Sorry I don't have any advice, I have meat goats
I hope some people will be able to help you soon!
@MadHouse
I hope some people will be able to help you soon!@MadHouse
Goats loading production
I have two Nigerian dwarfs that I got last year in milk as FF. last year they each produced about 2.5 cups of milk twice a day. I think they were producing a little more at the breeders but when they came to me they dropped a bit which we thought was normal. They gradually decreased in production and I dried them off at about 5 months because I wasn’t getting enough milk to make it worth my time( I think less than a cup each).
This year both does kidded within a couple days of each other. I pulled the kids on day 2 because I was selling them as bottle babies. Both does took this well and didn’t seem to mind after the first day. I started milking and every day the production was going up slightly. In the second week they were up to 2.5-3 cups per milking. Then all of a sudden they started decreasing. I’m on week 5 now and only getting 2 - 2.5 cups per milking. I also purchased another goat in milk this year. When I got her she was producing 3.5-4 cups per milking and now she’s only producing 2-2.5 cups as well. I expected a drop since she moved to a new environment but that seemed like a big drop.
I feed free choice high quality alfalfa orchard grass hay, have free choice minerals, and each goat gets 1 cup of grain and 1.5 cups of alfalfa 2 times a day while they are on the stand. This is exactly what I did last year and what the breeder told me that she does. I had a fecal run and only one goat had a slightly high worm count so I did dewormer her but haven’t seen any change in production.
I’m sure they have a lot more potential. They come from a good breeder and their udders do not look like they are to capacity. They don’t feel tight like they are full either.
I’m wondering if I might be doing something wrong. I think I’m getting all the milk out but this is only my second year milking. When I’m done milking their udders still have some fullness to them but I thought that was just fat. I massage the udder and bump it but can never get any more milk to let down. Help! I can’t think of anything else.
This year both does kidded within a couple days of each other. I pulled the kids on day 2 because I was selling them as bottle babies. Both does took this well and didn’t seem to mind after the first day. I started milking and every day the production was going up slightly. In the second week they were up to 2.5-3 cups per milking. Then all of a sudden they started decreasing. I’m on week 5 now and only getting 2 - 2.5 cups per milking. I also purchased another goat in milk this year. When I got her she was producing 3.5-4 cups per milking and now she’s only producing 2-2.5 cups as well. I expected a drop since she moved to a new environment but that seemed like a big drop.
I feed free choice high quality alfalfa orchard grass hay, have free choice minerals, and each goat gets 1 cup of grain and 1.5 cups of alfalfa 2 times a day while they are on the stand. This is exactly what I did last year and what the breeder told me that she does. I had a fecal run and only one goat had a slightly high worm count so I did dewormer her but haven’t seen any change in production.
I’m sure they have a lot more potential. They come from a good breeder and their udders do not look like they are to capacity. They don’t feel tight like they are full either.
I’m wondering if I might be doing something wrong. I think I’m getting all the milk out but this is only my second year milking. When I’m done milking their udders still have some fullness to them but I thought that was just fat. I massage the udder and bump it but can never get any more milk to let down. Help! I can’t think of anything else.
1 - 4 of 4 Posts
Pictures would be a great help.
My dairy girls would starve on that ration.
Cups of things are very little. So a Nigerian, say 70 lbs. That would be 3.5 lbs of forage ÷ by 2 would be @ 1.75.
Alfalfa pellets are normally 3 cups per lb. I'd go with 6 cups.
What grain are you feeding? Molasses does bad things to milk production. I feed my own mix because most by product grain is not as good as they put on. The run down is as fed, not as degested and a good many ingredients aren't detestable.
What kind of browse are they eating? You need to factor that in as well.
A decent Nigerian gives half a gallon daily, a quart a milking.
I guess the next question would be: are you trying to milk them once a day and inadvertantly drying them off?
How many times a day did you milk them last year?
My dairy girls would starve on that ration.
Cups of things are very little. So a Nigerian, say 70 lbs. That would be 3.5 lbs of forage ÷ by 2 would be @ 1.75.
Alfalfa pellets are normally 3 cups per lb. I'd go with 6 cups.
What grain are you feeding? Molasses does bad things to milk production. I feed my own mix because most by product grain is not as good as they put on. The run down is as fed, not as degested and a good many ingredients aren't detestable.
What kind of browse are they eating? You need to factor that in as well.
A decent Nigerian gives half a gallon daily, a quart a milking.
I guess the next question would be: are you trying to milk them once a day and inadvertantly drying them off?
How many times a day did you milk them last year?
I can’t help you either, 😐. My Nigerian is not of great genetics, so I don’t expect more than she produces. She gives me about 3 cups a day, in two milkings.Sorry I don't have any advice, I have meat goats
@MadHouse
1 - 4 of 4 Posts
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