Yes, you read that right, we now have a home dairy! We bought two beautiful Saanen dairy goats last weekend and here’s the adventure we’ve had so far.
Buying the dairy goats
I thought about the different breed options, and wanted one that produces the most milk. The Nubian produces a creamier milk, but the Saanen, Alpine and Toggenburg produce the most. I looked online for goats for sale, but couldn’t find a reliable breeder. I asked my friend who breeds nubians and she told me of a local Saanen breeder. I was so excited when she said she had a few to sell! I drove over there the following weekend and picked up two lovely, quiet Saanen girls.
My main concern was that the milk tasted good. I had milked boer does in the past, and our feral does, and the milk smelled goaty before you even tasted it. It was rank. So first thing when we got home, we milked the girls and tasted the produce. It was amazing! Just like store-bought cow’s milk but creamier and so much better for you.
The benefit of buying from a reputable breeder is the superior genetics. These does are bred for sustained milking, meaning they will milk for 2 years continuously after kidding. They don’t need to have a kid every year. This is kinder to them as kidding can be stressful physically.
The first attempt at milking
The does stood quietly enough but didn’t appreciate my pulling on their teats like I was milking a cow. It had been years since I had milked a goat. I was super stressed seeing their udders full of milk, knowing they would be uncomfortable, and feeling useless and helpless to improve the situation. I got only half a glass of milk and it was so difficult! I had brief thoughts of regret trying to start my own home dairy.
So, after tears of frustration and some swear words (at myself), I called in an expert. My dear friend’s mother came to my rescue and taught me how to milk them properly. I whipped together a plywood platform and bought barley to feed them. One of the issues was that I had bought does that were used to being machine-milked. They were confused at the time it was taking this rookie to milk them. The other issue was that I didn’t have a strong pincer grip ( thumb and 1st finger) which is crucial to milking goats efficiently.
I bought a machine online that day. It only cost $100, so I am skeptical that it will be any good. I’ll post about it later when it arrives.
Successful milking
On day two of my lessons, I finally mastered the technique at the end of milking the second goat. I was so proud of myself! The goats were much happier too, as we had built a bond and I was getting faster at milking. I now get 2 liters (1/2 gallon) of milk per day and I couldn’t be happier. The human kids love it; the littlest didn’t notice the difference, and the middle-est was reluctant but soon realized how good it tasted and has it every day. What I love most is seeing it in the classic glass bottles. It’s just so good to not be storing it in plastic.
What I have learned is that you need to build up your muscles and learn the proper technique first, and have the right set up before you buy the goats. Apparently you can practice by squeezing a sponge to build up your muscles. I let my excitement get the better of me, and jumped the gun. I still need to build a proper stanchion for milking, I’m going to use recycled wood from “the pile” and will post about it later.
I milk these does once a day to fit into our busy lifestyle, but you can choose what works best for you. You will likely get slightly more milk from milking twice a day, but 2 litres is plenty for us.
Future plans
I’ve got a lot to learn about milk quality and optimal goat diet, as both nutrients and genetics will impact on the flavor of the milk. I’ve been told that cobalt and copper deficiencies can make the milk salty. The does also need high protein treats to eat while milking. So I will be looking at sourcing a reliable feed for this. So far they have a molasses-based nutrient-filled treat that they can lick any time, as well as a giant salt lick. Goats are very inquisitive creatures, so I will also be looking at building some games and enrichment activities to keep them occupied.