Fullhousefarm
True BYH Addict
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Wow- that's nice!
Goat Whisperer's & SBC's kidding thread: kidding storm
- Thread starter Goat Whisperer
- Start date
- Thread starter
- #822
Goat Whisperer
Herd Master
My poor girl! Leah has 5 weeks to go...
NH homesteader
Herd Master
Holy moly! Even my DH is impressed! Poor girl, that can't be comfortable!
Ok I have maybe a weird random question. If a doe has 4-5 kids, will she produce more milk because her body gets signals while they're in the womb to produce more milk, or will she only produce more if they're nursing? Do you know? Curious...
Ok I have maybe a weird random question. If a doe has 4-5 kids, will she produce more milk because her body gets signals while they're in the womb to produce more milk, or will she only produce more if they're nursing? Do you know? Curious...
- Thread starter
- #824
Goat Whisperer
Herd Master
We have noticed a difference in udder size pre-kidding. Does that are having large litters often times have a larger udder than does that only have a single. But every goat is different and you really need to know your animals. 
They seem to produce more milk and have more capacity.
But, she still won't have enough milk to properly grow the kids to their highest potential. Nigies can be great lil' milkers, but each kid need around a quart of milk at their peak.... I nigerian doe isn't going to give 5 or 6 quarts.
We had a tiny lamancha doe that we bred for minis. She was stunted and incredibly wormy when we got her, but her genetics were there and she has good structure- she was just small.
She kidded with a single mini and had the capacity for such.... Only problem was that she was trying to milk the same amount a 160lb lamancha doe would... but she was only 90 herself. I milked her 5x a day until her udder stretched and she slowed down a little. Poor girl couldn't hold the milk and her teats would leak. That little girl was a milk cow!
They seem to produce more milk and have more capacity. But, she still won't have enough milk to properly grow the kids to their highest potential. Nigies can be great lil' milkers, but each kid need around a quart of milk at their peak.... I nigerian doe isn't going to give 5 or 6 quarts.
We had a tiny lamancha doe that we bred for minis. She was stunted and incredibly wormy when we got her, but her genetics were there and she has good structure- she was just small.
She kidded with a single mini and had the capacity for such.... Only problem was that she was trying to milk the same amount a 160lb lamancha doe would... but she was only 90 herself. I milked her 5x a day until her udder stretched and she slowed down a little. Poor girl couldn't hold the milk and her teats would leak. That little girl was a milk cow!
- Thread starter
- #825
Goat Whisperer
Herd Master
This is a photo from last year. Really shows how big she is this year.
She is in the same stage of pregnancy in the photos above and the pic below
She is in the same stage of pregnancy in the photos above and the pic below
NH homesteader
Herd Master
I just told my husband I knew you would know the answer! So it's some of both and it depends!My Nigie had twins last year but I bought her in milk and I think the person I bought her from wasn't so great at milking lol.
That doe was lucky someone was there and willing to do that much milking, wow
That doe was lucky someone was there and willing to do that much milking, wow
- Thread starter
- #828
Goat Whisperer
Herd Master
I pull and bottle feed all the kids so no worries
- Thread starter
- #829
Goat Whisperer
Herd Master
I am a big believer in training udders.
Does that aren't milked properly and and when you have owners that short-cycle the doe, it shows in later lactations.
frustratedearthmother
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Wow - she's got quite a load there!
