Author Topic: Touchy goat (Read 12770 times)

Lesley Silvester · « **Reply #15 on:** April 18, 2014, 04:57:00 pm »

I did look at them and wonder what they were like. I think a little ebaying is called for.

Trixie · « **Reply #16 on:** April 18, 2014, 05:02:37 pm »

As you can tell I am always looking at it and buying - too much stuff - but it does save me alot in the long run

ballingall · « **Reply #17 on:** April 19, 2014, 10:09:25 am »

I agree with your thinking Trixie, all of ours are used to being hand milked or machine milked, just in case some total stranger has to milk them in an emergency. It's unlikely for us given our circumstances, but better to be safe rather than sorry.

Beth

Trixie · « **Reply #18 on:** April 19, 2014, 06:40:34 pm »

Hi Ballingall,It would only be myself or my OH to milk but as we are limited on time in the mornings we get up between 3.30am -4 everyday (except xmas day) we are only gone for 2-3 hrs but it would either be get up half an hour earlier to milk in which case we could take it in turns to do it he would use machine I might as well in the mornings, or do it later but if between 8 - 9am then that would make us later milking at night and we go to bed early because of early starts. I know in books and speaking to people you are supposed to milk every 12 hours or as close to it as you can if you milked earlier than that would you still get same amount of milk or less? Sorry if its a daft question but new to this and thought it must be that amount of time for milk to fill udder up again, that doesn't sound right but I'm sure you get what I mean, thanks

ballingall · « **Reply #19 on:** April 19, 2014, 07:21:11 pm »

Your goats have to fit with you. So develop whatever routine suits you. You don't need to milk at 12 hours apart if that doesn't suit.

At shows, it often happens that you milk the goats in the evening at 6pm, then in the morning they aren't milked until 7:30 or 8am- which is a 14 hour gap.

We have a friend who worked in her local chip shop- she used to milk the goats at 1am when she got in from work, and in the morning at 9:30 once she'd got the kids off to school.

Personally I don't believe in the goats ruling your life- they have to fit in with your life. I've also known people who milk at 6:30am, and 6:30pm on the dot, and if you deviate from that their goats get really traumatised, so I don't think it's the best.

Beth

Trixie · « **Reply #20 on:** April 19, 2014, 07:32:54 pm »

Hi Beth thanks for that, as 1 of us is always at home apart from early they do sort of rule us a bit they get loads of attention and I am sure they can tell the time!!They are always bleeting at the fence at feed times during the day will have to start altering times abit in readiness for milking.

fiestyredhead331 · « **Reply #21 on:** April 20, 2014, 12:22:05 am »

I can just imagine the looks I would get if I tried getting this lot up for milking at 1am! I get funny looks if disturb their beauty sleep before 7am!

jaykay · « **Reply #22 on:** April 20, 2014, 08:50:49 am »

I only milk once a day, in the mornings. And leave the kids with mum all day (by the time they're old enough for me to be milking, I shut them the other side of a mesh partition overnight).

I have a full-time job away from the house, with variable end times, so this system suits me and the goats. And since there's only me, that's still more milk than I can drink, when two of them are milking.

I use an Udderly Ez for milking, have done for years. It's a hand pump, has been robust, you can get spare parts. For me it speeds things up because I milk straight in the bottle, the bottle goes in the fridge, job done. No filtering or anything. No long tubes to clean, and if someone else has to milk occasionally for me, it feels much the same to the goats.

Lesley Silvester · « **Reply #23 on:** April 20, 2014, 10:42:27 pm »

When I was on twice daily milking, I milked at 14 hour and 10 hour intervals as that suited me. The goats were perfectly happy with that.

shygirl · « **Reply #24 on:** April 20, 2014, 11:10:04 pm »

Quote from: jaykay on April 20, 2014, 08:50:49 am

I use an Udderly Ez for milking, have done for years. It's a hand pump, has been robust, you can get spare parts.

where did you buy it, please? they look fab.

little blue · « **Reply #25 on:** April 29, 2014, 08:36:15 pm »

Quote from: Trixie on April 17, 2014, 03:46:07 pm

Hi Little Blue if you are they are £39.20 + £13.81 postage from Dansha Farms United States a

thanks for that

(sorry, not been on here for ages....!)

jaykay · « **Reply #26 on:** April 30, 2014, 06:23:57 am »

I bought my UdderlyEz directly from the States years ago.

I get spares from sales(at)horserequisites.co.uk. I see they sell the pump and bottles for horses (it was originally developed to milk colostrum from mares). Website www.horserequisites,co,uk

The pump is universal, The only differences are the insert tubes to fit goats' teats and the quart bottles necessary to accommodate all that lovely goats' milk. It might be worth talking to them, they can probably get you the goat parts.

clydesdaleclopper · « **Reply #27 on:** April 30, 2014, 10:13:01 am »

I just bought an Udderly EZ from Ebay. It was new and from one of the UK stockists. It arrived very quickly and it has been a godsend for milking the poorly nanny while she is lying down. If there isn't one listed at the moment let me know and I will pm you the contact details.