I have a 2nd time freshener giving slightly less than a half gal. a day. She kidded 3 weeks ago and I sold her 3 buck kids yesterday. I was shocked to find her with so little milk. When I milked her out twice a day when she had her bucks she never had anything left. Her udder does still seem full after milking her but I can't get anymore out no matter what. My husband says we should try milking her 3-4 times a day since she was used to having her kids on her and maybe is not giving up the milk. Will this help? I have 4 little ones and do not want to be bothered with this 4x a day if it is a waste of my time.

Last year I had so much milk from my other does that I just let her raise her kids for 3 months before beginning to milk her. She did about 1/2 gal to 3/4 gal then but was a first freshener. Is this likely to improve or do you think she is just a bad milker. Phooey! I just bought a cream seperator!

-- Tiffani (cappello@alltel.net), April 16, 2002

Answers

If her udder does indeed seem full just after you've milked her, she's probably holding back the milk to save it for her babies. Physiologically, they are capable of doing this, you know.

If you're doing all the regular tricks to encourage milk letdown (being very quiet and gentle with the doe, and washing her udder with warm water), I've found it helps to trigger milk letdown if you make baby goat noises and gently tap the udder, like the kids did when they nursed. I've gotten several more pounds of milk this way in does who were holding back milk for kids.

-- Julia (charmer24@juno.com), April 16, 2002.

Hi Tiffani, along with the other post, 3 weeks fresh isn't the criteria used to know if a doe is a good milker or not. Once a doe is right at 12 weeks fresh will give you a very good idea of what she will milk the rest of the time. I do agree that she is not letting her milk down, I would give her some time. Most decently bred does will milk right at 8 pounds 3 to 6 weeks fresh some considerably!! more, but what we want to know is how much she is going to milk from 3 months to 10 months! Let her get over this little set back, then decide if she really is that poor of a milker. Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), April 16, 2002.

This same doe gave 4-6 lbs last year? And after having triplets, gave only 4 lbs today? After having triplets? She is not letting her milk down, she is too upset. Remember, it isn't that she's doing it on purpose, to spite you. She is unable to let the milk down when she's upset. Massage the udder well each time you milk and try to get every last drop. The stress of losing her kids at an early age like this may make her milk production drop. You can try milkiing three times a day for several days until she has some time to adjust, or, if you have other kids, let a buck kid nurse from her when you are done milking- you'll have to hold her foot to keep her from kicking him off. He will get all the milk that is left over and this will keep her prouction up. As she gets over the loss of her kids, using the buck kid should become less necessary.

-- Rebekah (daniel1@itss.net), April 16, 2002.

The next time you milk her, really feel her udder. Can you feel firm places inside? I would almost bet that this doe has beginning mastitis. You should have no doubt in your mind if you press your fingers firmly into her udder, and really try to feel what's there. If you find firm tissue, or knotty-feeling lumps, it is most likely mastitis, rather than lack of milk let down. Take her temperature. 103 degrees or above would also support this finding.

-- Dianne Wood (woodgoat@pacifier.com), April 16, 2002.

All you need to do, if you have time, is to keep her in the stantion, let her know she's not rushed, give her her time to eat her ration. Look her in the eyes, tell her it's ok. Only once hold her head against yours, don't resist but don't cling. The doe has given her kid up. She NEEDS someone. You're it. Be kind, but be insistent. Your're the boss.

-- Dennis Enyart (westwoodcaprine@yahoo.com), April 18, 2002.