Milking Goats for Beginners

Goat milk is an nutritious alternative to cow's milk and it is drunk in large quantities all over the world. Raising and milking goats is something that people do both as a hobby and as a profession. By raising and milking goats yourself you can control where your milk comes from, the freshness of the milk you drink and the conditions the goats are kept in.

  1. Milking Area for Goats

    • Establish a milking area for your goats so you have a place that is sanitary and comfortable for you and the goats. The milking area should have a concrete floor so it is not difficult to clean. There should be several spots where you can tie up the goats and each spot should also have a place for the goat to eat and drink. This allows the goat to feed while it is waiting to get milked. The milking area should have a sink so you can clean all the milking materials.

    Prepare Goats for Milking

    • Practice bringing the female goats into the milking area and tying up the goats in the milking stations. This helps young goats who have not been milked before get used to entering and exiting the milking area and establishes a routine they can become familiar with.

    Feed High-Quality Food

    • Feed the milking goats quality food that has at least 18 percent protein. Foods such as cracked corn, rolled oats, soy been oil meal, molasses and salt are all necessary for goats, according to the University of Missouri Extension. Consult a veterinarian to find out the proper amount of food to feed each milking goat because the amount you give depends on factors such as the goat's weight and age. Milking goats should also be fed high-quality hay that has at least 16 percent protein. The goats should also have access to grass and weeds in the pasture so they can free range. The grass and weeds have natural vitamins that help keep them healthy.

    Milk Each Goat

    • Tie up the milking goat to the milking station, place a stool on the right side of the goat and sit on the stool. This position allows you to reach under the goat more easily. Place a bucket under the goat's udders. Wrap your for finger and your thumb around the goat's teat and then close the for finger, middle finger and ring finger around the teat and pull down. This will start the goat's milk flowing. Aim the teat toward the bucket to ensure that you can collect all of the milk. Start out slow and allow yourself time to get comfortable with the feeling of milking the goat.