[HappyHarrisFarm97]

How long is safe to keep my girl off grain while we dry up her milk supply? She has been off since Monday. I'm milking about 1 cup now only once per day. Honestly I could have skipped the milking altogether last night. She is still healthy but trimming down some now. And my word, the complaining!!!!! Lol!

 

[ksalvagno]

When she is fully dry.

 

[HappyHarrisFarm97]

Ok so I don't have to worry about her becoming malnourished? I mean, she is eating grass all day and I'm giving her an assortment of fruits and veggies morning and evening in place of her grain while the others eat as normal. This is enough to take care of all her nutrient needs for now? I'm told it can take some time to dry up a dairy goat.

 

[ksalvagno]

You will have to just keep an eye on her and decide if she starts looking bad. She is getting loose mineral too, isn't she?

 

[HappyHarrisFarm97]

Yes, loose mineral too, and just a little BOSS because I feel so sorry for her... I'm pitiful, I know.

 

[TDG-Farms]

If you are at a point where you can start missing a milking then do so. Just keep an eye on her udder. As for grain, she shouldnt need anymore till her 4th month of pregnancy next year.

 

[HappyHarrisFarm97]

If you are at a point where you can start missing a milking then do so. Just keep an eye on her udder. As for grain, she shouldnt need anymore till her 4th month of pregnancy next year.

WHAT????? The 4th month of pregnancy? I feed everybody a little grain all year long. Tell me I'm not doing this all wrong! Nobody is fat, so I may just keep doing like I'm doing. I like to feed them every day because I want them to associate me with happy thoughts!!! What do your goats eat if you don't fee them grain? Just hay?

 

[TDG-Farms]

Yep, just alfalfa. Granted its dairy quality so technically we dont even need to feed them grain while in milk as a dairy ration/all stock/14% grain is only slightly over half as good as our alfalfa. That and it would get very expensive to grain 50-100 goats all year round. The grain for us is just to train and keep em calm while milking em. Our mineral mix is a premix so they get everything they need mineral wise that way. Though our grain has some nice stuff in it as well.

 

[ptgoats45]

If you are only getting a cup a day, I would quit milking her. Just check her udder daily, if she feels too full clip her to the fence and milk out just enough to relieve her, dip/spray her teats and let her go. You don't really want to bring her back in on the stand as that is a stimulus for milk let down and you don't want her letting down more milk when you are trying to dry them off.

Mine also don't get grain while pregnant until the last month, just alfalfa pellets. Most of mine do get milked until they are 2-3 months bred though so they only have 1-2 months without grain. Their grain is just whole oats, so is really more of a treat while milking than anything else. They get all their nutrients (protein, etc.) from the alfalfa pellets. Mine are also on pasture so they get that too.

 

[MsScamp]

WHAT????? The 4th month of pregnancy?

My does - dairy included - don't grain at all. Unless we are running short on hay or an unusual situation arises they don't get anything but good quality alfalfa/grass hay.

 

[HappyHarrisFarm97]

If you are only getting a cup a day, I would quit milking her. Just check her udder daily, if she feels too full clip her to the fence and milk out just enough to relieve her, dip/spray her teats and let her go. You don't really want to bring her back in on the stand as that is a stimulus for milk let down and you don't want her letting down more milk when you are trying to dry them off.

.

Oh, I should be more clear. I COULD get plenty more milk than that, but I am only milking enough to relieve her. I am definitely seeing the supply taper off dramatically now though. It never dawned on me about the milk stand stimulating her. Interesting thought. She kicks like a hyper ninja if I try to milk her anywhere else though. Some girls are just funny about it I guess.