Drying doe off - final update

[glenolam]

That's what I meant, sort of.... If you're actually unintentionally milking out more from one side than the other that side will produce more milk since you're inadvertantly requesting more and that side will look bigger once filled up again. Does that make any sense?

 

[ksalvagno]

Yes it does but I have had her since March (milking since I got her) and it was only when I went to once a day that her udder looked lopsided. So that was my concern. I know my one hand is stronger than the other and I do always seem to get one side milked out faster than the other but I always made sure that both sides were totally milked out. This was just something new. I look at udders before and after milking every day, getting mastitis does concern me so I have been very watchful of the girls.

 

[ksalvagno]

I have gone down to milking out 4 cups per day on my goat. She is so full. At what point do you decide that she needs to be milked out? I just worry about mastitis so much. Her grain was cut down from 10 cups to 4 cups.

I bet I could get over half a gallon from her if I milked her out. Her udder just isn't getting any smaller.

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

i had the same problem with Debbie last year. this year she is actually decreasing her milk, tho.

it just took a long time. are you doing every other day?

Nibbles is almost to every other day. yesterday i milked her out and probably got a quart. today i only took about a cup.

is her udder hot? or just really full? does she still have the "shelf"?

isnt it stressful?!?!?!

sorry
:-(

 

[ksalvagno]

I'm still milking once a day but not milking her out. She was still giving me 6-8 cups per day of milk.

Udder isn't hot, just full. Really full.

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

when i went to once a day deb was REALLY full... for the first couple of times.

now she's just "kinda" full... so i'm moving to every other day later this week.

hang in there

 

[Mea]

Reading these posts really makes my wish that there was some kind of recognition for the does that have such a Will to Milk !!

DHIA seems to reward quantity...and that is good, but the the steady-don't-want-to-quit-(ever) doe should be praised as well. Just MHO for what it is worth...

 

[ksalvagno]

Well, I couldn't stand it anymore and milked her out. I got 3/4 gallon of milk.

I'm going to try sage. Someone told me that sage helps to dry them off. So I'm going to try it. I'm not sure what else to do right now. When I was only milking out about 4 cups, her udder kept getting bigger and bigger.This is my first time drying off a doe but that just doesn't seem right to me. When I was milking her out once a day, she had gone down in milk production but a week of only milking out 4 cups and it doesn't seem to be decreasing her production at all.

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

wowza! isnt it crazy????

well you are gonna get her worked out, i just know it.

wonder how sage-y the milk will be... hum... that sounds like it would make a GREAT fresh cheese!

 

[aggieterpkatie]

Unless you totally stop milking, the goat will keep producing milk. I know it probably makes you uncomfortable to see her so full, but it's most likely not going to cause any problems. Her body will resorb the milk. I'd go ahead and stop milking all together and stop feeding her any grain (if you are), and give her a plain grass hay. If you keep milking her she's going to keep producing milk.