they are weaned. We occassionly will milk a doe twice a day if we are trying to keep her in milk for a show later in lactation.

I think if you only have a couple of animals and you are going to intensely milk them you should probably hand milk them. If you have a lot of animals and you are going to intensely milk, you should probably get a pulsating milking machine.

I think the suction milkers like the udderly ez are fine for low intensity milking if you have do 5,6, or 7 to milk like we do.

You have certainly done more research on them than I have. I did some research on the ez milker after I had hand surgery and couldn't decide if I wanted to try one or not, and then a friend loaned me her pulsating milk machine and I was hooked.I just saw something on another site about these milkers yesterday otherwise I probably wouldn't have even thought about it. The poster claimed that the constant suction keeps the teat orifice open and that it can cause leaking teats later in life. IDK. I also don't know if there is a difference between the ez milker and the one that uses the little pump they use to bleed brakes.

I think that the points you made are valid and makes sense, and like you, I would like to hear or read first hand experience before making the decsion. My husband bought me a milking machine since my carpal tunnel surgery still makes it hard to milk, even after 2 years. I think I would be trying one of the other machines if it hadn't been for my husband, and I think that as with anything, it needs to be used responsibly.

 

[Pearce Pastures]

I was the one who shared the academic studies in which they were testing pulsing over non-pulsing milkers. Regardless of whether the suction being applied is manual or mechanical, the idea that constant suction can cause damage is one that has evidence to support it.

But when using a hand milker such as the Udderly EZ brand, unless I am missing something, you have to squeeze the handle to apply pressure, then release and squeeze again (it looks like my old breast pump so I am guessing it works the same way that it did). That would be a pulse (suction, release, suction, release) so I don't know that it would be risky to use it. If the squeeze is to amp up the suction, and there is not release of the pressure on mammary system, then there is a chance that it could be harming the system. To what degree, that does not seem to be agreed upon by the academics.

I hand milk right now but I can see myself in the future looking into a machine or tool.

 

[OneFineAcre]

I was the one who shared the academic studies in which they were testing pulsing over non-pulsing milkers. Regardless of whether the suction being applied is manual or mechanical, the idea that constant suction can cause damage is one that has evidence to support it.

But when using a hand milker such as the Udderly EZ brand, unless I am missing something, you have to squeeze the handle to apply pressure, then release and squeeze again (it looks like my old breast pump so I am guessing it works the same way that it did). That would be a pulse (suction, release, suction, release) so I don't know that it would be risky to use it. If the squeeze is to amp up the suction, and there is not release of the pressure on mammary system, then there is a chance that it could be harming the system. To what degree, that does not seem to be agreed upon by the academics.

I hand milk right now but I can see myself in the future looking into a machine or tool.

The Udderly EZ would be defined as constant suction. When you pump, you are amping up the suction. So, it's probably not for you.

You did indeed provide the studies. I looked at them again, and like I said I didn't see that those studies addressed constant suction milkers at all.

The first one compared the damage caused by a specific brand of pulsating machines to other pulsating machines. It appeared to have been commissioned by a manufacturer to compare their pulsating machines to others.

The other studies were about mastitis as it relates to milking machines.

It would seem to indicate that any type of milking maching including the pulsating machines are going to cause damage,so I guess it's about minimizing damage. Seems hand milking would be the only way to avoid damage compleely.

I would love to read something specific about the constant suction ones.