A good manufacturing practices (GMP) training course was applied for goat milkers and evaluated using microbiological analysis in milk before and after training. Milkers from three dairy goat farms located in São Paulo, Brazil, were submitted to a one-hour course on GMP and recommended guidelines for milking. Samples of raw milk were collected before and one to two months after training, and analysed for aerobic mesophilic, psychrotrophic, coliform, Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella spp counts. Only mesophilic counts decreased (p < 0.05) after training in two of three farms studied. Although important to assess the overall quality of milk, microbiological parameters should not be used alone for the evaluation of GMP effectiveness for goat milkers.