Some thoughts while milking...

at first I thought these should go in the milking section. But then, they have as much to do with handling as with the use of milk. Anyway, sorry if this is the wrong section. Yes, the post is a bit long. And yes, many may already know this stuff - it is just common sense after all. But, there are those who haven't milked at all or in a long time. And these reminders don't hurt the experienced people either. Perhaps, this is an inservice for goatkeepers as well as other dairy animals.

The time spent milking is a perfect opportunity to observe your goat for anything out of the ordinary. Seeing these changes can help you catch problems a little earlier.

Simple things like "is the udder warmer than usual?" Or, "is one of the teats warmer than the other?" It is possible the goat was just laying on that side or laying down just moments before you started milking...but it may be the beginings of mastitis too.

Another thing to observe..do the hooves need trimmed? Just like people a goats hooves grow at different rates and are worn down at different rates - think of your own finger nails. So, trimming at set intervals may not work for that animal.

One important question to ask yourself "Is this goat eating like normal?" If not she may just be full of browse/hay or she may just be distracted by something. But, being off her feed may be a symptom of a problem.

For example, in looking over my doe this morning. Her coat is getting shiny and the winter coat is mostly shed so that is good. I do need to trim her hooves soon especially one of the back ones. But, she did not eat very much - it is possible her kid was distracting her. Add the not eating to her breathing not sounding normal and I know I need to watch this goat closely. It is possible she has simply caught a cold or something but if she starts running a fever too it may be the beginings of an infection. I will have to check on her later today.

One of the most important things about milking or just feeding your animals. Wash your hands especially if you are around other people during the day. Washing before helps protect your animals from you and others. Washing after helps to protect you from them and the germs they carry.

A few years ago I was having regular issues with mastitis. I tried every thing I could think of and then I made the connection. Sure it takes time to change clothes and wash properly after work. But, staph infections are common in my work place and one way staph shows up in goats is as mastitis. Everyone has staph on their hands but contact with other people means you have their staph on you as well. Your does are used to the staph from you but not the strains from others. Too much of the germ is a problem anyway.

And just so you know. There have been a few studies now that indicate those hand sanitizing gels only work if they are on your hands long enough to dry completely before touching anything else. Also, with frequent use of hand sanitizing gels the incidence of MRSA goes up. I'm not sure I got the spelling right but it basically means the staph infection can't be killed by common antibiotics and maybe not the stronger ones either.

So over all plain ol' handwashing is the best. At least that is what I believe.

I just wanted to share this because I believe these things to be important.

Lisa

This is very helpful!

Once again I want to share a few things I was thinking about today. I guess milking is a good time for my thoughts to be wandering.

I have one goat that is having trouble. I've dewormed her and she is holding her own. She reinforces the importance for me of checking the condition of all of my goats not just the two I'm milking. Also, the need to check physically not just visually. Her long hair hides a lot. I didn't realize she was in such a bad way. I feel bad for her but all I can do now is keep giving water and feed chances and keep helping her to her feet if needed. And do my best to not let this happen again.

Which leads in part to what I was thinking about. How easy it is to look at the surface of something and not look any deeper. Whether it is apperances or situations. So often I see situations without really looking for the cause. When, if I look for causes, then some times things can be changed.

On to another note.

While I was milking the two does this morning my doeling, born this spring, was in the milk room. I just want her to be used to the milk stand and used to being handled by me. Anyway, I saw her watching the milking process and then look towards her own udder. Then she shook her head like she was thinking "no way" or "how is that possible". I've been amused by that ever since.

Most thoughts are too fleeting to remember for long or are not really related to the job at hand or my animals. But, I think it is important that I share what I can that does relate. Perhaps in sharing my observations someone else will be able to avoid some of the problems.

ldawntaylor said:

Also, the need to check physically not just visually. Her long hair hides a lot.

Click to expand...

Great advice!

For those who are interested...I am posting a picture of this goat taken on the 2nd. To look at her you wouldn't think anything was wrong.



Actually there is one indicator, but I attributed it to a momentary thing. Her tail isn't in the usual position.

Had I actually felt her chin line maybe I would have noticed the edema starting to form. (The long haired one in the background - not the one scratching her side.)

The one scratching her side is the same one that had the gaping wound - abcess/deep tear. That wound was along the edge of her rib cage. Now the only indicator is a very small place where the hair grew back white. The trailer in the background - other fenced area - is where two of the three dogs stay. In fact you can see one laying down in the door.

For those who are interested the doe I've been worried about seems to be getting stronger. Yesterday she had her head up every time I went out rather than just responding when I was there.

Today, so far she has been on her feet and browsing a little.

So before I go to work I need to put water buckets at the two places she likes to rest so that she can get water easily. Maybe around 4 pm I'll get my parents to check that she still has water.

I really need to be keeping a closer eye on my goats and such. I can't let being tired allow me to slack off any more in caring for them.

My long haired goat is back with the others now. She is keeping up okay and holding her own. Getting stronger every day.

One thing I was thinking about today was how hair color and texture can tell so much about nutrition. The closer a goat's color is to what they had as a kid the closer they are to optimum nutrition. If you stop and think about it the same is true of people.

There are so many indicators that can help you detect a problem, if you have observed your goats when they are at their best.

You are very right about observing your goats; I tell people all of the time to know what is normal so you will know what isn't. If the first goat at the feeder is suddenly the last or standing alone that should be a red flag. They are very predictable.

One reason my goats' milk production really isn't that high is because I can't have a set routine in caring for them. Too much variation causes stress which cuts down on production.

Goats are very much creatures of habit. So am I when I get the chance. And I'm finding that chickens are too. One reason among many I wish I could earn a living on my little farm instead of having to work at a paying job. Oh well, I doubt this will change any time soon.

One thing I've been thinking about over the last few days is the concept of free range.

One reason I sometimes hear for free range is "that's how herd animals were raised" - however many centuries ago. One detail that gets forgotten is that during that era of animal husbandry the animals with the best chance of survival also had a shepherd/goatherd/ etc. that watched over the animals at all times.

As with all things I am sure there were those that did not or could not keep track of their animals so closely.

One of the few animals found on a farm or in a home that is truly free range - as in able to go as far as they wish for as long as they like is the outdoor cat. It seems I rarely hear about someone having trouble with a neighbors cat. Maybe because when it comes to strangers they seem to be only seen occasionally.

Yes, I know, most of my edits are spelling or adding a word or phrase that got missed. The post above being an example....

I was thinking about e. coli again as well as staph (I forget the proper name there). What I was thinking is that both of these troublesome germs are actually beneficial in their proper place and proper numbers.

I will try to explain about staph first. Yes, it can be a major problem where I work. Mostly because caregivers don't wash up properly at times. And staph/mrsa can cause infections in cuts on one's own hands. But, it does serve a purpose. It is part of that first line of defense we have. When we shake hands with someone - for example - some of their staph transfers to us and some of ours transfers to them. The remaining staph on a person's hands recognize the staph from the other as being foreign and tries to isolate it. With the result of the person being protected from that staph getting into cuts, etc and causing an infection. But, it does have its proper place....

I remember an article a few years ago about how some strains of e. coli feed on milk rather than other substances. The following test was to see if a lactose intolerant person had that particular strain of e. coli or not. With multiple tests of various subjects this scientist proposed the theory that lactose intolerance has a direct corolation to the amount of e. coli that person has. But, in other parts of the body or too great a quantity it does cause problems.

The same holds true for other so-called germs too.

Washing your hands regularly is vital in keeping these germs in their respective places and quantities.

I remember hearing a seminar a few years ago where the speaker commented that, when DNA is concerned, the person we see is actually mostly bacteria DNA rather than human DNA.

Who knows...but from my first post on this thread you know just how important I believe hand washing to be to the health and well being of your animals. As stated there...

washing your hands before chores protects your animals from your germs, washing your hands after (and as often as needed during) protects you from their germs.