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Re: Milk Pail Blues
Amber Waves Pygmy Goats Copper Sulfate
Posted by Nat on June 16, 2001 at 15:12:29:

In Reply to: Milk Pail Blues posted by GoatWorld on June 16, 2001 at 07:40:41:

My Toggenburg milking doe use to be a complete MONSTER when I first got her. I know how it feels to have a doe fidget, stomp, lay down and finish up by having a foot in the midst of the milk. Well, I usually ended up with more milk on the floor.

The way I managed to get through the lactation is I first buit myself a milk stand. I wasn't about to pay $300 for a real one, and decided to make use of scrap wood hanging around the garage. It's not a traditional one - its wider, lower to the ground, and the restraint for the head consists of 2 "posts" that are joined by an old collar at the top. (it looks like a V attached to the front of the stand. One post is stationary, the other is on a wing nut washer so it moves) I'll try to e-mail over a digital picture of my little creation.

Anyway, I realized that she would gulp her grain down right away, then that was the end of milking for her. Sooooo.. Being the mean mom I was, she got put on the stand w/o grain. (she would get it at the end) Then I'd proceded to milk her. If she would lay down, I'd gently pick her up, take a minute to regroup, and begin again. If she danced, I danced with her and didn't stop. A foot in the pail would result in a foot being placed back were it sould be, and a stern word or two. If she would start to pick that foot up again, another harsh word and possibly a swat on the rear if no responce. I'd then continue milking if nothing happened.

What I noticed is that you can't let her win. Giving her more grain is letting her win. Stopping milking is letting her win. If you have the patience to keep at it, she'll realize that standing still is much easier for you and her. Being overly agressive gets them skiddish. Just a bucket full of patience wins the game.

My doe, the pain in the rear Togg I wanted to ship every milking time has now matured to my nicest doe. She runs to the milk stand now, and slowly eats her grain. She stands wide apart, never kicks, and remains still for me to finish even if she's out of grain. The other day I even forgot to latch my "headgate" and she stayed for the entire milking, and once done with her grain she rested her head on my shoulder as to thank me.
This doe was once a HORRIBLE "Poop-head" with an attitude. Being more quiet with her then agressive helped her figure out the name of the game!

Good Luck! I've been in your shoes before! Patience and persistance will win her over!

-Nat's little Bit Farm


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