Milking. 193 



considering the hard and distended state of the udder of 

 a good goat previous to its being milked, and the symptoms 

 of uneasiness the animal exhibits if the milking hour is 

 delayed. When the milk is drawn for the first or second 

 time after kidding, the animals are apt to be rather 

 fidgety, but this will soon be got over by kindness and 

 patience. 



Here let me remark that patience and an even temper 

 are two essential qualities for anyone to possess who has 

 much to do with milch stock. It is said that cows will 

 give more milk to a gentle, kind-tempered milkmaid than 

 to one with rough and impatient manner, and that they 

 prefer to be milked by a woman. However troublesome 

 and unsteady your goats may be, keep your temper as 

 much as possible, patting and coaxing rather than 

 punishing by blows, for much of the latter treatment is 

 not unlikely to result in an empty pail, with the sub- 

 sequent effect of the animal going dry altogether. I have 

 certainly in some instances found a sharp stroke with a 

 switch the only effectual cure for the habit contracted by 

 some goats of lying down as soon as their teats, are 

 touched, but measures of violence should only be adopted 

 as a last resort. 



"Dairy Utensils. 



A few necessary utensils will be required for use in 

 the " goat dairy." These are a milkpail, a strainer, a 

 cream-skimmer, and shallow pans for containing the milk 

 when set for cream, unless a small hand separator be used. 

 Round wooden bowls used to be in vogue for milking, but 

 these are now superseded by small galvanised or, what are 

 preferable, enamelled iron pails, as the latter are easier to 

 keep clean and sweet ; moreover, a pail is less easily over- 

 turned should the goat place her hoof upon its edge. 

 After the milk is drawn it should be strained through a 



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