# Milking a FF-lots of questions



## Araylee (Apr 12, 2011)

My LaMancha is 6 days fresh today. She's feeding one kid and seems to be very full a lot of the time. I am planning on milking her in the morning after separating them at night, and then leaving the baby on her all day starting at two weeks. Baby seems to be getting drinks from both teats, so that's good.
 I have her trained to the milk stand. LOL, put grain in bowl, help her up the first time, and now she RUNS for the milk stand when I bring her out of her pen. HAHA! Lets me handle her udder and gives milk when I milk her, no kicking or sitting down. So:
How much milk would you expect a heavy-production line FF doe to give while feeding her baby at this stage in lactation? When I've milked her I've gotten 1/2 cup at a time (twice daily) but get too tired to milk her out completely. Between her small teats and my weak hand muscles we have some training to do! ALso, it seems like her teats start out filling really fast but then slow down after a couple of minutes-is that because she has a short let-down reflex or is she just running out of milk? Also, do you all measure specific amounts of grain per doe, or just let her have as much as she wants for the five or so minutes she's up there? She eats FAAAAAAAST and I don't want her to end up with bloat because of overfeeding...

 A friend of ours asked if we want to buy their Maggidan's hand milker but I'm really not sure that the design is safe. Any reviews/objections? Any helpful hints on milking first fresheners or girls w/ small teats? They are probably right about two and a half fingers long.

Any safe teat dips that I can use with baby? I tried the fias co farm bleach mix but a) it seems awfully harsh/drying and b) baby is sucking on those same teats not two minutes after I dip, sooooo...what do those of you that milk your nursing does use?

Also, the milk is very sticky. Is that because there is still colostrum mixed in, or is normal goat milk just sticky? It's thick! 

Thanks so much!


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## ksalvagno (Apr 12, 2011)

There is still colostrum in the milk. That is why it is sticky. 

What about dipping the teats in water after dipping them in teat dip. Then most of the dip should be off the teat.

Your girl sounds about the same as Nigerians. Just keep working at it. They do elongate every year with milking. I had a Nigerian that I could only use thumb and finger to milk, this year I use thumb and 2 fingers. I would try and get her milked out if possible. You want her to keep producing more and more milk.


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## RockyToggRanch (Apr 12, 2011)

I had a FF last yr that was so tiny it took me forever to milk her. I started by leaving her grain in a scoop and setting the scoop into the feed pan. That slowed her down. Then when she finished her grain she got hay in her pan... lol I'm not a fast milker.

I tried homemade wash and dip as well and ended up going to the TSC pink stuff.

I have the same doe this yr and her teats are actually managable.

I also have a FF who's perfect on the stand and easy to milk. Her teats are not so tiny either. Don't you just love the easy ones??


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## Araylee (Apr 12, 2011)

thanks, rinsing w/ water is a great idea! So do I free choice grain, add alfalfa pellets...?


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## ksalvagno (Apr 12, 2011)

I would probably add alfalfa pellets instead of giving her more grain.


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## freemotion (Apr 12, 2011)

I feed about a quart each of grain and alfalfa pellets and any veg/fruit peelings and scraps from our kitchen, chopped up.  I also will put a bit of soaked beet pulp in to slow her down even more.  You don't have to soak the beet pulp, but I find they don't like it as much so it slows them down.


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## Araylee (Apr 18, 2011)

Next Q:Can you overfeed alfalfa pellets?? I have a 6qt feeder attached to the stanchion and she just inhales her feed in less than 5 minutes. Of course, once the feed is gone, she is done being milked and tries to escape, at which point I am afraid she'll step off the side of the stanchion and hang herself. ERGH! I'm up to probably 3-4 cups of purina goat chow, 3/4 cup of BOSS and another 2 cups of alfalfa pellets per milking! It seems like SO MUCH FOOD for one goat-am I crazy?! 
Thanks!


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## RockyToggRanch (Apr 18, 2011)

I had to find a way to slow my girls down too. I started by leaving the grain in the scoop and setting the scoop in the pan. Then 1/2 way through I dump the scoop and they inhale it. Then if I need more time I put some good hay in the pan. If I'm still needing more time...not very often, I'll sprinkle some grain into that hay. Just a bit. But they're usually content with the hay.


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## freemotion (Apr 18, 2011)

I throw a little soaked beet pulp into the mix and it really slows them down since they don't like it as much.   Just put a cup or so of the dry beet pulp shreds or crumbles into the feed pan and add hot water to cover it a few minutes before you milk.  Then add the rest of your foods and mix it up.  

I used to start with a quart of alfalfa pellets and keep another quart nearby, but I've gotten pretty quick lately!  You will, too.


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## Mea (Apr 18, 2011)

We have had the "Inhaler" type goat...  ended up placing three golf balls on top of the feed. That helps some.

  About the doe stepping off the stand...usually that only happens one time.  They find out Very fast that it is safer to keep all their feet On the stand.   We also put a side rail on one side of the stand to help with this.


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## savingdogs (Apr 18, 2011)

I'm using orange peels. Someone said that their goat liked them so I have put some in the mix. My goats do NOT eat it and work their way carefully around it. This slows them down perfectly and when I see just orange peels in their I know I better hurry up!


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## RockyToggRanch (Apr 18, 2011)

Interesting! If I put anything in their feed that they don't like they stick up their noses until I fix it...lol


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## savingdogs (Apr 18, 2011)

Do you feed them grain off the stanchion? Mine are not as picky now that I just feed them their grain there and nowhere else. Hunger makes a good sauce!


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## Araylee (Apr 19, 2011)

oooh I found the solution, LOL! I put a couple of handfuls of alfalfa in the feeder and poured the grain over the top. She inhaled the first half as usual but had to snarfle around for all the bits that fell to the bottom. Ten minutes later, I was done milking and she was still standing still looking for the last nibbles instead of trying to back off the side of the stanchion and snap her neck-woot! She did put her foot in my milk bucket though.  Thanks for all the help! Without the alfalfa filler idea I would never have tried it. (I did give her a handful of alfalfa last night when she ran out of goodies but she turned her nose up at it.)


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## freemotion (Apr 19, 2011)

Our homestead dairy does sure are princesses!


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## Araylee (Apr 19, 2011)

freemotion said:
			
		

> Our homestead dairy does sure are princesses!


You are not kidding me!!! Spoiled rotten! But, I love them anyway.


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## mydakota (May 21, 2011)

freemotion said:
			
		

> Our homestead dairy does sure are princesses!


I was just thinking the same thing!


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## savingdogs (May 21, 2011)

save that milk she stepped in to make soap!


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## Roll farms (May 21, 2011)

I have one who will take her head and shove everything out of the feedpan if I put in anything she doesn't like.  She tosses out the stuff she does like even, just so I'll give her a scoop of her 'special mix' alone.  

I wouldn't cater to her like this BUT...she's a good milker and I'm really tired of sweeping alf. pellets (which she hates) and feed up off the floor when I don't let her have what she wants.

It's Dazzle...I swear, ever since that doe was on the news a few weeks ago she's SUCH a diva...


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## SDGsoap&dairy (May 21, 2011)

Roll farms said:
			
		

> I have one who will take her head and shove everything out of the feedpan if I put in anything she doesn't like.  She tosses out the stuff she does like even, just so I'll give her a scoop of her 'special mix' alone.
> 
> I wouldn't cater to her like this BUT...she's a good milker and I'm really tired of sweeping alf. pellets (which she hates) and feed up off the floor when I don't let her have what she wants.
> 
> It's Dazzle...I swear, ever since that doe was on the news a few weeks ago she's SUCH a diva...




I have a doe that will shove everything out to get to the grain bits at the bottom.  Luckily she milks out fast enough that I don't have to worry about keeping her there for very long.


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## Cara Peachick (May 22, 2011)

I have not yet had the problem of trying to slow down an "inhaler" but I know that with dogs with this issue, you can put some smooth stones on top of their food.  It gives them smething to work around.  They also sell special dog bowls for this that have capsule shaped nubs protruding from the botton of the bowl - sgain something to work around.

My FF is due in a month, and I'm brand new, so I'm hoping we can figure this out together!


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