The flies, the flies!!!

Oh my gosh, the flies are getting so obnoxious. The flies from the dead cantaloupe fields... Yesterday, I overslept... I woke up at 5:20am. DARN. I don't like having to set the alarm clock on the days that I don't have to get up to go to work. So I don't. Usually it's not that big of a deal. Yeah, it's a good idea to milk the does at about the same time each day, but they can wait an hour or so off the schedule. What makes it worse now, is the flies!

I had decided to take milk samples for testing yesterday morning. The dairy lab picks up milk samples on Saturdays and Wednesdays, and I wanted to get those samples in for Wednesday. So I got the milk tubes, got the alcohol, the paper towels and everything else and headed out.

It was really horrible. It's quite an ordeal taking milk samples to begin with, I mean, it's not DIFFICULT, it's just time consuming. But it is something we do to make sure the milk is clean and free of bacteria so we can drink it raw (the only way to drink milk!). Because the flies were buzzing all over, the does were kicking and stomping which makes it difficult to keep the area clean and sterile. HAH. Sterile as possible when you are working outside.

I took milk samples before milking. Since it takes a few minutes to get the sample, (due to all the repeated cleansings of the teat and orifice which is necessary so you don't end up with a contaminated sample) the doe is gobbling her grain down. The does do pretty good at waiting for me to finish milking, but I try to finish before they are done with their grain. But when there are MILLIONS of flies...

Well, we REALLY discovered the difference this morning, when we got out there to milk before the sun rose, at 4:30am. NOT one fly. The does stood perfectly still while they got milked. No stomping and kicking, no spilled milk.

I guess I am going to have to start setting my alarm on the days I'm off, even if I hate the idea of it. It will be worth it though, to avoid those flies.

We have considered buying fly predators, but we usually don't have this problem. The worst time is when the fields across the street from us are filled with rotting, melting melons.

Until next time.

Categories: goats