Ideal Teat Structure for hand milking

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Here is a picture of one of the best hand milking teat structures I can find on the internet. This is a rear udder view of GCH 9Patch Livingston Corriander owned currently by 9Patch Alpines. When I write about the ideal hand milking goat. This is the picture that comes to mind.

Here is a list of reasons I like this udder so much.

  1. The udder is high and tight. 
    • This allows for ease of getting a milk pail under the goat. 
    • The udder is protected when the goat is walking or browsing in brush.
    • I used to think that high and tight precluded solid production. I have been proven wrong enough times with enough goats that I no longer feel that this is true. 

  2. The teats are symmetrical.
    • If you are going to look at a goat every day (and you will if you are milking them) then this is a nice view.

  3. The teats are long enough to grasp without fear of getting milk on your hands. 
    • There are few things more gently and persistently irritating than a teat that is too short. I can work with it if everything else is solid (Production, temperament, orifice size etc.) but if I had to chose between identical does and one doe had teats one finger too short, I am choosing the other goat.

  4. The teats ride away from the leg and away from each other.
    • This allows for ease of access and again lack of injury from bumping into the leg.

  5. The teats point down and slightly forward.
    • I think "plumb" is the word.  :) 
    • You don't want to always be correcting the natural bent of the teat as you milk. Since the bucket is normally below the udder, it is wonderful to have the teats pointing in that direction already.

  6. The udder floor is sloped down to the teat but defined enough to keep some separation from the teat. 
    • Often in show goats, there is a flat floor to the udder. This can look good but I want the natural drainage that comes from a gently sloping udder floor.


While we often can't have the ideal goat in production, temperament and hand milking conformation, it is good to know what a good goat looks like and what you want to see. There are many champion goats on Facebook that don't look easy to hand milk. Be very careful that you don't get swept away with all the other amazing things about a goat that you forget to think about if you would want her in your barn every morning hopping up on the stand.