Maximum duration of milking cycle

[mtn.mama]

How many consecutive months have you milked a doe without refreshening?

[DixyDoodle]

I don't know about this either, but can I ask a question to add to this: how long a rest does a doe need between milking periods. I mean, if she is bred and then milked after, she will slowly dry up, right? Or will she?

Should you not give them a break sometimes to just "be a goat with no strings attached" so that there is a period of rest? Isn't that stressful to always be either bred or milked 365 days a year?

[sammyd]

being bred or milking 365 days a year is a natural thing for a goat or any animal..they don't practice abstinence.
I don't have personal experience in lactation length but have heard up to 2 years.
Seems to me that keeping them on a yearly schedule would provide more milk in th elong run though, can't imagine there would be much in there after 10 months or so.

[Liese]

Pat Coleby in her book Natural Goat Care outlines how to breed every-other year and then milk thru. She operated a small dairy and to me this seems like a fantastic idea, but I think that many people like to have a break from milking and thats why they let the does dry up. Having 2 does or 2 sets of does and alternating would provide milk, less stressful on the does and for a lot less work then breeding every year.

[BlueHeronFarm]

Everything I have read says that for the most part, goats have a finite milking period of 10 months. Some will milk through, but unless your doe has been bred into a strong genetic line that has a history of that, you shouldn't count on it.

...that being said, I sure wish we could milk ours indefinitely. This is our first year and the doelings were needed, but eventually the kids become a byproduct we will not need.

[MayLOC]

I think it just depends on the doe. Some of my does just quit on me after 8 months; even if I am still milking 2x/day they just aren't producing hardly anything and it isn't worth the trouble or the grain to me. Last year I hoped to get my does bred early for early kidding so we wouldn't run out of milk during winter--things didn't work out however and I ended up milking one of my saanen does until I had a nubian freshen last month. The saanen milked for 13 months and was producing 1/2-3/4 a gal./day in the end and was VERY hard to dry up. I purposedly did not breed her until the end of Feb., because I didn't want to give her any excuse to cut back on her milk. We have some children that really rely on it. She stayed in very good condition and will now have a 4 month break She will freshen in the summer and be able to milk through next winter for me, so I am thrilled!

[pookshollow]

MayLOC - sounds like me!

My NubianX FF dried up after about 9 months this last year. The previous year my Saanen was still going strong at 13 months, and I had real trouble drying her up. She's due in July and giving about 3 litres with once a day milking now. I'll have to start drying her up soon.

I don't plan on breeding her this fall - I'm curious to see how long she will milk through, and I've got enough other does that will be milking - her daughter for one! She should be good too.

[MayLOC]

Pookshollow--LOL, yes the ones that wanted to quit on me were FF Nubian also! I have my long-lactated saanen bred to my Nubian and am hoping for a doe. I love the creamy milk and growthy kids from my nubians but mine at least don't seem to be able to match my saanens and alpine in the lactation length. I think/hope/hear a cross would make a wonderful milker. :baby04:

[pookshollow]

I think/hope/hear a cross would make a wonderful milker.

Me too! I've got a nice little doeling, Nubian/Saanen - she's one of the "eary" twins LOL - and I'm thinking that she should make a great little milk goat.

[mtn.mama]

Perhaps a 'cross' does make a better milker. My main doe's mother is pure Alpine, and I was not that happy with her milk cycle. She tapered off pretty quickly and within 6 months I didn't get enough milk to make it worthwhile. But her daughter is 1/2 Toggenburg (out of a 'throwaway' buckling I grafted on to keep the Alpine's milk when she lost her own baby).

Streak gave birth August 15th of 2004 and I have been milking her straight through. I keep good records, so I'm certain she's showing no sign of lessening. Since her kid weaned off I have taken 15-20 gallons per month- plenty for our family to use. So here we are 33 months later with no reason to breed.

When she does dry off then I'll give her a six month break before I breed her. Its that 11 month interim that I'm trying to prepare for... I don't want to be without milk- EVER! So I'm looking for a doeling, I think 1/2 Toggenburg and 1/2 Oberhasli to raise up for a secondary milker.

I did have a neighbor who had an Alpine they said had been milking for 3 1/2 years straight... Thanks everyone for your response. Its super interesting to hear about how other folks do things and why...
Lisa

[DixyDoodle]

Personally, I was thinking tapering off before winter, as much for MY sake as the doe's. LOL

Wouldn't it be in the wild state, that goats would have a natural rest period in the winter months. I mean, maybe not really in season or being difficult to be bred, and pretty much weaning off their kids during that time? I know nothing about wild goats though, maybe they have an all-year round cycle?

[DocM]

I fostered a nubian X doe for about 20 months - when she came to me I had no idea when she freshened (it was October and she was a county rescue), but she was a nice milker and so I milked her - every day of that 20 months. When she went to her new adoptive home, she was still giving about 1/2 gal a day, which she gave until she was dried off to give birth. Her next milking cycle lasted 24 months - and may have gone longer except she was dried off to kid. One of her daughters (togg X nubian X) had a precocious udder and gave 1/2 gal of milk for several months, being bred during that time, and continuing until she was dried off to kid. Both does are quite large - 160 lbs plus. I've known of other large breed does, usually crossbreds, that have given copious amounts of milk over long long lactations.

[Vicki McGaugh TX Nubians]

Extended periods of being dry, lessens the amount of milk you will get over the lifetime of your dairy goat, lessens the profit selling her kids or milk, puts fat onto her internal organs which makes it harder for her to get pregnant, deliever kids, and lessons her longevity. Barron dairy animals live shorter lives than productive ones. Cows and goats.

Now if you don't want to milk don't milk, but don't blame it on needing to give the doe a rest or vacation. They are bred to milk for 3 months of their pregnancy, dry for 50 or less day, to build up fat reserves and colostrum, kid again etc...a normal cycle. The dry period is hugely important for getting your goat into shape, but extended dry periods are the worst thing you can do to the udder, the longer it is dry the longer bacteria has a chance to turn into mastitis. Vicki

[mtn.mama]

Interesting perspective, Vicki. Its the health of my doe that I'm most concerned with. I definitely want to see her build up her reserves before I ask her to grow a baby again. My interest is not in selling milk or kids, just in feeding my family and taking good care of my animals. What you're saying makes sense... I think I'll scale back my dry time to the gestation period. I noticed you didn't weigh in on how many months you've seen a doe milk...?

[DixyDoodle]

Extended periods of being dry, lessens the amount of milk you will get over the lifetime of your dairy goat, lessens the profit selling her kids or milk, puts fat onto her internal organs which makes it harder for her to get pregnant, deliever kids, and lessons her longevity. Barron dairy animals live shorter lives than productive ones. Cows and goats.

Now if you don't want to milk don't milk, but don't blame it on needing to give the doe a rest or vacation. They are bred to milk for 3 months of their pregnancy, dry for 50 or less day, to build up fat reserves and colostrum, kid again etc...a normal cycle. The dry period is hugely important for getting your goat into shape, but extended dry periods are the worst thing you can do to the udder, the longer it is dry the longer bacteria has a chance to turn into mastitis.

Oh ok, and here I thought milking a goat was more stressful to them than just "being a goat". Guess not!

Maybe I misread your post but did you mean that a goat gives milk for 3 months while pregnant? How does this happen---I thought that when a goat gives birth, the colostrum comes in and that's the "first" milk. I probably misunderstood you though! Or did you mean 3 months after pregnancy?

So you are better off to just dry up the doe when she is not giving out a significant amount of milk---or when you are planning to breed her again in the near future? So 50 days is the average for a drying off period?

Is there a certain age that you stop breeding a goat for milk? I suppose there is a time where breeding is more stressful on their body and you just dry them up for good?

Sorry if that's too many questions! LOL

I guess if I'm going to milk my does in winter, best that I get a pump milker or something. I do not relish the idea of hand milking at -30C. Not with carpal tunnel and Raynaud's, no way!

[pookshollow]

Maybe I misread your post but did you mean that a goat gives milk for 3 months while pregnant? How does this happen---I thought that when a goat gives birth, the colostrum comes in and that's the "first" milk. I probably misunderstood you though! Or did you mean 3 months after pregnancy?

You dry her up 3 months after breeding (assuming she's pregnant), so she has 2 months off to build up her reserves, before she gives birth and starts producing milk again. I was told by someone who runs a commercial goat dairy that you don't "have" to dry them up - I didn't buy any of their goats! (That and they wanted the same amount of $$ for a goat that was giving half as much milk as the one I did buy - and abscesses and swollen knees all through their herd )

So, assuming you breed at the same time every year (yeah, right!), she will be giving milk for 10 months out of every 12. I managed to stagger mine nicely this year - two kidded early April, I've got one FF due in June, and my big Saanen is due in July, so I'll need to dry her off towards the end of May. Last year I had to dry her off before the next one kidded - and we had to buy milk and cheese.

[mtn.mama]

Originally Posted by DixyDoodle

Is there a certain age that you stop breeding a goat for milk? I suppose there is a time where breeding is more stressful on their body and you just dry them up for good?

I guess if I'm going to milk my does in winter, best that I get a pump milker or something. I do not relish the idea of hand milking at -30C. Not with carpal tunnel and Raynaud's, no way!

I quit breeding when I find that the doe just isn't producing enough milk any more (like not enough to support her kids). Or when they just seem too old.

I milk year round in Alaska, and just bring my does right into the kitchen. They enjoy hanging out next to the wood stove, it gives their feet a chance to warm up and I can trim if necessary. Its a little messy- but comfortable!

[BlueHeronFarm]

Heh - I have Raynaud's too - but those udders are mighty warm when they're full of milk. They get the color back pretty quickly.

[Vicki McGaugh TX Nubians]

I noticed you didn't weigh in on how many months you've seen a doe milk...?
..........................

I don't like to answer questions that are answered with "I knew a gal who milked her goat for 3 years". Having not done this, my girls milk from end of Feb/March until Christmas...so 10 months or so. Not that they couldn't continue milking, but not by me, I need a vacation

And yes all my goats are bred in sept/October, they are milked until end of Dec when they are 3 months pregnant. Vicki

[mtn.mama]

Thanks everyone for your replies...I was just curious to hear how other people do things, and why. It seems like the normal train of thought is to breed annually no matter what. I don't want a herd and surely welcome that my doe is willing to milk through.

Now my question is do any of you think that its not good for her to be continually milked? We're at 33 months now and planning to go as long as she produces.