question on milk supply

[EggsForIHOP]

My first guess - just a shot in the dark - but could it be operator error?

I ask, because our friends first goats finally kidded, and they pulled the babies and began to milk ASAP - first day took her TWO HOURS to get all of 20oz!!! She called me and I asked WHAT she was doing that took so long....turns out she was PULLING like to milk a Cow...not doing the rythmic squeeze you need to milk a goat...things have gotten faster at their place since then


Just wondering, since you said her udder was still full...are you bumping/massaging it to get her to let down the milk and then HOW are you using your hands to milk?

Over time she may get better and you may end up with milk for yourselves if you keep up and get things going in your favor

 

[hcppam]

My first guess - just a shot in the dark - but could it be operator error?

I ask, because our friends first goats finally kidded, and they pulled the babies and began to milk ASAP - first day took her TWO HOURS to get all of 20oz!!! She called me and I asked WHAT she was doing that took so long....turns out she was PULLING like to milk a Cow...not doing the rythmic squeeze you need to milk a goat...things have gotten faster at their place since then


Just wondering, since you said her udder was still full...are you bumping/massaging it to get her to let down the milk and then HOW are you using your hands to milk?

Over time she may get better and you may end up with milk for yourselves if you keep up and get things going in your favor

I was thinking the same thing. There are some goat milking videos on YouTube

 

[elloyd]

ok so i am gonna go check out the videos on you tube like i said i have never done this before so i may be doing it all wrong thank u for your help i will see how it goes in the morning after i watch some videos

 

[poorboys]

sometimes they hold their milk back thinking they have to have it for their kids, by the end of a week they are milking full out. just a thought.

 

[hcppam]

ok so i am gonna go check out the videos on you tube like i said i have never done this before so i may be doing it all wrong thank u for your help i will see how it goes in the morning after i watch some videos

Here is a good one bigger goat though...small goat use less fingers. LOL
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAu1jl8wfJI&feature=related

 

[elloyd]

so i watched as many videos as i could om you tube i was doing it all wrong but i went out and did it the way the videos showed and still only got 12oz that was better than 8oz but i also found out that she is a ff i dont know if that would have anything to dowith it. all i can do is keep trying i guss

 

[EggsForIHOP]

Sometimes the first year you just don't get much...have you tried adding an extra milking to get her to up her production? And have you increased her feed?

A couple of the old "pros" around here preach a formula on the feed...I can't really remember, because my general rule of thumb is they get "enough to keep 'em busy while I milk" But it's something like one pound of feed to 2 pounds of milk or some such.....

have you increased her feed ration? and try throwing in a 3rd milking spaced out for a few days and see what you get...worked for us last year with our first time doe (she was a pygmy/nigi cross and tiny) but she went from a half pint a day to a quart and a half in no time. (or 8oz a day to almost 3lbs a day if I am doing the math right - I wasn't really weighing it last year so much as measuring it).

At least a change in technique got you a little bit more

 

[elloyd]

i have uped her feed and added in alfalfa pellets because alfalfa hay is 20 dollars a bale she also gets beet pulp boss and dary 16

 

[elloyd]

i have uped her feed and added in alfalfa pellets because alfalfa hay is 20 dollars a bale she also gets beet pulp boss and dary 16

 

[ksalvagno]

I think she is managing to hold back and since you are inexperienced, she is able to keep it held back. Try massaging her udder good before milking. Also, I bet as you both get used to you milking her, it will go better.