Thinking of going to once-a-day milking. Info please.

[homebirtha]

We're considering dropping down to milking our two LMs once a day. They both give between a gallon and a gallon-and-a-half and we just are not using all the milk. Plus, we have so much going on that I wouldn't mind dropping that chore. KWIM.

Anyway, pros and cons of doing this? Will we reduce their output permanently. I've heard opinions that if you dry a doe off early, she will not produce as much in future freshenings. Don't know if that's true though.

Also, what's the best way to do it? Just drop the one milking cold turkey? Keep giving grain just the one time or stop grain altogether? What do y'all think?

[Carrie C]

I milk them at closer intervals when I go from milking 2x to 1x. I used to milk at 7a and 7p. Then, 8a and 7p, 9a and 7p, and so on and so forth, until it got so I was milking 2 x at rediculously close intervals and just switched to 1x.
It did will reduce the milk output, but not by too terribly much. 1 gallon a milking to .75 gallons a milking.
I've never heard of does giving less in subsequent freshenings unless they are 1st timers. Then they don't give as much more in later years because they didn't stretch the udder. They still increase, just not as much as those who milked 2x a day. Even that isn't for sure!
Happy sleeping in!
~Carrie C.

[Jennifer L.]

Bear in mind what I know about lactation comes from cows, although the physiology of lactation probably doesn't vary much from one species to another.

If you go to once a day milking you will shorten the lactation. The animal's body sees that as the kids aren 't drinking as much, so they must be older and don't need it. Use it or you lose it. It doesn't happen over night, of course, and if you aren't using that much milk, and aren't going to need it in the future of that animal's lactation, then it's not a problem.

However, other things happen with this as well. For one thing, if you have a subclinical (can't see it) mastitis in the herd, this can cause it to bloom forth. Even if you don't get mastitis, the milk that you get once a day will have a higher somatic cell count. That doesn't bother most people, farm people least of all, but it's a point. SS's are the white cells that combat disease. The milk will also be higher fat and solids, so there's that to consider. Again, may not be that noticeable to you.

As far as early dry off contributing to smaller amount in the next lactation, this is true for cows, but I don't know that this is a big deal for the home milker. It's not going to be a huge percentage difference, but in a commercial dairy you would definitely avoid this if at all possible, because lots of times your income will be greatly affected by this small stuff that adds up.

If you are going to do it, I would drop the grain down for a day or two until you see a drop in production and then go to once a day. Let them adjust to making a smaller amount of milk first and it will be easier on their udders.

Remember, I come from a cow perspective so there may be differences that others can point out, but I don't think I'm steering you wrong.

Jennifer

[okgoatgal2]

since you aren't using all the milk, could you make cheese with it? make soap?> can it? freeze it? raise a hog or two? it will drop their production to go to once a day milking-whether it will have a long term, future effect or not i'm not sure.

[Carrie C]

Originally Posted by Jennifer L.

If you go to once a day milking you will shorten the lactation.

Jennifer

My goats on 1x a day milking produce for 2 years without a freshening and, yes, the cream is higher, maybe stomatic cells too, but the milk still tastes fine and makes wonderful mahed potatoes. The lactation, however, is NOT shorter at least on my goats and I get at least .75 of a gallon out of my big girl (I also have Nigerian Dwarves), that includes at the end of 2 years! In fact, I have a very hard time drying them off even when they are on 1x a day. I've also never had a problem with mastitis, but I can see where you're coming from there, Jennifer.
Keep an eye on them, Homebirtha, and, yes, reduce their grain (they won't be needing as much) and if they bag up milk them out, but I don't think you'll have a problem if you do it gradually and watch them close, remember, you're partially drying them off.
~Carrie C.