Question - will this work?

[countrykids]

I have a question for those experienced breeders and it could apply to any breed I guess. Our family has been offered an opportunity to go to the beach for 5 days or so in the 3rd week of August. We're milking 3 Nigerian Dwarf does and they all have doe kids who are with them during the day and then separated at night - we milk in the am and then everybody goes together in the outside fence.
We weren't planning for a vacation, as we usually don't go anywhere except for a little ski trip in Feb, but we really want to do this, however, we don't want to dry the does up just for a vacation. Also, we usually don't have kids this late in the year as we've always re-homed them by now. We're still deciding this year who stays etc.
At vacation time, the oldest kid will be 20 weeks old and the youngest 16 weeks. So, my question is, at that age, if we leave the kids with the mamas, will the doelings likely nurse enough so that we don't lose milk production in the does? I'm ok with sacrificing some, I just don't want the does to dry up altogether.
Finding someone to milk them really isn't an option. We've explored that already. However, we do have reliable caretakers when we are gone, so otherwise their welfare isn't an issue - just the milking dilemma.
What do you think? I'm just really not sure how long the kids usually nurse. I've heard people say "forever!"
Thanks for your help!!
Kim

edited to make more sense - I hope

 

[countrykids]

Can I expect the kids to still be nursing at 16, 18, 20 weeks? Can anyone tell me?

 

[elevan]

It really depends on the dam on how long she'll allow them to nurse. I've got a 9month old who still "occasionally" takes a sip from mom, but it's not much. The older they get the less they drink from mom.

 

[ksalvagno]

It may work but I bet the milk will be greatly diminished. Why not dry up the girls early and enjoy the vacation.

 

[freemotion]

It is worth a try, as long as you keep allowing the kids to nurse during the day. I had a doeling last year that STILL dives at her mother's udder even though they both had triplets this spring! (She is not allowed to nurse, thank goodness!) I had such trouble weaning her, as her mother really wanted to nurse her. And withheld a lot of milk from me as a result.

If it is your only option, it is worth a try, buy you may not have much if any milk afterwards. You have plenty of time to teach someone to milk.....no one is willing? Are you sure?

 

[M.R. Lops]

At that young they should nurse quite a bit, but I don't know since you usually milk her. We've always just left the babies with the mom all the time and we've never milked our goats. Most of our goats are Boers though and we only have a couple mix breed dairy goats. We have a 5 month old baby right now that still nurses.

 

[countrykids]

Thanks so much for all of the replies. You all have confirmed what I was thinking, so hopefully we'll be able to leave them and come back and resume milking. I'll be watching to make sure that all of the kids are still nursing however! They seem to be pretty good at it now!
Thanks, again!!
Kim