The Poultry Keeper

farmercoop · Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2008 3:57 pm Post subject: Problem Milker

Hi All,

Well today was the great day, they day i can get to milk my perfect new milker goat, YEAH RIGHT! the day started really great, unloaded the goat and took her to her new shed, she was really great, settling in really well, anyway i just went to milk her as i have work early and she was okay for about 5 seconds then she started swinging round, kicking and being very moody, she kicked the bucket straight over with the little milk i managed to get.

Shes only the 1st goat ive properly milked, ive tried before on two different goats and they just stood there, let themselves be milked and that was it, why is this girl any different? she was being hand milked before i think, not sure if they had any problems even though i wasnt told any.

Is it me? her teats arnt as large as the other goats ive milked so is it me? especially with not being good at milking anyway and not hardly gettign any milk?

any help or tips GREATLY appreciated as she has obviously got to be milked!

Joe

manic nonie · Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2008 4:12 pm Post subject:

many animals get in to the routine with one milker. can you give us some basic ideas of her for example age, breed, when she kidded?

don't give up, good luck.

farmercoop · Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2008 4:16 pm Post subject:

Hi sorry

Shes an Anglo Nubian Female

Born March 05

Bred by Martin Cox

Kidded around March 08 time

Shes dis-budded

Think this is her first freshening, think

milkmaid · Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 7153 Location: isle of lewis

give her a few days to settle i'm sure she'll be fine any chance of any pics Cool

farmercoop · Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2008 9:24 pm Post subject:

Hi Suz! How are you?

Well im dreading the morning, im going to make a milking stand with sides and a little gap so i can milk her but she cant swing or move around at all! mums coming down in the morning to have another go though, i spoke to the owner tonight who told me shes never been a problem even from the begining!! i cant believe it! Ill let you know hwo i get on

milkmaid · Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 7153 Location: isle of lewis

hi there

it'll just be that she needs to get to know you
I'm sure she'll get used to you was she hand or machine milked ,
did her old owner feed while they milked or before or after I'm sure within a week you'll have a perfect milker Wink

To be honest it might be wise to give her a few days without milking if it can be helped, just talk gently and give her time. If possible keeping her with a quieter animal or on her own where she can see others at close range but that's only a option give her time.

Teasal · Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2008 11:18 pm Post subject:

I agree that it is probably that she does not know you. An elderly relative died suddenly. His wife rang me, saying Tom had told her to ring me if he was ill or died, and unable to care for his goats. Oh, right .....milked my own goats and set off on my scooter to their place. Toms wife handed me a bucket, pointed to the feed and the sheds and left me to it. Four goats to milk who had only been handled by the old man. Some refused to let any milk down, and those that did kicked the bucket over. By the end of the week, they had begun to like me - well a bit - and I was milking them ok. Old man left them to me and they joined my little herd.
So take heart, your goat will accept you once you have fed her a few times, and she begins to trust you.

farmercoop · Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2008 8:35 am Post subject:

Wish me luck, ill let you know!

milkmaid · Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 7153 Location: isle of lewis

how did it go

nigel · Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2008 10:39 am Post subject:

Mine were exactly the same when I got them, wouldn't let any milk down for me, stood in what little I got etc. They all have horns and knew what to do with them. I was at the end of my tether and if hadn't been for Suz and Debs I'd have probably sent them back. I was convinced they came straight from hell and hated me.

They do settle into a routine, just don't let them beat you. Even if they stand in the milk or kick it over - keep going. Once they know your routine and what's expected they do calm down honest.

farmercoop · Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2008 11:16 am Post subject:

Well! Not good at all! got her on the lead, tied her up and blocker her in against the wall, i went down to milk her and she was kicking out! she actually went to bite my mum who was helping me hold her! wouldnt let milk down! rearign up and stood on my mums ancle which is now like a balloon! ouch! Isthere anyoen at all around Nottingham fancy helping me milk this beast! Ill pay petrol! Joe

farmercoop · Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2008 3:57 pm Post subject:

30 mins till the next bruising session

anyone around Nottingham/Derby fancy being a goat whisperer? or telling me where im going wrong

Teasal · Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2008 4:11 pm Post subject:

Do you know if she has actually been milked by hand? I was just wondering if perhaps she has not been milked at all, just had kids running with her? Did the last owner have a milking machine maybe? Just wondering if the whole milking business is new to your goat, thats all.

I have to say that I have had goats over 30 years, and those from the old man were a real challenge. The bucket kicking etc. went on a few days, but I persevered .....don't let the goat win.

Your goat may be getting uncomfortable if she is not milked out fully, and if her udder is really full, that may make her more difficult to milk, and also harder for you to do. I only have dainty hands, so some of the smaller teats on the goats I am able to cope with.

I would help if I was closer, but its probably a couple of hours run from here. I think you need to find someone who can hand milk - even if its an old farmer used to his house cow, to milk her off fully for you.

Usually food in a bucket is enough to keep a goat still for at least a few minutes ....

farmercoop · Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2008 7:19 pm Post subject:

think high peaks around 50 mins away from here, shame you arnt closer!

heres what happened tonight

tonight me and my mum went in with a postitive, were better and bigger than her attitud, gave her some willow to munch on and put the lead rope onto her didnt bother tying her up just got my mum to hold some willow whilst i had a go at milking, great for about 2 minutes then she went back to kicking it wasnt that she had ran out of willow either, again we pushed her up against the wall and started milkig, kick kick kick, pulled and pushed, went back and forward and got free of our grip, walked her round the shed and tried again, managed to milk her again for about 2 seconds with alot of struggling, when i say managed to milk her i mean get about 20 squirts out and at the same time she was still pulling away and kicking but i ket at it!, had to walk her around again. pushed her up against the wall and had another go, 10 squirts or so and then she realised she couldnt get away so just sat down like a dog, lied down, walked her round and she just kept sitting or lying down, her teat stuck out at the side though so i could milk it which wasnt too bad, even thoguh her teat was smaller as she was lying down and not as much milk was coming down managed, managed to milk out one side nearly, all in all id say we got about 2 pints out, a bit from each side.

debcat · Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2008 7:39 pm Post subject:

sounds like your getting somewhere
I know Suz has told you about ella, yours sounds loads better than that
give it another few days and you should be there