Ease into 1 a day milking or go cold turkey???

[daisychick]

My first 2 babies left for their new homes last night. The kids were dam raised so the doe is used to nursing kids full time. I want to start milking the her just once a day in the evenings. This is her first morning without the kids. Do I need to milk her a little this morning and then milk her out tonight or just wait until this evening to do my first 1 a day milking??? Do I need to ease her into a once a day schedule since her body is used to kids nursing all the time?? What would be best? She looks pretty full this morning, can she make it until 6 pm or is that really hard on her?

 

[SDGsoap&dairy]

It depends entirely on what your doe is producing, how full she is on a 12 hour fill, and whether you want her to continue milking at her current rate. I don't want my does getting overuddered, so if she's very full you may have to relieve her partially in the morning while you work her onto once a day.

 

[daisychick]

The hard part is I have no idea what she is producing because her twins ate all the time and I never got to see her totally full. This will be her first time. She is Nubian and has a nice udder. I guess my main question is this, Is it bad to only take out a little to relieve pressure in the morning and then a full milk out in the evening? I want to do what is best for her, but I really need to get her to a 1 a day milking. We do not need a lot of milk but I do want her to still produce some.

 

[ksalvagno]

I think you will just have to wait and see. If she fills up too much, then milk her out some in the am.