[fiestyredhead331]

I suspect its because we've bought quite a lot of stuff from him over the last year so he's keeping us sweet MGofM
maybe we could do a deal with him and quote TAS for future purchases 

[Lesley Silvester]

Sounds like an idea. 


Email today to say it's been dispatched. 


 Ironically, tonight I actually managed to get more than a dribble out of her and on BOTH sides. Not much more than a dribble admittedly but it's progress. She's even getting up on the milking bench straight away now that she realises she gets sweeties once she's up. Ok, she tries to get back down as soon as she's eaten them but we can usually prevent that. Soon be down to just OH and me managing without friend.

[Dogwalker]

Glad you're making some small progress.

I had a milk shower this morning when one of my first-timers decided to get fidgety and I didn't move the bucket quick enough.
She's got two holes in one of her teats so milking is proving a bit messy at the moment.

[Lesley Silvester]

 


That must be fun trying to aim two streams of milk into the bucket from one side. It can be hard enough getting it to go straight at the best of times.


I had one mishap once when I was showing a friend and her young son how milking was done. My friend was wearing a very, very short skirt and was squatting to get a better view, when the milk suddenly shot off at an angle and went straight up her skirt and giving her wet knickers.    Her son thought it was hilarious and so did I.


She never asked to watch again. 

[plumseverywhere]

I was giving some school children a demonstration once. So that they could see better, I stood up and bent forward to squeeze vanna's teats, unfortunately as I did so my bum touched the electric fence giving me a huge shock up the bum  which carried through the goats udder and she kicked the bucket over and I said a 'bad word'. never again.

[fiestyredhead331]

did you end it with...."and thats what you don't do boys and girls"   

[clydesdaleclopper]

I was giving some school children a demonstration once. So that they could see better, I stood up and bent forward to squeeze vanna's teats, unfortunately as I did so my bum touched the electric fence giving me a huge shock up the bum  which carried through the goats udder and she kicked the bucket over and I said a 'bad word'. never again.

This made my morning 

[Dogwalker]

I was giving some school children a demonstration once. So that they could see better, I stood up and bent forward to squeeze vanna's teats, unfortunately as I did so my bum touched the electric fence giving me a huge shock up the bum  which carried through the goats udder and she kicked the bucket over and I said a 'bad word'. never again.

This made my morning 

Just spluttered my tea everywhere.

[tattycat]

Lol. Love it!! Thing's to look forward to ...

[Lesley Silvester]

Oh the joys of goat keeping and, even more, the joys of demonstrating milking.

[fiestyredhead331]

our new 20ml syringes arrived today so hooked them up and off we went 

but despite having milk in the udder, she wouldn't let the milk down. as soon as we took the syringe off I could get some out using a finger and thumb. She and her sister are first timers so I suppose it will be a case of getting them into the routine so they knows whats happening. I think we were spoilt with big Daisy and her massive teats and laidback attitude

[plumseverywhere]

Do you find that the noise of the Dansha machine puts the goat off/makes her more kicky?  Mines not arrived yet but it was something I noticed on the youtube clip on ebay that it sounds a bit noisy?
(I tried playing music to savannah on my ipod during milking time and you'd have thought it was 1 Direction the way she kicked off. She wasn't too bad with Bruno Marrs and gary Barlow but opera is completely ruled out too.Hence my concern about noises)

[Anke]

When I first got my milking machine I just ran it by itself in the goat shed - and yes to start with they completely went berserk in their pens, but it only took a few times of it being on that they didn't bat an eye lid. Then next step was to have it on while they were on the milking bench but still hand-milked, then after a few days I just put the clusters on and held onto the goat... it was fine after a few times.

Now as the machine is on regularly all the time my 1st kidders are not disturbed by it at all, although still a bit of kicking when they are put on the first few times. But I have found it easier to start off milking them on the machine rather than by hand - it leaves both hands free to steady the goat and make sure she doesn't kick the clusters off. They normally settle quite quickly into a routine. Also putting the clusters on from the back (as they would in a commercial milking parlour) means they can't kick them off as easily.

[plumseverywhere]

Brilliant advice, thank you Anke.

[Lesley Silvester]

Thanks for that, Anke. I'll try that with mine, although I'll have to put the clusters on from the side as the milking bench is in a corner and I can't get behind her. I'm still trying to get some out off her with one finger and my thumb, without much success but it's getting her used to being handled there. She's fine while she has food in her bucket but she can empty a bucket in seconds flat. You'd think she'd never been fed the way she dives into it. I swear she is half Saanen half Labrador. 


Getting  about my milking machine now.