Author Topic: Help - stubborn goat milking woes (Read 5512 times)

benkt · « **on:** September 21, 2012, 10:29:48 pm »

Looking for a quick bit of advice: I took on a couple of BS milkers (five and six years old) about three weeks ago when their keeper died. One is no trouble at all, we've got used to each other fairly quickly and all is well. The other one... $:-\$
The first week or so was OK, she was a bit 'leg wiggly' at milking the first few days but we seemed to settle down to a nice routine and the rest of the week went well. However the last week or so have seen milking her getting much harder. We milk using a stand which she has had to learn to get used to as they were milked on the ground before. She'll let me milk her right teat with my left hand with no problems but as soon as I try to get to the left teat with my right hand she sort of squats right down squishing my arm against the bucket and making reaching the teat impossible. I can sort of milk her left side with my left hand but its gets tired quickly and with two other goats to milk it isn't really an ideal solution.

Any suggestions for ways to progress?

Lesley Silvester · « **Reply #1 on:** September 21, 2012, 10:34:21 pm »

Have you checked that she doesn't have any sores on that side? Is that side hot, which could indicate mastitis. It sounds as if she is uncomfortable or in pain. My girl wasn't very co-operative when I started milking her but one teat was very small and I think I was squeezing part of her udder as well.

benkt · « **Reply #2 on:** September 21, 2012, 10:40:15 pm »

She had a bit of dry skin on the teats when I got her but that has dried up with cream and they now seem fine. She does have tiny teats so part of my worry has been that it might be my clumsy great hands hurting her. Although I'm not sure how that explains why she'll let me milk left handed but not right handed. Perhaps I'll try in the morning with just one or two fingers right at the bottom of her teats and see if there is any difference.

ballingall · « **Reply #3 on:** September 22, 2012, 11:29:41 am »

It does sound as if she is uncomfortable in some way. Especially with the fact that she was ok for a few days. Have you tried putting her up on the stand facing the other way, so the uncomfortable side is nearer? I know for you it feels weird, but you do get used to it, and it might help to check that everything is ok.

Beth

chickenfeed · « **Reply #4 on:** September 22, 2012, 11:50:04 am »

it coul be something as simple as the side you milk her from one lady that brought a milker from mum rang to say the goat would not stand mum is left handed once she turned the goat and milked from the other side all was well.............just a thought.

Penninehillbilly · « **Reply #5 on:** September 22, 2012, 06:18:46 pm »

Quote from: chickenfeed on September 22, 2012, 11:50:04 am

it coul be something as simple as the side you milk her from one lady that brought a milker from mum rang to say the goat would not stand mum is left handed once she turned the goat and milked from the other side all was well.............just a thought.

I was thinking that as I was milking this morning, mainly because I was working out which side you milked from, I milk from their left, so did most exhibitors when I helped at a show last year.
but also you couldn't be 'nipping' her somehow or catching some hair could you? (don't suppose BS are as hairy underneath as Toggs

)

jaykay · « **Reply #6 on:** September 22, 2012, 08:09:12 pm »

Creatures of habit too, so it might be that you're doing from the wrong side as far as she's concerned

I milk from their left too.

colliewoman · « **Reply #7 on:** September 22, 2012, 08:43:52 pm »

Enid won't let me swap hands EVER. She does that weird squatting thing too but she did it for her kid as well!

If the squatting is what is causing the problem, milk into a shallower pail so you still have the room

I milk straight into the jars I store the milk in now

jaykay · « **Reply #8 on:** September 22, 2012, 09:00:18 pm »

Mine squat too, Rowan more than Ellie.

So yes, a shallow pan sounds like a good idea! Smart thinking CW

Lesley Silvester · « **Reply #9 on:** September 22, 2012, 10:19:01 pm »

Quote from: benkt on September 21, 2012, 10:40:15 pm

She had a bit of dry skin on the teats when I got her but that has dried up with cream and they now seem fine. She does have tiny teats so part of my worry has been that it might be my clumsy great hands hurting her. Although I'm not sure how that explains why she'll let me milk left handed but not right handed. Perhaps I'll try in the morning with just one or two fingers right at the bottom of her teats and see if there is any difference.

Are you right handed? If so, could you be inadvertently squeezing harder with your right hand?

benkt · « **Reply #10 on:** September 23, 2012, 07:24:31 pm »

Thanks for all the advice folks. I do know that I am milking from the same side they are used to, but I thought of something else different - they used to have their feed up in a bucket ring when milked and I had mine on the same level as the bench. I hung a new bucket ring yesterday and have now had a couple of good milking sessions with Data so we're all much happier - thanks!

jaykay · « **Reply #11 on:** September 23, 2012, 09:56:04 pm »

Oh, I'm glad it's working better

Lesley Silvester · « **Reply #12 on:** September 23, 2012, 09:58:29 pm »

Something as simple as that. Amazing. Glad you got it sorted but doesn't it just go to show how fussy goats are?

Penninehillbilly · « **Reply #13 on:** September 23, 2012, 11:49:47 pm »

I've stopped feeding mine while I milk them, they actually stand much better, chewing cud, then they are fed as soon as they go back in their pen. the 2 milkers do have their own pens though, but while they had kids with them I fed them before putting them back, topping hay up etc while they ate.
No tantrums if they finish before I do!