Building a Goat Milking Stand
We looked into buying a ready-made goat milking stand when we first started milking goats. Depending upon the materials the stand was made of and what options (wheels, ramp, portable…) were included, you could expect to dish out anywhere from $250-$350 just for a basic unit. So, of course, my DIY “I can do that cheaper and better” brain kicked in.
The fun part about making your own equipment is that you can make it any dimension you want and out of any material you might have laying around, possibly even using scraps, recycled, or repurposed material. This is how we made our own stand.
We chose to use common dimensional lumber for our milk stand since we had a bunch of 2 x 4’s laying around from various other projects. I began with a half dozen 2 x 4’s and a piece of 1 x 4 and in a couple hours produced a sturdy milk stand that fits our Nigerian Dwarf goats perfectly. The icing on the cake – it cost maybe $25 if I would have bought the materials.
First, we made the platform by cutting the 2 x 4’s to length – 6 pieces @ 31” long. Then ripped the four pieces that “frame” the platform. These pieces were then nailed together (see photo). It is easiest to lay the pieces on a flat surface and pre-fit the pieces before actually joining it all together to ensure proper fit. I utilized my pneumatic nail gun so it only took a few seconds to complete the fastening step but you can just as easily use a more traditional method like a good old hammer and nails or even construction screws.
The second step is to cut the 2 x 4 legs to length and attached them to the framing underneath the platform. This is where you can easily size the legs to whatever height fits you. In our case sizing is a bit tricky as I am 6’2” tall and Ginnie is 5’2”. So, we made a “His and Hers” stand, one taller than the other.
Last, I made the head piece or stanchion, that actually holds the goat in place on the platform while milking. Using a 1 x 8 piece of pine works perfectly for this piece. I drew an elongated oval centered on the pine board so that a goats head and neck fit comfortably through it yet cannot be removed when closed. After the oval is drawn onto the board, use a table saw to rip the 1 x 8 exactly in half lengthwise. Then cut out the half oval from each of the boards with a saber saw or band saw. To make the stanchion work effectively you need one half of the stanchion to remain stationery so it (the piece on the right in this case) is permanently attached with construction screws. The second piece of stanchion (left hand piece) is attached with one screw near the bottom left corner of the board so that it can slide easily be opened and closed around the goats neck.
Finally, I utilized some old pieces of hardware to make a locking mechanism at the top of the stanchion to get it closed when milking.
This simple project can be completed easily in just a couple hours. The good thing is, it will cost you a fraction of what a pre-made unit would cost. Plus, you can customize the dimensions to whatever meets your needs. The only thing left to do is add “extras”; a ramp, hangers, even wheels. We placed a rubberized mat on top of the stand for ease of cleaning and comfort to the goats.
