The bulls are gone, the protective momma donkey is gone, the routine is starting to feel normal (milking, feeding) so it's like a calm has started to settle in. We've been running crazy it seems like since last October (about the time we bought the bulls) and I've got lots of posts to write up about some stuff that happened since Jeff decided to get two cows.
Everyone out in the pasture seems to be getting along pretty well, horses, donkey and goats. Maybe we've finally reached the pinnacle and things will steady out a little bit.
Today I'm going to start saving the milk again for our own use. I've been throwing it out ever since I had to give the goats wormer and a med for coccidiosis. Need to write some posts up about that, we've made a mess of goats and eventually it will be equines, with the way we wormed them. Just like all the people who've taken antibiotics for colds for the last 50 years, we now have super penicillin resistant bugs. The animals have super resistant worms all from rotational worming and treating all goats, not just the ones with the high worm counts. Anyway, I did do fecals before worming them, but that's for another post.
So my milk has been on hold till the meds clear Edna's system (just try finding the appropriate milk withdrawal time (MWT) for specific meds for goats on the internet. You'll find so many conflicts and contradictions, you'll feel like you got tied up in your under-wear). Another post topic!
Anyway, safe milk handling. What is it? I bought two books when we got the goats. I wanted to learn a lot about goats, but I also wanted to find out what the process was for safe milk handling. I don't care whether the goal is to pasteurize or not, just what is the procedure for safe milk handling. Well both books said, "You should safely handle your milk." That's it!!!
So then I go to the internet. Where are the we pages that specifically describe safe handling of milk. It's pretty much like the wormers and MWT for goats.
My best source of information came from Fiasco Farm. The lady should write a book, she's got more goat information that's in line with reality and actually how to do things than the two books I bought. Jeff told me to call her and offer to be her ghost writer and get all that good stuff she has on her web site on the shelf at Barnes & Noble. Another source I found that was pretty good was from a guy that I believe is a retired professor from some university (science department). I can't find the web site now and don't remember his name. Can't believe I didn't save it because he had lot of good tricks to the trade. (Found the web site: David B Fankhauser. He is or was Prof of Bio/Chem at the University of Cinncinnati.)
Anyway based mostly on those two web sites and some other books. I've come up with my own safe milk handling procedure. If that ain't something. I've just caused some other person to get tied up in their under-wear over this and added to the contradictions that abound on the internet.
Tomorrow I will post everything I do to safely handle my milk. I might be wrong, I might be right, but it is what I do. Gotta go milk my goat :)
Stacey
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