Switching To Milking Once A Day

[A@VT]

My does are beginning to drop in production a little bit now, so I was thinking about just milking in the mornings. Could you please tell how to switch to once a day milking (or at least how you go about switching). Thank you for your help.

[topside1]

Hate to be so blunt but you just do it....if the milk production is declining or has declined then the doe and udder will adjust quickly. Slight discomfort may be experienced at first but she will compensate into your new routine. If you hear her yelling it's probably because she's missing a meal and not because she needs milking. Enjoy you evening off....

[mary,tx]

That's what I did--just stopped feeding and milking in the evenings.
Since I was still going out that way to collect eggs, they really complained the first couple of evenings that I left without feeding them. But they quickly got used to the new routine. I just came back in from gathering eggs, and the goats didn't even follow me to the barn.
mary

[A@VT]

It just seems it would be painful for them if I stopped all at once, should I decrease their evening grain the week before until they are just getting grain in the morning and then start to milk once a day. Thank you for the help.

[pookshollow]

If they're already slowing down production, it probably won't hurt them to just stop milking. You can ease back on their feed for a week or so, beforehand, if it will make you feel better, though!

There's no absolute "right" way to do it.

[topside1]

Just go for it, goats are a lot more adaptable then you may think. If she was giving 1 gallon per day during her peak, and now she's giving 1/2 gallon per day well it's obvious that milking once a day would never harm her in any way because her production is now cut in half so why not milk once a day....Grain once a day during milking hours...

[Jillis]

I just went to once a day milking. I just went to it. The first day I tried to get out early, and after that, it is fine. They wanted their grain at night, though!
My goats are producing very high right now. One is giving me 3/4 of a gallon every morning, the other 2 are giving almost a half gallon, and over a half gallon. In a week, 3 more goats. I have milk coming out of my ears! My freezer is overflowing.

It is time to sell a couple more milkers, for sure!

[A@VT]

Thank you for the replies, last night I did not milk and they seem fine this morning, they did not even cry for grain much. I guess you just have to do it.