A lot of people nowadays are
interested in
raising goats for milk due to an increasing demand
of milk by consumers worldwide. There are also other products
made from milk which are high in demand such as cheese and
butter. Although milk can be produced from cows,
raising dairy
goats is much easier to do. It also requires low initial capital
investment and is low maintenance because goats eat tree leaves,
grasses, weeds and agricultural by-products. If you are
interested in raising goats for milk, it is essential to acquire
skills and knowledge about raising them before starting out.
When raising goats for milk, you should know that a female goat
starts mating at the age of seven to nine months and can be
milked when it reaches a year. Goat milk production is seasonal
and goats usually lactate for eight to ten months. During that
time, they produce about 750 quarts or 1500 pounds of milk.
About 2000 pounds of milk is considered as sufficient production
to sustain a viable commercial operation.
In milking your goats, a regular schedule should be established.
Usually, you milk the goats twice a day with a 12 hour interval
in a clean environment. Another tip to remember when raising
goats for milk is that when you milk the goats less especially
in early lactation, the production milk also decreases. Make
sure to milk the udder completely for continuous milk
production.
You can milk the goat manually or it can be extracted by
machine. It depends on the equipment and work force you have.
You can do hand milk for a few goats like 15 goats and below,
while it is more practical to use a machine for a larger group
of goats. When using a milking machine, make sure to monitor
your equipment to make sure that it is functioning properly.
Also perform milking in a clean and sanitary environment and use
equipments that have been cleaned prior to using them.
Also remember that in milking you start from the young, the
healthy ones and the oldest animals last. Before milking, strip
the teats of the goat to inspect it for any changes or
abnormalities in the milk. Clots found in the milk and stringy
milk are signs of mastitis. When you are milking, regardless of
the setting, ensure that the surroundings and the materials used
are clean. By observing and practicing this, the spread of
infections and diseases can be prevented.
These are just some basic tips on raising goats for milk. Aside
from these tips, dedication, patience and hard work are also
necessary for it to be a success.
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