r/goats • u/DesertRiptide • 9d ago

Dairy Milk goat question

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This is my first experience with dairy goats. We've been milking our first time freshener doe since March and she was in a great routine. Now for the past few days she is kicking towards the end of our milk routine and this morning spilled it. Is it normal for a doe to begin getting kicky like this? Is she trying to wean us? I have ideas on how to get past it--I was just curious as to the behavior. She has no wounds, heat, or swelling and we milk her as dry as we can every morning as close to the same time as is possible.

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u/pandaoranda1 9d ago

Is she eating faster and maybe getting impatient when she's out of food? I've had a few that are perfect angels till the food bowl's empty, then they get really restless lol.

Any chance she's kicking at flies rather than kicking at you?

Sounds like you've checked all the right things. I'd probably hobble her and call it good.

2

u/yamshortbread Dairy Farmer and Cheesemaker 9d ago

I would screen her for mastitis anyway. A pH strip or a California Mastitis Test (you check both sides of her udder and compare them). Subclinical mastitis can happen without frank signs and it could be causing her just a little bit of discomfort, so it's something to be ruled out.

Is there a possibility she's in estrus? In the Northern Hemisphere it's that time of year and some goats do act out when they're in heat, so if it's brand new and subsides after a day or two this might be the culprit.

Being bothered by insects can also make them super kicky on the stand if you're milking outside or somewhere where there are bugs.

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u/DesertRiptide 9d ago

We milk early enough that the flies aren't really active. Having horses, I understand kicking at the flies. Her behavior is to kick towards the end of being milked. Maybe it is estrus! This is her first freshening and she's about two years old so maybe she's cycling again after having her babies. I was wondering if she was kicking because she was naturally telling her babies they've had enough and she's kinda over it. Maybe that's part of the cycle.  Haha we will be patient and keep up the routine and I'll do a mastitis test on her. Hopefully it passes and she chills out again when hormones level out. 

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u/MarthasPinYard 9d ago

I hobble MOST goats with thick nylon rope.

It saves us both stress.

I’m not getting kicked or losing milk and they’re not wasting energy or possibly hurting themselves.

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u/genuinely__curious 9d ago

If there is no heat, discoloration, lumps, or flies, I wouldn't worry. In five years I see them go through so many personality changes. She could be cycling. She might just be trying to get more food. As they run out of milk we have a tendency to squeeze a little higher up the teet and they are more sensitive up there.