Thursday, April 20, 2023
Embracing the Bounty of Kidding Season: A Journey through Milking Dairy Goats
Ah, kidding season - that enchanting time when the air is filled with the bleats of newborn goats and the farm bustles with excitement! If you're a dairy goat aficionado like us, you'll understand the thrill of witnessing the miracle of birth (staying up well into the night with armful of towels, a blow dryer, tums, and pocket full of bananas - ready for the first baby to pop out) and the anticipation of the milking season. So, let's dive into the world of milking dairy goats, explore the wonders of kidding season, and share some tips to help make this journey as delightful and stress-free as possible.
Kidding season is that special time when our beloved goats bring new life into the world. Spring is the perfect backdrop for these tiny miracles, as the mild weather nurtures the growth of both kids and blossoming flowers. That's not to say that many goat owners don't have a kidding season in late fall too - so they can have milk through the winter. It's just a bit of a harsher environment for the babies and it requires some extra special TLC for them.
Why Kidding Season is the Bee's Knees:
-Birth of kids: Kidding season helps your herd grow by leaps and bounds, as the adorable baby goats you welcome can eventually be part of your milk production team or join the breeding squad.
-Milking season kick-off: It's the moment we've all been waiting for - the lactation cycle begins, and our diligent dairy goats offer up that creamy, delicious milk we adore.
-Literally baby goats: That's it. That's a good enough reason all by itself. Prove me wrong.
Gearing Up for Kidding Season:
-Home Sweet Home: Make sure your goats have a cozy, clean, and airy abode, with separate quarters for expectant does, new moms, and their little bundles of joy. We repurposed a dilapidated playground with some pallet walls, some sheet metal panels for roofing, a smidgen of duct tape, and some light architectural engineering. Nothing super fancy, but it's water proof, it has separate stalls, and the goats seem to like it! (The sheep like it too but the goats keep kicking them out)
-Feed the Need: Amp up the nutrition for your pregnant and lactating ladies - they've earned it! Give those girls some bananas, some fatty alfalfa hay, and maybe a tums if they're a little gassy.
-Ready for Anything: Stock up on essential tools and learn some lifesaving techniques to handle any curveballs mother nature might throw your way during birth. Have you even been elbow deep inside a goat at 3am to deliver a baby and save a momma? That's ok, it doesn't make you any less cool.
Becoming a Milking Maestro:
-The Starting Line: Once your goats have given birth and their tiny tots have enjoyed their first taste of colostrum (typically within 24-48 hours), you're passed the hardest part. We usually wait about 2 weeks before the milking begins.
-Twice as Nice: Dairy goats love consistency, so treat them to a milking schedule that suits both of you. We prefer to milk once a day, usually in the morning. We'll separate the babies at night, and milk about 12 hours later. Some folks like to milk twice a day and that's totally acceptable, we've done that before too. This season we're doing once in the morning while the goats are milk sharing (still sharing milk with the babies) and we'll probably switch to twice a day later this year after the kids are weened.
-Cleanliness is Key: Keep everything spick and span - hands, equipment, and udders - to ensure you're collecting the purest milk possible. Honestly it's not that hard. Just get some warm vinegar water and a clean rag, wipe off the teats, make sure you washed your hands, and milk into a clean bucket (or a jar, we use jars sometimes).
Tips for milking Happiness:
-Routine = Serenity: Goats are creatures of habit, so find a milking routine that works for you and stick to it like glue. If you are late, they will Let. You. Know.
-Handle with Care: Channel your inner Zen and approach your goats with patience and tenderness, creating a calm and joyful milking environment. Put the dogs away, make sure the goat you're milking is away from all the others, minimize the distractions. Put a nice bowl of treats or grains in front of her while you milk. It's best if that's the first meal of the day for them.
-Freshness First: Collect your liquid gold in squeaky-clean containers and chill it ASAP to keep it at peak freshness and flavor. We generally keep a stainless steel container (with a sealed lid) in the fridge and we'll add the filtered milk into that until it's full. Then we'll pasteurize it. Or not. Depends on our mood. Our goats are from a closed herd and we spend a lot of time with them in order to ensure they are healthy and happy. We know there are no diseases going around so we don't have to worry too much about the quality of the milk. It's always A+. (It's actually "A2". Ha! That was a milk joke for those of you that know goat milk is consider A2 milk, not A1, making it easier to digest)
Conclusion:
Kidding season is like a rollercoaster of emotions - from the exhilaration of new births to the satisfaction of mastering the milking process. By preparing for the arrival of your cute little caprine companions and embracing the experience with open arms, you'll be rewarded with the magic of kidding season and the delectable taste of fresh, wholesome goat milk. So, here's to a delightful and bountiful kidding season - may your days be filled with frolicking kids and brimming milk pails!