Planning my hay purchase in advance: Goat people!

[freemotion]

But.....I have dairy goats. My understanding is that the bucks, kept with the does, will taint the milk. I also live in a suburban neighborhood, so was thinking of keeping Mr Buck in the back, away from the neighbor's houses. Waddaya think?

BBH, I also like www.fiascofarm.com for small home dairy info and methods. They are vegetarians, so I don't follow everything, but a lot of good home dairy info.

 

[FarmerChick]

Why?
why would a buck kept with does taint milk?

no reason I know

what is your understanding??????



a doe is bred or not bred..........how can a buck effect milk production?


LOL
I don't have a clue?????

Of course I am a meat goat producer so never looked into it but it sounds unlikely to me??????????????



AND a "good decent" buck would not effect "neighbors" for any reason....other than stink and that would never travel that far for one buck.





can't wait to hear what you have to say on this one.

 

[freemotion]

This is based on what I've heard/read about why goat's milk can have a "goaty" taste. Mya's doesn't, and the does we had when I was a kid did not, but no bucks around, either. So maybe it is an old wives' tale???? I don't know!

Mya's milk tastes only like extra fresh, sweet milk, very rich, too. Yummmmmm! An aquaintance who told me that she hated goat's milk, had to drink it as a kid, tried mine and could not detect any "off" taste. The milk she drank as a kid came from does kept with a buck. There may have been other factors, too, though.

Anyone?

eta: and I think that is for does who are milking through the buck's season in the winter.

 

[Beekissed]

I've heard this thing also, but never knew from whence it comes, if its based in fact or mere opinion, or what. Physically, I don't know how it could be but, who knows?

 

[FarmerChick]

OK did a fast google....interesting cause I never heard this



bucks effect milk by the handler.

do you pet a buck or touch etc. before handing the doe?
The buck rubs the doe all over and it is transferred to the teats etc. before miling.

so CLEAN up the bag before touching....basically.


other than that most milk tastes are effected by what the doe eats...like wild onions, wild garlic, any scraps you feed etc.


Hmm....makes sense

 

[freemotion]

Thinking about that, I can't imagine not touching my doe exept her freshly cleaned udder. Milking is a tender time, soft kisses and pats and massages get her to be very generous with her milk. Much of this can take place mid-milking if she startles for some reason. I have a cloth and my homemade teat dip/udder wash nearby so I can clean my hands if needed. But sometimes all I do is put my head against her side and breath gently, that settles her quite nicely.

I always taught my show horses to settle to my breathing, since in dressage, you cannot speak to your horse while showing. And in other disciplines, you don't really want to be cooing constantly to a nervous horse. I tend to use this with other animals, too, as they respond best to body language and relaxed breathing is a big part of that.

Imagine what my face and hair would smell like????? Poor dh!

 

[freemotion]

OK, I did it. I posted this question on buck cologne on byherds, find it here and watch for the answers! http://www.backyardherds.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=22371#p22371

 

[Carolyn]

There a still a lot of people that claim the smell gets into everything, including the milk--I haven't found that to be true. I found that handling the milk and cleanliness is the big thing--and of course healthy, parasite free goats. We only use glass or stainless for anything connected to the milk. The milk for soap is frozen in plastic bags, but if there is any house milk to be frozen, I it in glass jars. Everthing is washed, then rinsed in bleach water, then in boiling water and air dried. Before we milk, each goat is quickly brushed, udder and teats washed and the orifices cleaned also--this is a proceedure used by several smaller goat dairies on goat forums and yahoo goat and cheese making groups. After each milking, the stand is washed down. After the does are bred, there is no buck scent. the buck only smells when the does go into heat. Yes the neighbors can smell it if the wind is just right LOL.

 

[freemotion]

Thanks, what do you mean by cleaning the orifices? I wipe udder and teats thoroughly with a mild bleach/dish soap solution. I dip after milking with the same solution. No problems so far.

 

[Carolyn]

If you look at the orifices, there might be a dirt around the opening,be sure to lightly clean the area. There isn't bacteria in the milk, but if there is dirt around the orifices, you get bacteria in the milk. Teat dip closed the orifices so nothing goes into the the teat, this is around the orifice area. Just something I started doing after I read the information--I hope to have a goat dairy--in some states, you can sell raw milk as long as you have a Grade A dairy set up. ND is not one of them YET, but we are setting up as close to the regulations as we can. However I love to milk, so it will be hard to change to a milking machine. I didn't do it the first time I milked, but this time, I am fussy about it or will be again when they freshen. Carolyn