In our home dairy herd, we practice kid sharing. For us, this means once-a-day milking in the morning after the young ones have been separated from their mother overnight, and then they suckle throughout the day. It’s a win-win situation for everyone! After weaning at 4 months of age, we continue to milk once a day.
We make our own udder wash and balm with herbs and therapeutic-grade essential oils; essential oils are also relied on for insect repellent.
To begin with, our temporary milking parlor is fashioned from two cattle panels bent over in a hoop with a tarp stretched over the top and a solid back wall to keep the elements out, with pine shavings on the ground. Milking stand and stool, fermented feed buckets, and other tools in closed tubs all fit compactly. It actually works quite well.
Photos coming soon!