Milking Goats o

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 89, Issue 5, 15 November 1954, Page 507

Milking Goats o

THE milking of goats, dairy premises and ■ feed sheds, for these animals, and common ailments among goats are described here by A. G. Brash, Veterinarian, Department of Agriculture, Christchurch, and C. P. Harris, Farm Dairy Instructor, Department of Agriculture, Wellington. It is the concluding part of this article on milking goats, the first section having appeared in last month's "Journal".

THE value of goat’s milk has long been established. It is almost pure white; the cream rises very slowly and never so thoroughly as in cow’s milk. Goat’s milk is a comparatively rich milk intermediate in fat content between that of a Jersey cow and a Friesian cow. All milk undergoes a process of curdling in the stomach; with cow’s milk the curd is large, hard, and tough, but the curd of goat’s milk is small, light, and flocculent, and therefore more easily digested. Goat’s milk is said to be digested in the human stomach in 20 minutes, owing to the fine curd and to the fact that the small fat globules are easily assimilated. For ordinary use goat’s milk can be taken fresh and in its raw state with every confidence in its purity and high nutritive value. Tuberculosis in goats is extremely rare and there appears to be no record of a case in New Zealand or Australia. There is no record in New Zealand of undulant fever being contracted from goat’s milk. One of the most important uses of goat’s milk is for the feeding ,of infants and children showing an abnormal reaction or sensitivity to cow’s milk. This may be the cause in some cases of skin troubles such as eczema or urticaria. Children showing an antipathy to cow’s milk can often drink goat’s milk with impunity, and people who are allergic to beef protein derive benefit from goat’s milk. For general use goat’s milk can be utilised for the same purposes as cow’s milk and has proved very satisfactory. Next in value to goat’s milk is cheeseSome of the most expensive brands of imported cheese are made either wholly or partially from goat’s milk. In countries where sufficient quantities are available goat’s milk is evaporated, sold in . dried milk form, and used when the liquid is not obtainable, thus assuring a continuous supply to patients on a goat’s milk diet.

Milk Yield and Lactation Period

The milk yield and lactation period are, of course, very important, as the value of a doe is estimated largely by her milk production. Good does should produce from 8 to 15 times their weight in milk in a lactation period. Goats under test have shown such ratios, and exceptional animals have yielded as much as 18 times their weight. A production of 4 to 6 pints a day for a lactation period of 8 to 10 months is considered within the capacity of an average good milking goat. An average annual yield of at

least 16001 b. of milk should be well within the reach of a good commercial herd. Milk recording—a means of ascertaining the exact yield of milk from an individual animal during a specific period advisable, and for the pedigree breeder and the commercial producer it is essential. For the amateur it adds enormously to the interest of the hobby. Each doe’s milk should be weighed and her daily production recorded. Applications for herd testing should be forwarded to the Herd Improvement Association. An average analysis for a composite sample of goat’s milk is. about 4.5 per cent, butterfat and 9 per cent, solids-not-fat. Milking Routine The rules for milking are: Speed, regularity, gentleness, quietness, and cleanliness. A normal healthy goat with no obstructions in 4-he teats should not take longer than 3 to 4 minutes to milk. This includes washing and drying the udder and teats before milking. If longer is necessary,' the goat has been allowed to get into bad habits and the total quantity of milk will not be so great as when the animal is properly trained. The object of the milker is to teach the goat to have a regular let-down of milk by adopting a regular milking routine. This is of such importance that, with the exception of food and water, nothing will influence the milk yield more. The period between milkings should be divided as equally as possible. A very heavy producer may have to be milked three times a day, but twice is sufficient for most does. Technique The manner of milking is also important, as the udder, a delicate organ,

has to be kept in good shape. Avoid a vigorous up-and-down motion of the hands and forearms. The goat has a softer and more delicate skin than a cow, and generally is much easier to milk. A downward pull or stretching of the teats each time is harmful. If the teat is too small to allow the whole hand to grasp it, then the thumb and the number of fingers which will fit are used. Failure to obtain all available milk will quickly dry off the goat. “Stripping”the downward pull of thumbs and forefingers on the teats should be limited to a few times at the end of the milking. Milking Stands The goat should be taught to stand quietly while being milked. Owing to the lowness of the. animal and difficulty which is experienced in milking at floor level, milking stands 18in. to 2ft. high and a low stool are used, the goat being milked from the side. The head is secured by a collar and short chain or in a miniature cowbail. After the first two or three milkings no difficulty is experienced in getting a goat to jump on to the stand. A little grain fed in a box at the head of the bail encourages it on to the stand. It also supplies a regular feed, and the goat submits to milking with apparent pleasure. Clipping of Hair " The milking goat should be kept groomed, and if the hair is long and rough on thighs, legs, and udder, clipping is recommended. Should hair get into the milk it will be removed during filtering, but the bacteria on the hair will have gained entry into the milk. Apart from long hairs on the udder and around the teats being a harbour for bacteria, they are a common cause of kicking during milking operations.

Producers of goat’s milk should remember that milk can readily become contaminated. The utmost care must therefore be given to keeping the stalls, milking ' premises and surroundings, and all equipment scrupulously clean. Milking should be done apart from the area where goats are stabled, as this prevents the milk from absorbing odours that may be present. The udder and teats should always be washed with a clean soft cloth and tepid water and finished by wiping them dry • with a clean cloth; soft towelling cut into about Ift. squares is ideal. Every care must be taken to sterilise these in boiling water after each milking. They should then be pegged out to dry. The washing water should be changed regularly and not allowed to become dirty. The addition of a little chlorine preparation to the water will effectively destroy bacteria associated with mastitis. As the openings in the teats may be filled with foreign matter which will be removed after a little milk has been drawn, this fore-milk should be milked into a strip cup and discarded. The hands should be washed clean and dried. Milking with wet hands is undesirable and unhygienic. Clean overalls should be worn. All utensils and cloths used must be sterile. Not more than one goat should be milked into a pail and the milk from each should be transferred to a _ bowl or vat and filtered before being cooled. Milk should not be used for human consumption for at least 4 days after kidding. Filtering, Cooling, and Bottling Milk The best method of filtering the milk is to use a modern milk filter, which can be obtained from any firm dealing in dairy equipment. Cloths of any kind are unsatisfactory.

Prompt, efficient cooling of the milk is important. To check the growth of bacteria the milk should be cooled to a temperature not higher than 60 degrees F. as soon after milking as possible. One of the best systems of cooling milk rapidly is to run it slowly and evenly over a small dairy cooler. If the milk trickles over the cooler in little streams, spread it' evenly over the cooling surface with a sterile bottle brush used only for this purpose. The milk should then be bottled, capped, and kept in cool storage until required. Filling bottles by the jug or dipper method is not recommended. If goat’s milk is properly produced and handled, it should have no disagreeable odour or goaty flavour. Should such be noticed, the milk should not be used for human consumption. People producing and handling goat’s milk should remember that any odour is quickly absorbed by warm milk, and it can readily become contaminated. The principal sources of bad odour or flavours in milk are particles of dirt or hair that fall into it during milking, keeping the does in unclean quarters, and milking in stalls near the buck or in dairy premises that are not kept scrupulously clean. All utensils and cloths used must be kept thoroughly clean and sterile. Commercial goat keepers or anyone else desiring to sell goat’s milk should consult their local Farm Dairy Instructor before starting any construction of feeding sheds and milking premises or altering existing buildings. This will save any unnecessary alteration or expense likely to be incurred. Housing In planning a lay out, for the milking and dairy premises or a feeding shed it is as well to keep in mind the ideal which, though it cannot perhaps be achieved at first, can be approached.

The natural habitat of goats is the mountainous country of Europe. They dislike wet conditions and take shelter in caves on the mountainsides. For these reasons they must have access to their housing at all times so that they can shelter during showery or wet weather. The housing must be detached from the milking premises and the general layout carefully planned to ensure that the frequent traffic does not provide unsatisfactory surroundings and contaminate the milking premises. The feeding shed should be constructed according to the size of the herd. The internal layout should be designed to suit the individual owner’s requirements, though kidding pens are recommended; also pens for housing the young kids until they are weaned. It is important that where several goats are housed they may be fastened securely to prevent bossing by stronger animals. Separate sleeping and feeding stalls can be arranged by erecting partitions. Pens made from pipe and wire mesh frames are particularly suitable. For cleanliness the stalls should be fitted with raised, movable gratings on which fresh straw for bedding can be placed daily. It will greatly facilitate feeding if the hay racks, feed boxes, and drinking containers are accessible without the stall having to be entered. Feed boxes and water can be reached by goats through portholes in their pens. Because a large amount of hay is wasted when it is fed loose, hay racks should be provided in the feeding room. Trays at the bases of racks can be used for feeding concentrates. Battens or piping used for racks should not be more than 2in. apart, or young kids are likely to get their heads between the bars and be strangled.

All floors other than in the sleeping stalls should be of concrete with a fall of 4in. in 10ft. to provide good drainage. Some breeders prefer a clay or earth floor for the sleeping stalls, maintaining that the risk of chills is not as great as with concrete. If clay is used, it is necessary to have the floor some inches above the level of the concrete floor to prevent any seepage or dampness when the concrete portion is washed down. The clay or earth is renewed periodically to avoid insanitary conditions. All housing requires cleaning daily and to be provided with fresh bedding. Care should be exercised in the type of bedding used, to avoid the dangerous results from goats feeding on roughage which is mouldy or otherwise unfit for food.

Milking Stalls and Dairy

The site for the milking stalls and dairy must be at least 30ft. from the feeding or housing quarters. The dairy should be built on the prevailing wind end and stock must not enter the yard past the dairy. To maintain clean and sanitary surroundings a fenced concrete control race 3ft. wide leading from the feeding quarters to the milking shed is necessary. All drainage from the dairy and milking

premises is carried in a channel alongside this race, uniting with the drainage from other buildings.

The main essentials for any milking shed are convenience for milking, provision for efficient cleaning, and good drainage. Concrete floors, walls, milking platforms, and yard should be easy to wash and keep clean. Pipe stalls last longer and are more easily cleaned than wooden ones. A concrete trough outside the dairy will provide ample water for washing down and can be connected to receive the discharge water from the milk cooler. Whether the yard area is under cover will depend on the climate.

Dairies must be amply ventilated, vermin and dust proof, and of sufficient size to house all the necessary equipment. There should be benches and racks to keep everything off the floor. The water heater if installed outside prevents any steam or heat nuisance inside the dairy.

Movable Shelter Houses

Shelter houses built on sledges serve many useful purposes. Fenced runs are necessary for the kids after weaning, for rotational grazing, and to separate the bucks. They can be used to advantage as extra winter quarters and for shelter in the other seasons. The floor space is 6ft. x 6ft. The back wall is sft. 6in. high, the front wall 6ft. 6in., and there is an overhang of 2ft. 3in. The front is boarded up 4ft. and the remainder covered with wire netting. The house is divided into two compartments by boards to a . height of 4ft., and wire netting. The walls must be draught proof. At each, end there are four feed pens, one at each side for concentrates and two in the centre for lucerne hay. There is a

lid above the feed pens to enable feeding to be done from outside. A raised wooden grating is hinged on the back wall to provide for straw bedding and easy cleaning. There is a container for drinking water on the dividing wall and a box for lick in the front wall. Common Aliments of Goats Local officers of the Animal Industry Division should be consulted for advice on the health and management of goat herds. Though by no means delicate goats are subject to disease. - However, if consideration is given to correct methods of care and management, hygiene, and feeding, many ailments can be avoided. The diseases of goats are closely allied to those of sheep and in general the treatment is the same for both. Fortunately tuberculosis in goats is very rare, especially in New Zealand. Kids could, however, be infected with milk from an infected cow. Infection of goats with the organism of contagious abortion (Brucella abortus) is also almost unknown. This fact has no connection with the old and unfounded belief that running a goat with a dairy herd helps to prevent contagious abortion in cows. Brucella melitensis .infection, the cause in some countries of the serious disease in human beings called Malta fever, does not occur in New Zealand. Worm Infestation Worm infestation is the commonest trouble in goats and can be the cause of much loss where steps are not taken to control it. Goats are affected mainly by the same species of worms as are sheep and these worms are mostly interchangeable. As worm infestation is usually difficult to detect in the early stages, trouble should be anticipated by regular treatment before symptoms appear. Where worm infestation is suspected samples of the droppings can be examined by a veterinarian to determine the degree of infestation. Kids are most susceptible. The most constant symptoms are progressive loss of condition with harsh, staring coat and loose or fluid

droppings. Diarrhoea may not always be present and in some animals severe infestation may be accompanied by constipation. There is also a progressive reduction in milk supply and gradual loss of appetite. In all cases where the cause of death is in doubt a veterinarian or Livestock Instructor should be called in. Treatment and prevention: Phenothiazine treatment is safest and best. Treat kids as soon as they reach 3 months and all does 2 weeks after kidding. In severe infestation repeat all doses after an interval of a fortnight. Treatment may be repeated throughout the year as found necessary, but the whole herd should be treated at least twice a year. Do not treat does within a month of kidding, as dead kids may be born. Full doses of phenothiazine will discolour the milk, the pink discoloration developing after the milk has been exposed to air for a few hours. Milk obtained within 48 hours after dosing should be discarded. White goats when treated, with phenothiazine should be protected from direct sunlight for 48 hours after treatment. A goat that does not. tolerate the treatment well may have the dose over a week or 10 days. Use the following dose rates for phenothiazine: Adults, l|oz. of powder; 12 to 18 months, loz.; 8 to 12 months, foz.; and 3 to 8 months, |oz. Good feeding will help to increase resistance. Avoid overstocking of pastures and do not stock damp areas heavily unless goats are treated every 6 to 8 weeks with phenothiazine. At the first signs of worm trouble the time allowed for grazing should be limited, especially if pastures are wet. Hand feeding with hay and concentrates under clean conditions should be increased until the goats recover. Rotational grazing should be practised where possible. A rest of even 4 to 6 weeks will reduce infection on pastures greatly. Use may be made of the electric fence for controlling grazing and goats will appreciate changes to fresh areas. Diarrhoea Diarrhoea is seen in adults as well as kids. In adults it may be due to

worm infestation, ingestion of certain

weeds (such as dock and sorrel), or

WC Lio \bLlLil db CiUUiv oaiu. ouiiti/, vi rapid changes from one type of feed to another. Treatment consists in removing the cause.

In kids, diarrhoea may be due to worm infestation or to digestive disturbances caused by faulty feeding. Where kids are being hand reared diarrhoea may be caused by overfeeding, feeding at irregular hours, or the use of dirty bottles. Cow’s milk may be fed diluted by adding 25 per cent, of water. Diarrhoea due to digestive disturbance - should be treated first by giving a purgative such as Joz. of Epsom-salt and a level teaspoon of ginger in J pint of water, or g to loz. of castor oil. Give only boiled water for one feed; then reintroduce the normal feeding gradually. More severe cases may require treatment with sulphamezathine (a veterinary prescription is required) , which is excellent where bacterial infection or coccidiosis is the cause of the diarrhoea.

Enterotoxaemia or Pulpy Kidney

A condition similar to pulpy kidney in lambs may occur in goats of all ages, but more commonly in goats from 6 months to 2 years old. Two forms of the disease are recognised. The acute form nearly always ends fatally within 36 hours; its onset in milking goats is usually marked by a sudden drop in milk yield, loss of appetite, and severe and sometimes blood-stained diarrhoea. The chronic form is characterised by bouts of diarrhoea and marked depression and usually lasts for 7 to 10 days; affected goats often recover after a short convalescence.

The disease is often associated with sudden changes of feed, especially changes on to grass or greenfeed crops, and these should be introduced gradually. The response to vaccination is not as good as in sheep. Treatment with sulphamezathine has proved very effective if administered at the first signs of diarrhoea, which usually precedes deaths from enterotoxaemia.

Despite the highly developed state of the udder in goats, mastitis is not often a cause of serious loss. The bacteria found are similar to those causing mastitis in cows, streptococcal and staphylococcal infections being most common. In the acute forms there is heat, pain, and swelling of the affected side. In a severe form of staphylococcal infection known as gangrenous mastitis the affected quarter turns black and cold. Treatment of this type is difficult and the aim should be to prevent further spread.

Chronic infections may give rise to hard fibrous tissue. Changes in the milk vary from the presence of a few flakes or clots up to greatly altered secretion. Infection may sometimes be present without apparent alteration in milk. This may be the cause of a bad reductase test and requires investigation and treatment. Preventive measures include attention to good hygiene such as washing the hands and teats both before and after milking and keeping the shed clean. Affected does should be isolated and milked last into a tin containing disinfectant.

The best treat-

ment in most cases

is the inject! on through the teat of penicillin, streptomycin, or aureomycin preparations from the tubes used for the treatment of mastitis in cows.

Retention of Afterbirth

Retention of afterbirth is not uncommon in does which have had a difficult kidding. In no circumstances should the afterbirth be pulled away, as manual removal is difficult and dangerous and is undesirable and unnecessary. Washing out with a warm antiseptic solution is often of great assistance. It should be done within 24 hours or

so, before the opening into the

uterus or womb has closed. If this is not successful, veterinary assistance should be sought, as treatment with drugs such as sulphamezathine or penicillin will often prevent blood poisoning. Cystitis or inflammation of the bladder is a complication which may also follow kidding. It is indicated by the constant passing of urine with straining, and treatment of it requires veterinary assistance. Milk Fever

Milk fever is usually seen just after kidding, but may occur just before or even several months after. It is more common in heavy milkers at second, third, or fourth kiddings. The high milking propensity of the goat renders it particularly susceptible to milk fever. The onset of symptoms is sudden, the doe often being found down and more or less unconscious. The early symptoms of lassitude, loss of appetite, or unsteady gait may not be noticed. Breathing is slow and shallow. Treatment is by the injection of 2oz. of the standard 25 per cent, solution of calcium borogluconate. The injection should preferably be given into a vein by a veterinarian, but may be given subcutaneously, that is, under the skin. Prevention is difficult, as calcium intake in the food has little or no effect on the blood calcium level. The does should not be milked out completely for the first 2 or 3 days. Impaction and Constipation

Impaction and constipation are seen mostly in older adults which are overfed and under-exercised. Dry, hard feed, fibrous feed, and absence of greenfeed are common causes. Impaction is first noticed when chewing of the cud ceases; there is a tendency to bloat, appetite disappears, and dullness sets in. Affected animals should be provided with greenfeed and drenched with 2oz. of Glauber’s salt or Epsom-salt in a pint of water to which has been added a tablespoon of molasses.

Bloat Usually bloat occurs when goats are on succulent greenfeed, especially clover or lucerne. Some goats are apparently more susceptible than others. For treatment pull the tongue as far forward as possible to induce the passing of gas or pass a narrow rubber tube down the gullet. Give a teaspoon of vegetable oil of turpentine in i pint of milk.

Laminitis Laminitis or founder may be caused by excessive feeding on grain or travelling on hard roads with badly trimmed feet. Acute lameness is always a symptom. The animals refuse to walk and usually progress on the knees. The feet are hot and tender. Hooves grow long and unless trimmed become misshapen. For treatment give laxatives such as 2oz. of Glauber’s salt or Epsom-salt in water and reduce concentrates in favour of greenfeed. Allow the goat to stand with the feet in a cold bath with ice if it is available. Foot-rot Goats may occasionally become infected with the contagious form of foot-rot, which causes the common condition in sheep. Foot-rot usually starts as an inflammation between the claws and spreads to the sole or wall of the foot, causing the horn to separate from the underlying tissues.

Affected goats should be isolated and treated by carefully removing all loose horn and immersing the foot in a solution of 1 part of formalin to 10 parts of water. Ophthalmia Ophthalmia (pink eye) is similar to pink eye in sheep. It begins with a watery discharge from the eyes and inflammation of the lining membranes of the eyelids. In severe cases a bluish-white film develops on the eyeball.