Got Milk? Are Dairy Goats a Good Fit For Your Farm?

Maegan PerdueAgent Associate Agriculture

University of Maryland Extension Worcester County

Why Dairy Goats? (Does)• Milk for the family

• Half to around one gallon of milk per day• Pets/4-H

• Most breeds are friendly and make good pets• Good 4-H projects for smaller youth

• Stock-piled milk• Bottle babies

• Increased milk production of replacement does• Faster growing kids• Does can raise larger litters

Breeds of Dairy Goats•Nigerian Dwarf

• Miniature breed• Varied colors• Erect ears• Popular pet breed• Can cross with other dairy breeds to produce smaller

goats• Small size may make it uncomfortable to work with

Breeds of Dairy Goats•Oberhasli

• Deep reddish brown with black markings • Shades of brown may vary slightly

• Occasionally all black• Erect ears• Smaller standard sized goat• Almost no variation in markings• Not a good choice to cross with meat breeds

Breeds of Dairy Goats•Toggenburg

• Brown to gray in color • Swiss markings

• Not a lot of variation• Erect ears• Large standard breed• May be hard to find in some areas

Breeds of Dairy Goats•Saanen

• All white goat• Non white markings may be a fault• Colored = Sable

• Erect ears• Large breed• High production

Breeds of Dairy Goats•Alpine

• Can come in a variety of colors• Erect ears• Large breed

Breeds of Dairy Goats•Lamancha

• Very small ears• Gopher• Elf

• Any color• Smaller standard breed

Breeds of Dairy Goats•Nubian

• Long, pendulous ears• Should be longer than the muzzle

• Any color• Roman nose• Popular cross with Boer goats• Loud!

Breeds of Dairy Goats•Mixed

• Can mix dairy breeds to get desired characteristics• Will usually lose breed character• Usually cost less than purebred does

When does the milk come?• When a goat gives birth, she “freshens” (goes into milk)• Drying off refers to letting the doe stop producing milk• Does may produce milk until their kids are weaned or

continue to be milked up until about one to two months before she kids again

• Milk production is based on supply and demand • Some does can go through an extended lactation where

they are not rebred annually, but continued to be milked

Nutrition• Does in milk have a higher nutrient

requirement• Feed a balanced ration• High quality hay and a balanced feed• Monitor body condition scores

• Dairy goats are “thin” compared to meat goats, but should never be emaciated even when in high production

• When in doubt, ask an expert

Do they have to be milked after kidding?• Depends

• Management is important• Does can raise their kids

• Watch for damage to the udder and teats• May need to milk after weaning if production is still high

• Relief milking may be necessary• Right after kidding (edema can make the udder tight)• During weaning

Management Styles•Bottle fed kids

• Kids are removed at birth• Easy to store excess colostrum• Does are milked twice a day• Biosecurity- CAE

• Milk is pasteurized before feeding to the kids• Prevent damage to udder • Maximizes milking potential• Kids can be sold as bottle babies

Management Styles• Dam raised kids

• Kids are left on the dam• Fast kid growth

• After weaning, the doe is dried off• Potential for damaged udders

• Cut teats• Lop-sided udder if kids don’t nurse evenly (singles)

• If doe is milking heavy at weaning, teats may become blown• Blown teats are difficult to milk • Newborn kids can’t nurse a blown teat

Management Styles• Milk does after kids are weaned

• Doe raises the kids• Shorter time commitment• Utilize milk for family use• Freeze milk for future use

• Bottle babies• Potential udder damage from kids• Less risk of blown teats• Reduced milk production

• Supply and demand• If doe has started to dry off, may only need to milk once a day

Selecting Goats- What are your goals?• Pets

• Bottle babies like human interaction• Bond with you better if still on the bottle

• Wethers (castrated males are acceptable)• Will get larger than females• Must be fed properly• Monitor for urinary calculi

• Retired females• Less expensive than kids• Less of a time commitment

Selecting Goats- What are your goals?• 4-H Projects

• Know the rules for all potential shows• ADGA registration?• Freshened?

• Select does• Select a breed the 4-H member will enjoy and can

handle• Appropriate size, temperament, etc.

• Look at the dams, grand dams and daughters on both sides

• Good structure• Good udders

Selecting Goats- What are your goals?• Crossing with meat goats

• Large breeds• Maternal breed is typically the dairy breed

• Consider breed characteristics• No ears, pendulous ears, airplane ears

• Good body structure• Will pass this on to the kids

• Good udder• Kids can’t nurse blown teats or udders that are dragging the ground

• Are you willing to relief milk• If not, look for does with less milk production potential• Dairy crosses

• Culls from show herds may be a possibility

Selecting Goats- What are your goals?• Home milkers

• How much space do you have?• Got to have at least 2!

• What breeds are available in your price range and area?• What type of personality do you like?

• Check out and interact with different breeds• Select from good stock

• Good udders and teats• Bad teats are hard to milk• Teat size is important

• Culled does in milk from show herds• Usually already trained to milk on the stand• Usually sold to make room for younger stock• Ask to see the udders full and empty- newly freshened does will have edema

Biosecurity• CAE- Caprine Arthritis Encephalitis

• Hard udder, arthritis and encephalitis (in kids)• CL- Caseous Lymphadenitis

• External and internal abscesses• Johne’s disease

• Wasting disease- chronic diarrhea• These diseases may not show symptoms for years• Test by sending blood samples to a private laboratory or state

diagnostic lab.• Buy from clean herds where all adult animals are tested• Quarantine and test new animals

Milking Supplies• Milking stand

• Not necessary, but makes life a lot easier• Stanchion with feed pan

• Milk pail• Stainless steel (lids are great!)• Glass jars

• Udder wash• Soap and water (baby wipes?)• Commercial udder wash

• Teat spray• Fight Bac• Teat dip

• Disposable gloves?• Hands need to be clean

Training Does to the Stand•Does on the stand must be monitored

• If a doe jumps off, she can strangle herself or flip the stand on top of herself

•Feed kids and yearlings on the stand before they freshen• They will learn that the stand means food – good

things!• Let kids play on it with supervision

Know the Technique• Hand milking should not be painful

• Don’t pinch the teats• Most does will only stand still for milking while

eating• May only take does 5-10 minutes to eat their ration

• Overfeeding will give them a belly ache!• Need to build strength in your hands

• Hand milking a high production doe can be painful the first few times!

Know the Technique

Source: Pinterest

Milking the Doe• Some does need to have their udders

shaved-do this ahead of time• Gather all the needed supplies

• Need to be located near the stand • Load the doe on the stand

• Stand should be in an area with no loose animals or kids• Give her the feed

• Only her normal quantity• Gradually increase the amount if necessary

Milking the Doe• Wash the udder

• Wash all dirt and loose hairs• Strip the teats

• Make sure it looks normal• The first squirt is where most of the somatic cells are

• Milk her out quickly, especially if she eats fast• Spray or dip the teats

• Antibacterial spray or dip

Milking the Doe

Difficult Does• Inexperienced and young does may kick• Use small bottles that can be held in one hand while

you milk with the other• Handling does prior to freshening may help• Does don’t have to be friendly to be good milkers!• Must learn that good things come on the stand- feed

and relief from a full udder!

Some Things to Consider…• If you own a dairy goat, you should at least know

how to milk• Regardless of management, be willing to relief milk

• Take advantage of excess milk and colostrum- freeze it!• Once you start milking, you need to be consistent!

• Every day, same times• Choose a management that fits your lifestyle and

you can maintain

Conclusion• While dairy goats can be a time commitment, there

are many benefits to owning them:• Entertaining, friendly goats• Fresh milk

• Family use• Soap

• Frozen milk• Orphans

• Increased milk production of maternal breed• Faster growing kids

Questions?Maegan PerdueUniversity of Maryland Extension-Worcester Co.305 Bank Street Snow Hill, MD 21863410-632-1972mperdue@umd.edu

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