# How long does it take to milk one goat?



## TSYORK (Mar 16, 2006)

I have a pretty heavy milker on the way to my farm. She has just freshened a few weeks ago and is giving roughly a gallon and a half a day. This milk really isn't for human consumption and will not be pasteurized, I will be feeding bottle calves with it. How long does it normally take to milk out one doe. I know I will have to milk morning and evening. I have a very demanding job and have to be at work pretty early, so I was just trying to prepare myself for having to get up a little earlier. What I don't know, is how much earlier?


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## tioga12 (Jun 26, 2006)

How big are her teats? Two of my heaviest milking Alpines have tiny teats, and it would take half an hour to milk them out! I use those does to raise boer kids. But I also have other dairy does that give a gallon a day and take less than five minutes to milk because they have nice large teats.


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## topside1 (Sep 23, 2005)

TS, I milk six goats twice a day. These goats in no way are giving 1.5 gallons a day. They average 3 pints to 1/2 gallon each per milking, and I milk each goat in under 6 minutes. One of the nubians with hand size teats can be milked out in three minutes....Strong hands help...


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## RedTartan (May 2, 2006)

Yep. It depends on the doe. I have one that takes me about 10 minutes. She has small teats and small orifices. My other doe takes me about 3 minutes. She has large teats and really large orifices. She also lets down right away.

You'll have to wait and see how long she'll take.

 RedTartan


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## 6e (Sep 10, 2005)

Topside: You're not kidding about the strong hands! I'm building muscles in my arms and hands that I never thought I had! LOL

I have really small hands and so even the small teated goats aren't hard for me. I have a doe that gives a gallon and a half a day and it takes me about 5 minutes to milk her out. She has really nice teats. I have another doe that is slightly behind her, but her teats are a tad smaller and she may take me 6 or 7 minutes. 
The very first goat I ever milked took me 45 minutes!! Good thing she was a very patient doe! I'm much much faster now.


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## Chinook (Mar 9, 2008)

It depends on a lot of things. How much milk, what size the teats are, the doe, and mostly on how fast you are going to milk. It takes me 15 min. normally to milk out both our does and feed them. They aren't producing that much milk though and I am usually taking my time milking.


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## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

Also depends on whether you milk two handed, how well trained your hands are, etc.

As we started with a one-teated goat, I learned to milk with my right hand only. Now we are milking a fully endowed goat, and I had to train my left hand. It was surely awkward at first.

You will get faster with experience.


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## TSYORK (Mar 16, 2006)

She has HUGE teats, so I'm hoping milking will be quick. It's me I'm worried about, I really haven't milked before. I know my hands are going to get tired until I build up some stamina. One of our friends, who knows of the doe, said that it should take no time to milk her out before of the size of her teats and udder.


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## topside1 (Sep 23, 2005)

Let us know how the first day goes...good luck!


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## 6e (Sep 10, 2005)

TSYORK said:


> She has HUGE teats, so I'm hoping milking will be quick. It's me I'm worried about, I really haven't milked before. I know my hands are going to get tired until I build up some stamina. One of our friends, who knows of the doe, said that it should take no time to milk her out before of the size of her teats and udder.


We have a doe that has really long udders and I actually find them harder as I have to squeeze harder to get all the milk out of them because there's teat left hanging below my hand. She wears me out in a hurry. LOL


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## Missbeckysgoats (Apr 15, 2008)

TSYORK said:


> I have a pretty heavy milker on the way to my farm. She has just freshened a few weeks ago and is giving roughly a gallon and a half a day. This milk really isn't for human consumption and will not be pasteurized, I will be feeding bottle calves with it. How long does it normally take to milk out one doe. I know I will have to milk morning and evening. I have a very demanding job and have to be at work pretty early, so I was just trying to prepare myself for having to get up a little earlier. What I don't know, is how much earlier?


Well, it usually takes me around...2 to 3 minutes to milk my Nubian milk goat, not all that long, you should be able to do that pretty quick. Maybe you should give yourself around...15 to 20 minutes to milk the goat, strain the milk and feed your calves, depending on how many calves you have...

I usually take around 10 to 15 minutes to milk my goat, bottle feed my baby goats and feed my mom's sheep their hay and then strain the goat milk.

I have no idea if this helps, hope it does. And good luck with your goat! 

-Rebecca


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## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

Getting a quart from my one-teated goat this evening took three minutes. What you must take into account is feeding, checking the water, handing out snacks, rubbing ears, sweeping the milk house, etc etc etc.


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## topside1 (Sep 23, 2005)

Rose is right, clean-ups and feeding the animal takes longer than the actual milking.


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## lonelyfarmgirl (Feb 6, 2005)

I was going to say the same thing Rose did, it depends on if you do it one handed or two handed. I always go one handed, and the other hand holds the jar. I am not brave enought to let go of the jar and set it down to milk 2 handed.
seems the goat will step in it or kick it over.

I can usually milk 3 goats giving a medium amount in half an hour.
keep in mind though, waether plays a factor, and act like you have all the time in the world. if you act like you are in a hurry, the goats will feel it, and milk let down will be slow or incomplete.

the strengthen your hands, get one of those rubber squeeze balls to play with while your hands are idle throughout the day.


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## ozark_jewels (Oct 7, 2005)

My mature does who give 1 gallon a day(1/2 gallon each milking), it usually takes me about 1 minute to milk out. It also depends on if they let their milk down fast or if I have to give them time to drop it.
Now my doeling FF....they have usually much smaller teats and even if they behave themselves it can take up to 5-15 minutes to milk those little teats.

A lot depends on if you've milked before. If you've never milked before it will cramp your hands to start with and your forearm muscles will get quite sore until you become used to it. So give yourself plenty of time to learn.
I started milking Jersey cows when I was about 7 years old. When your accustomed to milking a Jersey who gives 2-6 gallons a day......a goat is pretty easy.


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## TSYORK (Mar 16, 2006)

Well we picked up the milker Friday night, and Saturday morning was the first milking. Let's just say it was an experience and we will leave it at that, lol. I really was in the hang of it by Saturday evening milking, and this girl pours the milk. I milked her this morning at it didn't take long at all. She gave me 3/4's of a gallon. I put her baby with her during the day, and probably got a pint to pint and a half tonight. My calf loves the milk. All in all, things are going pretty well I think.


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## Freeholder (Jun 19, 2004)

TSYORK said:


> Well we picked up the milker Friday night, and Saturday morning was the first milking. Let's just say it was an experience and we will leave it at that, lol. I really was in the hang of it by Saturday evening milking, and this girl pours the milk. I milked her this morning at it didn't take long at all. She gave me 3/4's of a gallon. I put her baby with her during the day, and probably got a pint to pint and a half tonight. My calf loves the milk. All in all, things are going pretty well I think.


Sounds like things are going pretty well!

Did the former owner give good care instructions? Moving a goat that's a fairly heavy milker stresses their system, and you could end up with her coming down with hypocalcemia (which kills rapidly). A shot of B vitamin and some probios would be a good idea, IMO. I hate to scare a new goat owner, but this is the only thing I've ever lost a mature doe to, and it's heartbreaking.

Kathleen


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## TSYORK (Mar 16, 2006)

I've got a vitamin B, how many cc's. She is a pretty big, healthy girl!


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## TSYORK (Mar 16, 2006)

bump.


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## topside1 (Sep 23, 2005)

TS, give her whatever it says on the bottle. If your bottles label is off then I'll go look at what mine says....John


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## cjb (May 2, 2006)

I'm only milking two does right now and they're at the end of their lactation cycle so only giving about 1/2 gallon per day each. It takes me about 5 minutes for one a bit less for the other. When they were giving a gallon per day each, it took me about 8 minutes to milk out 1/2 gallon.

My cow on the other hand.....


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## TSYORK (Mar 16, 2006)

Oh Cliff.... Violet doesn't take that long does she? lol JK.


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## kidsngarden (Mar 24, 2006)

Worming is also a good idea after moving...


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