Got Milk, Again?

That's right folks, I'm milking again!!!! (I'm not the one giving the milk. That would be my goats. Just to clear that up.) I'm back to the twice a day schedule of going out and getting the goats up on the milking stand and getting that Ooooohhhhh so good milk.

  I enjoy milking. It's very relaxing. Spending time with just you and your goat. But........(you knew that was coming didn't you? lol) I have this goat that has freshened for the first time. Her name is Gracie. ( As soon as I get my camera, I'll be get a picture of her on here for ya.) Gracie is a great milker. She hops up on the milking stand with no problem. She hops down with no problem. She stands like she has been doing this for years. But, she hasn't! And, for her first time of being fresh, she is giving a good amount of milk. The only problem that I have with her is that she has a teat with the hole not quite at the bottom of her teat. The milk squirts out the side while I'm trying to milk. Not just out the side, but right at me! So to milk her, I have to concentrate on aiming the milk at the bucket. So if I get to milking both teats at the same time, I end up squirting myself in the chest more than once. I usually just milk one at a time.  It takes longer, but I at least don't get a milk shower.

On top of her "off teat", Gracie lifts her leg up on that side whenever I milk. So as I'm trying to aim her teat into the bucket, I'm trying to keep her from putting her foot into the bucket. Geesh! I'm working up a sweat just trying to get milk! The first time I milked her, I ended up with milk on my chest and a foot in the bucket. Not a good day. lol.

Anyway, I really shouldn't complain. At least she isn't like Hanna. Hanna is my other Nubian who usually gives good milk, has GREAT, long teats, but goes psycho on me whenever I try to get her off the milking stand. She gets this "look" in her eyes that said, " Oh no!!!! I'm going to fall into the deep pit of despair!!!!!" She locks up all four legs and I have to physically turn her around on the stand, making sure she doesn't put a foot in the milk bucket, which she has done before, and then I have to pull her off. Once she is off, then she thinks shes being chased by a monster that will rip her face off. She throws that head back and tries to drag me back to the goat pen. I swear she has a mental problem. At least she made a good mommy this year. LOL! Got to love them goats!

So until next time,

Small Farm Girl, milker.