# Milking Goat and Weaning after birth



## chickylou (Mar 31, 2010)

Hi all, 

My milker Petunia is VERY pregnant. She got prego in December and I'm pretty sure she is going to have twins. 

I was just reading my book about goats and weaning. He recommends that you immediately take them from their mothers and milk them. 

What do you do when you want a milking goat and hand raised kids?

This is our first time with having baby goats and I did it only because I want Petunia's milk.

Do we let them nurse for a day or so? Or is it best immediately to remove them? 

What's the best thing to do?

Also I don't live on a farm so if the kids squeal a lot, that might pose a problem for us. In that case is it better to remove them immediately?

Need some good advice!

Thanks in advance. 

Chickylou


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## chandasue (Mar 31, 2010)

I was concerned about the babies crying too since we're in an area where we have neighbors that already think we're weird.  But I pulled the kids at birth anyway, put them in a separate pen and I've been bottle feeding them whole cow's milk and keeping Nestle's milk for ourselves. It's worked out quite well and they actually are very quiet except when they see me coming with the bottles in hand. 

Edit: You can sell the babies as "bottle babies" this way as well if they are noisy. I already sold my buckling. But I'm contemplating keeping the girls. I'll decide as they get closer to weaning if I want to introduce them to my other two girls or sell them as well.


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## freemotion (Mar 31, 2010)

Another option is to let the doe raise the babies, then after 2-3 weeks separate the babies from her overnight, milk in the morning (leave a bit for the kids' breakfast) and let the kids nurse all day.  Then wean them fully at 2-3 months old.  This method is described at www.fiascofarm.com.  

I got a doeling last year who was nursed by her mother then taken from her at 5 weeks.  I didn't know better when the owner told me that I could continue to bottle feed her until she was old enough to wean.  I don't think he knew, either.  I will never, ever try to bottle feed a kid that has nursed (unless mom dies or dries up or some other dire emergency, that is.)  I will leave the kids on the doe or bottle them from the first feeding on.  That experience was very stressful for all concerned.

So if you do want to bottle feed them, consider taking them from the doe right away and bottle feeding them right from the start.  Do give them her colostrum for the first few days, though, then switch them over very gradually to what you will continue feeding them after that.

Exciting times, huh?


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## chickylou (Mar 31, 2010)

Is it really hard on the Mama goats to pull their babies or are they pretty "I don't care" about it. 

I'm so confused. As a Mama, I just keep empathizing!!! I see how huge they are and I think about my own HUGE pregnancies. I'm trying to see them as just animals, but I can't shake the horror of removing babies from them. 

Do you just harden your heart and do it?


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## freemotion (Mar 31, 2010)

I can't stand the idea, so my plan is to use the Fias Co Farm method, described on the above link, with one of my does.  But the other of my does is CAE-positive and I am hoping to keep a doeling from her, so I will have to pull her kids before she nurses them at all.  Yes, it will break my heart, and hers, as those instincts are very strong.  

They will get over it, though, so do what is best for you and your family.  It will be easier if you sell them right away so there is not a lot of crying....especially you!  Whoever buys them can bottle feed them.  Then you can milk in peace and enjoy your doe and her milk without the nonstop reminders and the tugging on your heartstrings.  In reality, you will probably have a harder time with it than any of the goats will.


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## lupinfarm (Mar 31, 2010)

How long on average would you say mom cries for? I can imagine mom throws a fit and goes ballistic about the loss of her babies.


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## ksalvagno (Mar 31, 2010)

If you do decide to pull the babies, remember that they absolutely need that first milk which is called colostrum. They need it for the first 24 hours. You HAVE to get it from their mom.


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## aggieterpkatie (Apr 1, 2010)

I pulled the babies right way and let the doe lick me off.  She bonded to ME, and would cry for me like I was her baby.  She'd also lick lick lick me.  She was pretty obnoxious about it for the first 3 weeks, but now she's settled back down and is acting like her normal self.  

I think the longer you keep the babies with mom, the harder it is on all involved.  I didn't even let June clean off her babies because she started to talk to them and I didn't want her to bond at all.  A few days after she kidded, she saw the kids when she came in to be milked and she didn't even recognize them.  It really wasn't hard on either party.  Well, maybe me, but not the kids or June.


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## aggieterpkatie (Apr 1, 2010)

ksalvagno said:
			
		

> You HAVE to get it from their mom.


Well, you don't *have* to, though it is best.  You can get it from another goat or even a cow if you don't have any other options.


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## chandasue (Apr 1, 2010)

aggieterpkatie said:
			
		

> She bonded to ME, and would cry for me like I was her baby.


I second that, although I didn't let her lick me. LOL The first week she'd cry as I walked away for a good 5-10 minutes or so even after I was out of sight. She's over it now and only cries until I get to the door, at which point she must realize I'm not coming back until later. She's not a particularly loud crier in the first place so not terribly annoying.


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## cmjust0 (Apr 1, 2010)

I've never really had to harden my heart to pull a baby since we really only pull them if we _have_ to..  When you have to, it's usually because mama's not doing what mama's supposed to be doing..  In those cases, I have little sympathy.

Yet, invariably and without fail, the mama who was running around the stall playing keep-away with the weird little critters that just fell out of her hind end will start bawling and crying like "Oh, no!  Someone stole my babies!"...as though she's just _devastated_..

:/

Oh well.  She'll get over it.


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## Ariel301 (Apr 1, 2010)

We use the method described at the Fiasco Farm website, where the babies are allowed to nurse all they want for the first two weeks, and then start getting separated for part of the time. Except that we do it backwards because evening is the best time for me to milk, so our kids spend the day in their own 'playpen' and get to go in with the moms in the evening after I milk, and spend all night and most of the morning with their moms. I leave them a bowl of water in their own pen, as well as hay and a little grain and some mineral supplement, so they can nibble on adult foods and get used to them. Then when they are eight weeks old, they are put into their playpen and don't come back out. It's fairly low-stress, as they can see each other through the fence, just not nurse. They do cry a little at first, and some cry a lot. We sold a doe because whenever we tried to wean her babies or even just separate them from her by ten feet, she would go crazy and throw herself at the fences until she got hurt. That one was an exception though, most of them get over it fast.


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## freemotion (Apr 1, 2010)

That is good to know!  I was hoping to milk in the evening, which is easier with my work schedule.  Good to know someone has done that successfully.


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## FarmerDenise (Apr 2, 2010)

I am totally new to goats.

I just got 2 doelings from a goat dairy. The woman leaves the kids with the momma for 2 days, then removes them for bottle feeding. She says it is a little difficult to get them to take the bottle at first, but she prefers for the babies to get their 1st milk directly from momma.
I got mine when they were 6 days old. The kids were calm in their pen and the momma was with the herd. The lady brought the momma out for us and walked her right past the babies. The momma had no reaction at all toward the babies. She was way more interested in getting onto the stand to get to the grain bucket. 

Mine are 8 days old today. One is relatively easy to feed from the bottle, the other takes a little more coaxing. But to feed both kids it takes me less than 15 minutes, including heating up the milk.


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