How do YOU dry up your doe?

[TGreenhut]

When you dry up a milking goat do you just stop milking or do you prefer to do it gradually (once a day, every-other day, then once every 3 days, once a week, etc)? I'm trying to dry up a doe right now but she just produces so much darn milk! I'm down to milking once a day (have been for about 2 weeks) but I'm not noticing any decrease in milk production- she's always so full! Should I just stop milking her? I'm afraid I would feel really bad if I did that to her, but is it necessary? I also fear for mastitis. Should I just continue to do it gradually? What do you do?

 

[ksalvagno]

Here is what I did to dry up a heavy milker: http://www.backyardherds.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=6187

 

[TGreenhut]

Thank you! That helped a lot! I will try the sage and start milking every other day now.

 

[chubbydog811]

Along the lines of what some people were saying in that thread...
How I usually do it is each time I take a little less. I had a doe that was producing a gallon a milking easily. We had WAY too much milk, so I figured I would just dry her up so it's one less I have to milk. I started by just milking her out, except not bumping (which gave me another 1/2 quart each side). When I got her about half way dry, I started leaving a little in each side (so it wasn't as painful as being full and having extra). It has taken about a month, but I have her to the point I could only milk once a day if I really wanted...Of course, now that she is only producing about a quart per milking, I have tons of milk customers and need her to come back up a little