here is the break down on feeding milk to babies.
Some like to keep em on for as long as they can. I have seen 1 year old + kids still nursing. I seriously do not suggest this. Not only is it hard on the mom and her poor teats, but there is no good reason to keep em on say past 4-6 months at most. Longer then I like but if you are milking the mom and just dont need the extra milk, then an older kid helping is always nice. Some will say its natural to keep the kids on this long but its not. For the most part, a Doe will start walking away from nursing kids by the 4th month.
The standard is to ween around the end of the 3rd month. There are a few good reasons to do so. A kid of this age has been eating solids along with the milk for at least a month if not two. Their stomachs are ready for straight solids and they no longer need the milk. Often times after this age they actually start to get the runs more often then not due to the consumption of milk. Also by this age the kids, if their are more then one can be taking everything their mom is producing and they start to turn the udder into a punching bag trying to get the milk to let down. Nothing like ruining a show quality udder by keeping kids on to long. If you are bottle feeding then this isnt an issue. For those that are milking you can do a little test. If you have been giving grain to the kids as well and they are gusto for the grain as the milk, do a side by side and see which one they want the most. More often then not, at least here, they go after the grain. Or at the very least hit the milk for a few quick sucks and then go straight to the grain.
And then there are those who ween as early as 1 month. All I can say is, this is a terrible idea and stunts the kids growth. We have a few buyers who are picking up their boys a week to 10 days earlier then the 3 month mark and that even makes me uncomfortable.
For me, I dont even start thinking about weening until the 3 month mark. I like to start to cut back and am finished weening by 3 1/2 to 4 months. Depending upon milk supply.
Some like to keep em on for as long as they can. I have seen 1 year old + kids still nursing. I seriously do not suggest this. Not only is it hard on the mom and her poor teats, but there is no good reason to keep em on say past 4-6 months at most. Longer then I like but if you are milking the mom and just dont need the extra milk, then an older kid helping is always nice. Some will say its natural to keep the kids on this long but its not. For the most part, a Doe will start walking away from nursing kids by the 4th month.
The standard is to ween around the end of the 3rd month. There are a few good reasons to do so. A kid of this age has been eating solids along with the milk for at least a month if not two. Their stomachs are ready for straight solids and they no longer need the milk. Often times after this age they actually start to get the runs more often then not due to the consumption of milk. Also by this age the kids, if their are more then one can be taking everything their mom is producing and they start to turn the udder into a punching bag trying to get the milk to let down. Nothing like ruining a show quality udder by keeping kids on to long. If you are bottle feeding then this isnt an issue. For those that are milking you can do a little test. If you have been giving grain to the kids as well and they are gusto for the grain as the milk, do a side by side and see which one they want the most. More often then not, at least here, they go after the grain. Or at the very least hit the milk for a few quick sucks and then go straight to the grain.
And then there are those who ween as early as 1 month. All I can say is, this is a terrible idea and stunts the kids growth. We have a few buyers who are picking up their boys a week to 10 days earlier then the 3 month mark and that even makes me uncomfortable.
For me, I dont even start thinking about weening until the 3 month mark. I like to start to cut back and am finished weening by 3 1/2 to 4 months. Depending upon milk supply.
