A DIY milking and grooming stand is vital to have on hand for individuals who raise goats. Not only will it save your back when milking, it will also make trimming hooves easier!
Constructing your own DIY goat milking and grooming stand is quite easy and very necessary if you plan to raise goats. The stand serves a multiple purpose item and will be used often. Whereas without it, goat keepers quickly realize how difficult working on goats can be.
Multiple uses of a DIY Milking and Grooming Stand
Regardless if the herd is used for milk purpose or to clear the land, they will be handled often. Of course, this will take training and practicing with the goat and handler.
- MILKING: A stand allows for an easier milking experience. The individual milking is able to sit and be level while milking. Bending over is no longer an option.
- GROOMING: Hoof trimming can often be difficult and the most disliked task for both keeper and goat. A stand raises the goats to a higher level, allowing the keeper to sit on the stand.
- MEDICAL: Another great use for the milking stand is easy application for drenching, injections, banding or wellness checks.
Construction A DIY Milking and Grooming Stand
Building the stand is quite simple, and it can be constructed in true homesteading fashion. This stand was constructed using 80% reclaimed or recycled material from various locations. With lumber cost being quite high, the best location to find material would be on Craigslist. Construction sites or even buy nothing groups on Facebook often give away material.
Meanwhile, share with friends and family that material is needed. Because they would like to see you save money, family and friends are the best individuals to help find what is needed.
The Layout – DIY Milking and Grooming Stand
This particular milking and grooming stand can easily be modified. Consider this a workable outline of what is needed.
Legs
The stand we built is simple, sturdy and wide enough that it will not tip over. 4×4’s were used for the legs which were cut to be 16 inches high. Though it’s not necessary, we add triangle cuts attached to the corner of the leg to the frame for added sturdiness.
Platform
The platforms was built using 2×4’s, building the frame to fit 2 1/2 ft long boards. The actual frame is 2 1/2 ft wide and 3 ft long.
Head Locking
The head locking devise was made with 2×4’s, one side is solid and does not move. The other is held in place with a carriage bolt, allowing it to move side to side, locking the head in place.
When constructing the head clamp you’ll want to take measurements from a few members of your herd, splitting the difference between the smallest herd member to the largest. A carriage bolt acts as a hinge for the moving side of the head clamp. To prevent the clamp from opening a simple hook latch was added.
Feed Bucket
It’s important to keep the goats occupied while they are on the stand, a feed bucket filled with treats will do just that. The bucket is held into place by using 2×4’s with a half inch gap between them, created by stacking washers around the screws fastening the 2×4′.s together.
Railing are necessary to insure the goat does not step off the stand. Generally, one rail is needed. However, a rambunctious goat may require constructing railing on both sides of the platform.
This build has saved us a LOT of back aches, and is less stressful for the goats. We strongly suggest you have a milking stand constructed prior to bringing goats onto the homestead. Training a goat to become use to this DIY goat milking stand is easier when working with young kids.
Milking on a DIY Milking and Grooming Stand
Want to know more about milking? This article by 104 Homestead will give you the necessary tips you need!
