[Food] Production - Goats & Sheep

Ang · Tar Sands Joined: Oct 31, 2007 Posts: 83

Molly seems to be doing better since Richard gave her the Probios. I'll be back on milking duty tonight since I seem to have lived through some strange flu I got Friday night. I was asking Shanny about the hair and other strange things that seem to end up in the milking bucket. How do we get around that?? We've been wiping her udder down with a warm cloth but that doesn't seem to help much.

Also, does anyone here use a milker or are we all committed to doing it by hand?

TU!!
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...the rest of you just beat your useless gums at the moon like jimson weed goats. - efarmer

CarlinsDarlin · Moderator Joined: Jul 02, 2004 Posts: 1395

Hi Ang,
Glad Molly and you are doing better Smile

.

As for hair etc... I also wash udders before milking, and dip teats after milking, but inevitably there always ends up something falling in the milk. Using an open bucket there really isn't much you can do about it. I'm as careful as possible, but it happens. When I bring the milk in, I strain it to remove the odd stray item. I have a re-usable coffee filter for the job. I've also used paper coffee filters, though it takes longer to strain the milk through them, and paint filters work pretty well.

Up till now, I've been milking by hand (3 years). My wrists are starting to complain, though, so I may end up buying a maggidan's milker. When finances permit...

Kathy

Ang · Tar Sands Joined: Oct 31, 2007 Posts: 83

Kathy,

If you've been milking 1 or more goats for three years by hand, you're my hero! I suppose without electricity it'll be by hand or nothing but I'm a little taken aback at how time consuming it is. Molly is a complete sweetheart, we couldn't have picked a better goat for a starter. I've only been getting about 1 1/2 cups at a time, what should my goal be?

She does seem to be better but if you're not used to looking at a goat, how can you tell if the bloat is all gone?

Thanks for the coffee filter idea, Shannymara sent me some good links as well. I really appreciate the support!
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...the rest of you just beat your useless gums at the moon like jimson weed goats. - efarmer

CarlinsDarlin · Moderator Joined: Jul 02, 2004 Posts: 1395

LOL Ang, thanks. It's good to be a hero for something Smile

. The maggidan's milker that I mentioned is non-electric, though, so it may be an option for you (Shanny's the one who pointed it out to me). Check it out:

Maggidan's milker

As for the time it takes, don't worry, you'll get faster. When I first started it would take me 30 minutes to milk out one goat. It goes much faster now. I feed everyone, milk Sugar, and then wait for everyone to finish eating - and am back in the house within 20 minutes. With practice, you'll get faster too.

I have full-sized dairy goats, and yours are minis, correct? So I really have no idea how much milk yours will give. Shanny would be a better judge of that, I guess, since she also has minis. My girls at peak production will give close to a gallon a day each, but as I said, they're full-sized dairy goats.

With the bloat, look at her hip area, up on her back. If she's still bloated, she'll be rounded all the way down her spine, from her shoulders to her hips. If the bloat is better (and I bet it is), you'll see little indents in front of her hips. A goat's rumen is on their left side, so if she's eaten a lot of hay, for example (or if she's bloaty) her left side will be more distended than her right. It's normal to be a little bigger, and if her rumen is working well, it probably will be a little bigger than her right side. Here's a link from fiasco farms about bloat. I reference their site a lot. It may help.

Fiasco farms (bloat)

A lot of what I've learned about goats has been trial and error, and I am still nowhere near knowledgeable. I have several goat people that I call all the time with questions. Feel free to ask any questions you have. I'll answer if I can, or ask my goat friends if I don't know the answer.

This week we're dealing with some coccidia in our baby goats. All goats carry it, but since we've had goats here for just a short time, I didn't think we had too much of it here yet. It's the overabundance of cocci that makes the babies sick. But, one of the babies got diarrhea and we started treating them 4 days ago. It's a five day treatment, once a month, from now on as long as they're here. And once a year for the adults. One more thing to stress over Smile

... but they're doing better, so the treatment is working.

I also have been staying better on top of cleaning out the barn everyday - that helps keep the cocci down, too. It's always something... (as Rosanna Rosannadanna said...)

Kathy

Ang · Tar Sands Joined: Oct 31, 2007 Posts: 83

Okeydokey...read the article and ordered the milker. I think she may still have bloat, we are going to give her the last of the Probios tomorrow and see how we do.

TY!
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...the rest of you just beat your useless gums at the moon like jimson weed goats. - efarmer

CarlinsDarlin · Moderator Joined: Jul 02, 2004 Posts: 1395

Ang,
If the probios hasn't helped thus far, it's probably not going to. One or two doses is usually enough to clear up any tummy ache. Go to the feed store and get some Bloat Release. It's not very expensive - and it should clear her up. Bloat is dangerous if left too long (it can get worse). Is there another knowledgeable goat person near you who can take a look at her?

If all else, talk to a cattle person who has dealt with bloat. Cows can also get it - and horses too, for that matter. Anyone who's dealt with it should be able to look at her and provide advice.

I do know the bloat release works, though.
Kathy

Ang · Tar Sands Joined: Oct 31, 2007 Posts: 83

The bloat seems to be gone! Molly and Lucy are doing well and I can't wait to get them out to the homestead in about a week.

I did have one other question (and I know I could google it, but it's more fun to ask people I "know").

Kathy, you mentioned cleaning out your goat area daily, are they on wood or dirt? I really want to avoid hoof issues so how clean do I need to keep their area? Do the little dingle balls have to be swept away on a regular basis?

TY!
_________________
...the rest of you just beat your useless gums at the moon like jimson weed goats. - efarmer

CarlinsDarlin · Moderator Joined: Jul 02, 2004 Posts: 1395

Hi Ang,
Great news Smile

. I'm so glad. I get so worried about my goats if they're feeling peuny - I know how it stresses you.

I'm not always as good as I should be about cleaning out the barn, but yes, I try to do it daily. My barn floor is dirt. What I do, is once a day - either while the girls are eating, or on a nice day, once they've gone outside - is use a leaf rake and rake up all the berries and wasted hay (which is the biggest part of the mess - goats waste a lot of hay) into a pile. Then I use a pitchfork to load it into the wheelbarrow and haul it to a pile in the corner of their fenced area. That pile composts down and I use it on my garden.

Foot issues are one thing to be worried about if the barn area is wet - and urine and poo mixed with wasted hay make for a big funk if you leave it too long. The bigger issue (at least for me this year with babies) was the coccidia. Leaving the poo makes the babies more likely to get sick with coccidiosis - which mine did when I neglected the cleaning too long.

Leaving poo also makes it more likely your goats will get worms. That's how the eggs are passed. When the goats step into the poo, and then step up on the hay rack to get the "good stuff" at the top, the eggs can get into the hay, and then into the goats. I worm about once a month to stay on top of it. Some people do fecal tests and worm only when necessary, but I haven't gotten to that point yet. I've had worms in my goats in the past, and I'd rather not take chances. BTW, one way you can check to see if your goat needs worming is to pull down the bottom eyelid and look at the inside of it. It should be a dark pink color. If it's really light, she may be anemic and need worming - that can make her feel lousy too, and may be a contributor to the tummy ache she's had recently.

Anyway, if you clean a little everyday, it's not that big a job. If you leave it too long, you'll be out there for a full day. It's easier to stay on top of it than it is to catch up. Plus, the goats are much happier. Smile

As I said, ask anything that comes to mind. If I don't know the answer, I'll find out.
Kathy

Ang · Tar Sands Joined: Oct 31, 2007 Posts: 83

Thank you, Kathy! Smile

I'm going to do a little more tonight to clean up their area. They are in a little side yard until we move at the end of the month.

I really appreciate your time and your replies!

Ang
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...the rest of you just beat your useless gums at the moon like jimson weed goats. - efarmer

CarlinsDarlin · Moderator Joined: Jul 02, 2004 Posts: 1395

Yesterday I felt like a heel. Sad

A friend called, saying a lady she knew had gone out and found one of her goats dead this morning. She only had two - as pets - and now one was lost and lonely without a playmate. Well, the one remaining one was a little boer wether, and my friend knew I had a little boer wether about the same age. She asked if I'd be willing to sell him.

I only got Rocky in the first place to rescue him from a BBQ grill Smile

and to be company for our buck, Ringo. With the new setup, Ringo's pen is right next to the girls, so although he can't reach them, he is right next door and can see them. So, he really doesn't need the company.

So, to make a long story short, I agreed to sell Rocky. Getting to be a pet is right up his alley, and I know he'll be fine there. The lady has several good contacts with goat people - whom I also know - and several people she can call to ask questions from. So, I know that even if she's inexperienced with goats, she has lots of folks who are willing and able to help her out if there are any problems.

Anyway, the lady came to get Rocky at 1:00 yesterday afternoon. He walked right out on a leash and was well behaved even up and into the truck. Then the truck backed out. Rocky screamed like mad - I heard him screaming until the truck was out of ear shot. I felt so bad Sad

... and Ringo was running up and down the fence line freaking out... his little buddy was gone Sad

. I felt like such a heel.

Donna, my goat friend (and original owner of Ringo) says he'll be fine. He probably will be. It's me who's not doing so well. Now, if I can just get through selling Lightnin' and Lefty without falling apart....
K

Shannymara · Master Joined: Oct 04, 2004 Posts: 5395 Location: Oklahoma

Reina had twins today. I haven't checked the gender yet. Will post more info and pictures tomorrow.

Kathy, I'm sure Rocky is fine! I remember when I brought my goats home I felt sorry for them at first, especially Reina who was suddenly separated from her (4 month old) kids. She cried for them for about 24 hours, but after that all 3 of my goats were acting happy, playful, and content. They do adjust quickly.
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"Every junkie's like a setting sun..." - Neil Young

CarlinsDarlin · Moderator Joined: Jul 02, 2004 Posts: 1395

Congrats on more babies, Shanny! Smile

Can't wait to see the pictures. Our next ones won't arrive till the first of May (they weren't bred till after we got Ringo in December), so we still have some time yet.

I know Rocky will be fine. I just get so attached to my critters...

I ordered the Maggidan's milker yesterday with the inline milk filter, larger teat cup, and 1/2 gallon collector. It was shipped 2-3 day priority mail, and left NC yesterday, so I'm hoping it arrives tomorrow. If so I'll report on how well it works on Tuesday. I'm really looking forward to getting it. I sure hope it works as well as promised.

Kathy

CarlinsDarlin · Moderator Joined: Jul 02, 2004 Posts: 1395

Well, poo. Sad

Got my milker yesterday. I tested it out on some water in the kitchen, since I'm only milking in the morning and it worked great. Good suction, and a good system. It should work great for those of you who have minis.

I ordered the larger teat cup which is supposed to work for full-sized dairy goats. Well, Sugar is one heck of a producer. I got a half gallon from her this morning - but I did it milking by hand. The teat cup was too small Sad

.

It was long enough, but not large enough in diameter. Sugar was pretty full this morning. But she's not even to peak production yet. It'll be another month and a half or two months before she reaches her peak during lactation. So I know the milker is not going to work for her.

Maggie does offer a 30 money-back guarantee on the milker, though, so I may just return it if I can't figure out a larger teat cup that will work. I called my sister-in-law, the RN, and asked if they can get syringes larger than 60ml, which is all the teat cup is (both sizes are syringes, one @ 60 ml, and one at 30 ml). She said that's about the largest size she knows of. Bummer. I was so hoping it would work.

On a more positive note, though, a fellow 4-H parent and goat person has told me she built a mechanical milking machine for about $200. Ready-made machines are about $1000 or more, so I'm going to see if I can get her assistance to build one for me.

Oh well. Live and learn.
K

Shannymara · Master Joined: Oct 04, 2004 Posts: 5395 Location: Oklahoma

CarlinsDarlin · Moderator Joined: Jul 02, 2004 Posts: 1395

Shanny,
I actually called Maggidan's and spoke to Dan. He directed me to the same site. I called the folks at Valley Vet and asked them to measure the opening on the 140 ml syringe. It's 1 1/2 inches across. It might work. (The 60 ml syringe came up about halfway on her teat when it was full, so the extra half inch might be enough to cover the whole thing.) The syringe itself is $5.49, but shipping is an extra $6 - more than the syringe itself Smile

. So, I called my local feed store to see if they can order one cheaper. They're going to call me back.

Apparently, unbeknownst to me, Sugar has very large teats, even for a full-sized dairy goat. Everyone I've spoken to, including Dan, were like... "WOW! She's a big girl!" Laughing

She's not, actually. She's not even 2 years old yet - so she's still got a good year of growing left to be full-grown. She was bred, however, to be a heavy milk producer, so I guess this means she'll be a REALLY good producer when she is grown Smile

. There are worse things to worry about Smile

.

Dan did say, though, if I couldn't find a syringe that would work for me, that they'd be happy to give me my money back. Good folks.
Kathy