How to milk a goat after lambing

Every year, more and more farmers decide to abandon the cow in favor of less demanding goats. These animals are able to eat almost any food and are characterized by a fairly high productivity. However, often milk production in goats is sharply reduced, especially after the first lambing. This article will discuss the main ways to increase the productivity of goats after the first lambing, and also describe whether it is possible to protect animals from poor milk yield.

Why goat the goat

In vivo, milk production is a way to adapt to survival. Milk contains a huge amount of nutrients that are best suited for feeding young offspring. After lambing, a significant amount of milk is produced in the mother’s body, which is enough to feed offspring. This feature is used by pastoralists. Excess milk is successfully extracted from animals and used for further purposes. However, with the growth of kids, the body of their mother gradually loses the ability to give a product.

So that a productive animal does not turn into a goat, a so-called barking is carried out. It is a complex of various methods aimed at enhancing lactation, as well as prolonging the productive period of animals. Distribution is a mandatory measure, without this, the feasibility of breeding dairy goats is reduced significantly. For a year artiodactyls are able to give 1-2 generation of offspring, while natural lactation can last for several months. But after a good dough, it can be observed up to 9 months.

How to prepare a goat for milking

Preparing a dairy farm for milking is one of the main processes that almost all breeders begin. This procedure often consists of two successive stages, this is the so-called preparation of the udder for milking and the launch of animals. With timely implementation, preparatory measures allow in the future to obtain at least 5-8 liters of high-quality milk. Did you know? Domestic goat is one of the first animals tamed by humans. It happened about 9 - 10 thousand years ago in the Middle East.

Udder preparation

This procedure is especially important not only for mature animals, but also for nulliparous goats. Prepare using periodic massaging of the udder. To do this, make the so-called fictitious milking. This helps to improve blood flow to the udder, as well as to accustom the animal to the touch of a person. Such massaging movements are carried out smoothly, starting from the base to the edge. In this case, hands must be heated or used for the procedure with a warm towel.

Fictitious milking is carried out regularly, starting from several minutes and prolonging to several tens. Massaging the udder is started even during the pregnancy of the animal, approximately 3-4 weeks before lambing and until the appearance of the kids. You should not start preparation earlier, since this will not bring additional effect. Instead, the animal will undergo unnecessary stress and its side effects.

Goat launch

Cattle farmers often understand the launch of dairy breeds of animals as a gradual reduction in milk selection. During this period, farmers gradually reduce milk production to a complete rejection of the selection. Start the launch approximately 1.5–2 months before the expected date of birth of the offspring. First, the multiplicity of milking is halved, and then gradually they are reduced to one procedure every 2-3 days.

Gradually, the body will form a natural reaction to a reduction in milk production, which will lead to a complete cessation of lactation. At this time, the udder will lose its shape and elasticity, become limp. Running is a prerequisite for any dairy farm, otherwise the artiodactyl organism will be depleted. And this is the main condition for the oppression of future lactation.

Important! During the reduction of milking, it is imperative to ensure that the udder of the animal does not overflow, otherwise it will negatively affect both further productivity and the state of health in general.

Basic milking rules

Milking can take place in two ways - manually or using automated units. Despite all the conceptual differences, these procedures have common foundations. Before extracting milk, animals must be properly prepared, for this the udder is thoroughly cleaned with warm water, wiped dry and massaged for several minutes with light movements. After this, milking will bring the animal the least harm and will be perceived as a pleasant procedure.

Hand milking

There are several methods for extracting milk, the most common of which is the so-called side milking. To do this, they approach the udder from the side, and then squeeze the base of the nipple with the thumb and forefinger until liquid begins to stand out from it. After that, they rhythmically move it down into the tank. Milk is taken to the end, since it is located in different layers in the udder, below it is less greasy, and on top the most greasy.

The so-called Moldavian method is also quite popular. Most often it is used for heifers or in large livestock farms. For milking in this way, a special machine is made in which the animal is fixed to the support. They make it from three wooden shields, which are fixed to the base. In one of them, a small hole is made through which the head of the animal is threaded and fixed.

Milking is carried out with two hands, one compresses the nipples according to the type of lateral milking, the second compresses the udder, directing the fluid to the nipples. Despite the additional costs, this method has a lot of advantages. First of all, in cramped conditions the animal is not able to interfere with milking, which not only speeds up the procedure, but also protects the miller from injuries.

There is also a combined method. It is less popular, but also widely used in cattle breeding. They do it like this: first milk is squeezed out of the udder, and then the remaining liquid is removed with your fingers.

Important! During milking, the first servings of milk must be put in a separate bowl. They contain dirt, as well as all kinds of bacteria that render the product unusable.

Using the machine

The use of milking machines is a more advanced and technical way of extracting milk. With its help, you can instantly select a product from a large herd in a fairly short period. In addition, it reduces overall labor costs, which reduces the cost of the product. However, its main disadvantage is noise. Animals often react negatively to the operation of the device, so a few weeks before milking the goats, you need to familiarize yourself with its work. For this, the unit is turned on near animals for nothing, starting from a few minutes, ending 10-15.

The main work of the apparatus involves the following steps:

1. From each nipple, the first drops are dropped into a separate container.
2. The device is checked for serviceability, and also cleaned of pollutants.
3. Glasses are put on each nipple, and then their tightness is checked. The glass should fit snugly and also not make hissing sounds of air.
4. Starting the unit, at this time there will be small trickles of milk passing through the glass. If glasses fall during the fluid selection process, they must be lifted and reinstalled.
5. Some individuals need finishing, for this it is necessary to stretch the collector with your hand down and again raise it up.
6. After the trickles of milk are over, the device can be turned off and cleaned of residual liquid.

Important! During the operation of the unit, if possible, the udder of the animal should be gently massaged, this will not only accelerate the process, but also increase the amount of fluid collected.

How to milk a goat after the first lambing

After the young goat gave birth to new offspring, its productivity does not raise questions, but then, so that it does not fall, you must seriously try. To do this, the animal needs to create a special regime that will affect the activity of its lactation.

You can do this by following just a few simple and clear rules:

• goats should be milked at the same time, at least 2-3 times a day;
• the first milking in dairy breeds is carried out immediately after lambing, in meat breeds - not earlier than after 2-3 months;
• during the period of feeding offspring, the selection of milk must be carried out immediately after saturation of the kids;
• a relaxing massage of the udder will help increase the amount of milk, make it before and after the procedure;
• milk must be extracted to the maximum, in addition to maintaining lactation activity, this will also help increase milk fat content;
• if the animal reacts restlessly to the process, it is imperative to build a milking machine;
• lactation is closely dependent on the diet, in addition to herbs, animals must necessarily consume a sufficient amount of grain feed (at least 50% of the total weight);
• after taking the liquid, the goat's nipples must be washed and greased with petroleum jelly, this will protect them from cracking and infections;
• to reduce stress during milk extraction, the goat needs to be stroked, and also talk to her.

How to milk a goat after the first lambing

Features of milking during pregnancy

The artiodactyl organism is designed so that animals can produce up to two offspring per year. At this time, often young kids are still fed breast milk, so lactation can be observed even during subsequent pregnancy. Often at this time, veterinarians and zootechnicians do not prohibit active milking, but as the fetus grows, its amount is sharply reduced.

In milk there is a huge amount of nutrients that, during the development of a kid, are spent on maintaining its body, as well as its mother. With intensive milking, they do not receive the necessary amount of nutrients, which threatens the fetus with pathologies, and the mother with exhaustion. Did you know? All existing varieties of productive goats have a common ancestor. It is a bezoar goat (Capra aegagrus), which is still widely found in the wild in Asia, the Armenian Highlands and the Aegean coast. To avoid this, about two months before lambing, milk yield is reduced:

• the first 1-2 weeks of milking is reduced to 2 procedures per day;
• further selection is carried out no more than 1 time per day;
• a week later, the procedure is carried out 1 time in 1-2 days;
• in the next stage, approximately 7–10 days after the previous one, milk withdrawal is reduced to 300 ml per procedure. Spend it no more than 1 time in two days;
• after another week, milking is completely stopped.

Quite often, even after an effective start, high lactation in the animal is observed up to lambing. They are not afraid of this, often in this way the goat’s body tries to stock up with an additional amount of nutrients that will soon be used up for the development of the fetus in the womb. However, in case of late lactation, the animal should be looked after especially carefully. Overflow of the udder adversely affects the animal, therefore, in this case, it is necessary to periodically milk extra milk.

Is it possible to milk a goat without lambing

Problems with lambing among artiodactyls are not uncommon, including miscarriage and other pathologies. Especially common is the so-called "false pregnancy." During this phenomenon, the goat undergoes all characteristic physiological changes; during childbirth, instead of a kid, a huge amount of amniotic fluid leaves the animal. For many farmers, this phenomenon threatens serious losses, so most are thoroughly trying to milk animals.

From a physiological and metabolic point of view during a false pregnancy or other pathologies, the animal body undergoes a characteristic change in the hormonal background. This creates good conditions for the appearance of active lactation, but in fact the goat is often not able to please the owner with fresh products. Despite this, it can be milked, but it will take a lot of effort.

We advise you to read why the goat stopped giving milk.

First, the animal must be shown to the veterinarian, they resort to the procedure only if it has no contraindications. For crushing, the goat is periodically given out, despite the lack of milk. This stimulates the body and also provides additional blood flow to the organ. Do this daily, about 2 times a day. Over time, milk will come from the udder, but often it is preceded by a light, unusable liquid. With appropriate zeal, empty issuing will return the goat's productivity, however, it will not differ in high rates.

Distributing goats after lambing is a rather complicated process, requiring great attention and love for animals from the herder. However, with due effort and desire to perform high-quality breeding, even a beginner breeder can. In this case, it is necessary to take into account all the whims of the goats, so as not to expose them to excessive stress. Otherwise, lactation can completely stop, causing considerable damage to the farm.