We are in the milking groove here with last week’s post on supplies needed for milking. Therefore, we thought we would go ahead and provide some insight on how to milk a goat by hand (or a cow).
Once you gather all of the supplies you need, here are the easy steps for how to milk a goat by hand:
1) Prepare a milk stand treat
Milk stand treats are crucial for milking goats by hand. This can be any mix of goodies that you know they will love and be happy to stand and eat.
We use a cup of alfalfa pellets and an 1/8th of a cup of BOSS (black oil sunflower seeds). Many people also include Calf Manna or a Goat feed grain.
2) Get your goat on the milk stand
This should be pretty easy if you show them their feed bucket with their milk stand treat. They should jump right up on the stand for you.
If it is their first few times, they may need a little coaxing. Or, you may need to show them where their head should go. You want your goat to be secure when learning how to milk a goat by hand.
3) Get things prepared
You’ll want to put your gloves on (for sanitary purposes). Then, get your milk pail ready. Next, clean off your goats udder with a warm wet rag (or udder wipes of your choice).
4) Start milking goats by hand
Ok, so this is the hardest part of learning how to milk a goat by hand (and not really that hard once you get the hang of it). You will want to reach around your goats teat (up high on the udder if possible).
Next, make a circle with your thumb and pointer finger “capturing the milk” into the teat.
Finally, squeeze the milk down and out of the teat into your milk pail. (As seen in the photo below). You want to avoid pulling down on the teat. Therefore, it is more of capturing the milk into the teat and pressing it out (like you would a tube of toothpaste).
5) Store the milk
Once you have emptied her udder (it will feel soft and empty and not much if any milk will come out). Next, you will want to strain the milk through your strainer into your holding container.
Then, get it into the fridge as soon as possible to get it cooled down. Doing this fast helps to maintain the flavor and safety of the milk. You can leave it raw or pasteurize it. If your goats have started to decrease in their milk production, it’s easy to figure out what’s wrong.
Want to see how to hand milk a goat?
Finally, for those of you who are visual learners, you can also check out our YouTube video below! This video shows how to milk a goat by hand below. While you watch, don’t forget to subscribe to our channel!
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