Milking Goats

Last year I got 2 Nigerian dwarf goats. I chose this breed for a few reasons. First of all they are small. They only come up to my knees & weigh  about 50 pounds.  They come in a variety of colors & markings, and they are a dairy goat. I had googled soap making, and attended a workshop. I had it all planned out. I would milk goats & make soap to sell. 

I was so excited to make soap that I bought a gallon of milk from a local farmer & experimented with soap making. It's harder than it looks. Mark & I have been using  the soap I made, but it's not selling quality... yet! My bars are uneven and have air bubbles. Soap takes several ingredients, and actually very little goats milk Than it  has to cure at least 6 weeks. Maybe, this winter I will have time to perfect it, but for right now I just make enough for us.

 At first, I thought when my does freshened I was going to take away the kids immediately.  Than I would bottle feed them and  milk the does.  As the time got closer, I was running to the barn day & night on maternity duty (checking pregnant sheep & goats). I realized I really didn't want to bottle feed, especially because  the goats were the last ones to have their babies & I could actually get some sleep and not run to the barn in the middle of the night. So I researched & talked to others who kept the kids with the does. This is how it works:  kids stay with does for 2 weeks, than you separate them at night, milk does in the morning, put the kids back in and they nurse all day. At 8 weeks ,  I will wean the kids & milk does morning & night. Sounds easy, right?

It's only two little goats, I figured I can hand milk them. Nala freshened first & only had one kid. I decided I could take a little milk morning & night. I had a little plastic dish to squirt the milk in. Her teats are like an inch long & the width of my finger. Oh, and and she kicked! Both feet in the air. She was locked in the milking stand & I swear her feet went straight up over her head.  Here's the scenario: I am trying to get milk out of these miniature teats and squirt it into the bowl. Than once I got a few ounces of milk she would kick & spill it all (reminded me of my pumping experience when I was breast feeding). Work so hard to get the milk then spill it all ....you know the saying don't cry over spilled milk. OMG...I'm going to have to milk two of them....What was I thinking? Any milk that I did manage to save was full of dirt & hair. This obviously wasn't working, so than I ordered a hand pump milker. When that finally came, we were milking both goats. S'more has slightly larger teats & doesn't kick...ever! At least she was easier, but the hand milker was a disaster. It took two people. One to pump the hand pump  to keep the right pressure,& one to hold the milkers (plastic syringes) on. Finally, we decided to customize our cow milker (which is complete with motor & vacuum). This works like a charm, and best of all it only takes one person. Nala doesn't mind it, maybe because it is fast, so she rarely kicks. The only downfall is it's a lot to clean. Several feet of hose and a 5 gallon milk pail for one quart of milk. A little overkill but  it's worth it.

As for the milk, we actually aren't getting enough. In a few weeks we will wean the kids and hopefully production increases, because we will be milking them at night also. We started by using the milk  in our coffee and to cook with. Then, Mark started drinking it. Than me, and then the girls used it in their cereal. Sometimes I buy cow's milk, but sometimes I don't.  And...there's CAJETA! A seriously delicious caramel made from goats milk. My recipe calls for a gallon, so if I make Cajeta  I have to buy milk & save the goats milk for 4 days. Mark is totally addicted to it, and I do have it for sale at our store.