Practice strict sanitation during milking

Wash hands thoroughly before milking. Clean the goat's udder with an approved teat wash and dry completely with individual single-use towels. Use clean, sanitized milking pails and jars, and minimize dust and hair contamination by milking in a clean, dedicated area.

Why It Works

The udder surface and surrounding hair are the primary sources of bacteria in raw milk. Pre-milking sanitation reduces bacterial counts dramatically — the difference between milk that stays fresh for 7-10 days versus milk that sours in 2-3 days. Using individual towels prevents spreading mastitis bacteria between teats or animals.

Tips

• Dip teats in an iodine-based teat dip after milking to prevent mastitis
• Stainless steel pails are easier to sanitize than plastic and do not harbor bacteria in scratches
• Clip long udder hair regularly to reduce contamination during milking