Author Topic: producing your own milk????  (Read 12378 times)

Megan

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Re: producing your own milk????
« Reply #15 on: March 16, 2009, 06:03:04 PM »
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I was just talking to my neighbor tonight and she has 220 little ones on the ground right now.
:o Whoa, that's alot of kids and presumably does to milk, by machine I hope! Those kids do suck up so much milk too, luckily not for the entire lactation.

homeacremom

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Re: producing your own milk????
« Reply #16 on: March 16, 2009, 09:00:45 PM »
My neighbor has all American alpines
Wow! That's alot of dairy babies.

Captain Caprine

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Re: producing your own milk????
« Reply #17 on: March 16, 2009, 11:27:25 PM »
She has a pretty big operation going and makes fantastic cheese.

Wannie

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Re: producing your own milk????
« Reply #18 on: March 17, 2009, 01:01:32 PM »
 
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Besides the fact that my helpers are still under 4 yrs old.  :D
goat lady, I am soooo jealous of you guys with your own fresh supply of raw milk  :(.  Your little helpers are at a good age to get started too.  You are so blessed... Our kids are grown with their own helpers now with the youngest being almost 3 and the oldest 14 and three others in between. 
With 5 grandchildren I am blessed too.  The least one makes every track I make when I am out doing something and is sooooo eager to help.  I just love it  ;D.  Making memories, aaawwwww.....
 

goat lady

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Re: producing your own milk????
« Reply #19 on: March 17, 2009, 03:48:30 PM »
yeah kidding done for this month 15 thank goodness mostly twins last year it was all triplets.7 nannies and 8 billies.

blackthorn

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Re: producing your own milk????
« Reply #20 on: April 24, 2009, 02:48:11 AM »
I have my own sheep, that I milk, I also have 2 cows and 2 goats-The sheep get my full vote for cheese making, I get around 1-2 litres per day, sheep's milk has double the cheese yield of cow or goat and the cheese is to die for! We also prefer it's smooth creamy taste for drinking too and we separate and make butter as well. The cow's are okay, heaps of milk, but they are big, messy and can be dangerous-the goats and sheep don't hurt me if they but me or stand on me or kick me etc-the goats are also okay but I don't like the goaty taste that most cheese develops over time, I know some people love it though! The sheep and goats are easier to handle for sure-if I need to drench or trim feet I can do it myself with the goats/sheep but need major help and a crush for the cows.
Nessa

SophiaLady

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Re: producing your own milk????
« Reply #21 on: May 17, 2009, 01:56:44 AM »
I am milking two Icelandic Sheep and one Dexter Cow.  I have not made cheese yet, but really love milking.  It is as gardening is to some other people in that I find it bring rhythm to my day and year.  I love the babies and lambing - calving season.  Then share milking with the babies, followed by only milking after weaning and lastly drying up.  So cheese making seems like the next step for me.

Captain Caprine

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Re: producing your own milk????
« Reply #22 on: May 17, 2009, 04:12:48 AM »
Hi SophiaLady,
How do you like your Dexter?  We have been thinking about getting one for a while because woth the goats and Highlands we are starting to get a bit pasture limited and I would love to have some bovine juice for cheese making as well, instead of just goat.  How much milk do you get from her and how are they with regard to calving ease?
Thanks
CC

RadioFlyer

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Re: producing your own milk????
« Reply #23 on: November 24, 2009, 05:07:42 AM »
Well this is an old post but I'll reply anyway. We produce our own milk from our goats. We have in milk at this time, an Alpine and 2 Nigerian Dwarf does. The Alpine is a first freshener in her 7 month of lactation and is down to 4 lbs a day. The Nigerians are also FF and in their 4th month of lactation and they are giving just shy of 4 lbs between them a day. They might have been producing more but they raised their kids until I pulled them off to wean. I mix their milk and out of 1 gallon I got almost 2 lbs of chevre yesterday. I love my goats!

goat lady

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Re: producing your own milk????
« Reply #24 on: November 24, 2009, 02:01:33 PM »
goats have wonderful personalities and become family quickly great to hear from another goat person

cmharris6002

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Re: producing your own milk????
« Reply #25 on: November 24, 2009, 04:13:27 PM »
Nice yield on your Chevre RadioFlyer!! I love my goats too and the milk is wonderful in every kind of cheese :)

Christy

pamaples

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Re: producing your own milk????
« Reply #26 on: November 25, 2009, 02:56:18 AM »
I had a doe kidd just last friday. (The neighbor's buck got into my pasture last summer.) I have Boers. She had a little solid black buck and a tri-color mostly white doe. She rejected the doe out of hand and almost killed her trying to run her off. So, I am milking momma bottle feeding her. Four AM feedings; just like having a kid (pun intended).

Pam

kawatiri kaas

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Re: producing your own milk????
« Reply #27 on: November 25, 2009, 09:21:43 AM »
Here down under, we are (share) milking one Jersey, by hand, freestyle out in the paddock, she's a first timer and I can only fit one finger round each teat! So squeezing out up to 8 litres once a day does take some time. Gotta love it though, I had never realised that real, tasty cheese was so easy to make.

FarmerJd

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Re: producing your own milk????
« Reply #28 on: November 25, 2009, 12:49:04 PM »
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I can only fit one finger round each teat! So squeezing out up to 8 litres once a day does take some time.

I can truly sympathize! I have a jersey with very small teats as well. It takes me 4 times longer to milk her than my guernsey with 5 inch long and 1.5 inch diameter teats. The kids have an easier time with the Jersey though. You are right: "Gotta love it!"

MrsKK

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Re: producing your own milk????
« Reply #29 on: November 25, 2009, 01:41:57 PM »
Welcome to the CheeseForum, Brett!  And to the wonderful life of handmilking your own cow.

I also sharemilk with my cow.  Last year it took forever to milk her out.  I do believe that sharemilking has lengthened her teats (though they were never as small as what you describe) and I know that the orifices are larger this year, as there's more milk that comes out with each squirt.

I never want to live without my own cow again!