Q's about leaving kids with dairy goats

[cathleenc]

hello, we are about to become the owners of 2 dairy goats, 1 saanen and 1 taggenburg, both dry and bred.

I can't wait! and I have tons of questions.

I can't quite figure out, from my reading, if it's at all feasible to leave the kids with the does. I recently read a definition of a dairy goat as one that produces more milk than her kids can drink - all good - but every book recommends separating the kids permanently from the does after 8-12 hours. At least that's what it seems like I'm reading....

I'd be glad to only milk once a day and let the kids get the rest. We don't drink that much milk/use that much dairy and I think 2 goats milked 1x a day will be more than I know what do with for at least the beginning.

Can I separate the kids at night, milk the doe first thing, then reunite the families? Would that work?

Pros? Cons? would love to have your ideas, input, and advice. thanks, Cathy

[HazyDay]

Please Go To www.fiascofarm.com they have all the info you will need!

[cathleenc]

Originally Posted by HazyDay

Please Go To www.fiascofarm.com they have all the info you will need!

thank you! Had been there weeks ago and must have read that ... but since taking out every book on goats in our library system I just couldn't find any book that said the same thing and couldn't remember where I had read it.

Have you tried this? Also, could I try 1x a day milking after the kids wean if I don't rebreed the doe? Not sure if we really want to breed 2 does every year but we'll know that by next fall.

[HazyDay]

Sorry Im no help. I dam raised, the first year I had goats and the 1 doe kid kept the udder even. This year I bottle raised all and liked it better. But the doe I dam raised with has a very good udder. I may milk once aday with my boer.

I tried milking 1 time aday and loved it. Go where ever and just be home to milk in the am.

If I was you e-mail Molly and ask for the links to her site with info on dam rasing. It's alot easier then looking for it in 300 different pages!

Hazy,

[TennesseeMama23]

I milk once a day like you are describing. I wouldn't do it any other way. I am not dedicated enough to milk 2x a day. I like having a little bit of a life, LOL. I pretty much do the same thing fiasco farm does. I won't wean the babies until I am ready to dry off the does (I usually do that in Oct-because I am ready for the break), although the babies are really starting to slow down on their own. When I decide I want to quit I separate the babies and milk 2x a day until I think I can drop down to 1x, then start drying them off.

My exception is that if I get the doe I want out of my best doe I will bottle feed her. {6 bucks born in 3 years to this doe)

Pros
Time (I get my afternoons)
Freedom to leave for the weekend and not milk
Be able to take a day off from milking (I don't milk most Sundays--I have to get 3 kids ready for church)
I like the does raising their own kids--I hate bottle feeding
Bottlefed kids are annoying troublemakers (no flames, just my opinion)

Cons
Less milk
Babies are less dependent on you/therefore not as friendly
can't raise on prevention (pasteurize milk--I wouldn't anyway)
dam raised kids can be just as annoying and troublesome (like trying to catch a wild one)

[topside1]

Cathy, here is what happens at my place. Kid/kids stay with mom for the first to weeks, milk mom is needed. After two weeks of 24 hour contact begin separating the family each evening. Milk mom in the morning, re-unite kid/kids. Personally I would not separate unless the there is company in the same pen each night, another sibling, doeling, buckling etc. Also pick a pen that has a see through gate so mom and kid can see each other during the twelve hours of separation....Of course add water and hay to the pen.

[pookshollow]

You may find the first few weeks that the kids don't take all the milk, so you will need to milk out the doe a) to keep her udder even and b) so she keeps producing to capacity.

I have four does milking right now, but only milking one steadily because her kids are weaned. The two Saanens kidded late, so unless I want the milk, I don't separate the kids at night. The Nubian has a huge 5 month old doeling that was sold six weeks ago, but they haven't come to get her yet, and I don't have the space to separate her. Lately, I've had to milk that doe in the mornings as the doeling doesn't nurse her right out at night, but she makes up for it during the day!

Once the kids are weaned, you can go to once-a-day milking if that works better for you. The does will adjust their production accordingly (downwards).

Goats are pretty adaptable - you find what works for you, establish a routine and they'll do just fine.

[Wendy]

For those of you that milk only once a day, what do you do once the kids are weaned?

[southerngurl]

Removing the kids from the moms mostly comes from big dairies. They don't want to use up that valuable milk on the kids.

For just a few goats, there is no need to remove the kids. Just don't use the kids as an excuse not to milk the does and keep an eye on their udder. Milk the does at least once a day to keep everything even keep her production up. Yes, you can remove the babies at night (or tape mama's teats) and milk in the morning, then let them have the rest. You should let them have all they want for the first couple of weeks though.

I have a 7 month old doe still nursing. LOL

[DQ]

I seperate at night and milk in the A.M. works great for me. I'm glad to know I am not the only one who thinks bottle babies are obnoxious . I've got two out of neccessity and they are the ones that test my temper every day. I much prefer dam raised, although they aren't as bad when they get a bit older, three of my mature does were bottle raised, and only one of them is really irritating. kids can nurse until I'm ready to dry off, or of course when old enough, sold.

[Ernie]

I picked up my milker when her kids were about 4 weeks old, so I came to it late. My wife doesn't like to milk and occasionally I'm traveling so I leave the evening milking to the kids, pen them up separate, and take the morning milking for myself. I get less, sure, but I'm not selling it so it's not an issue. Just a little extra for the household.

I think I'm about done milking for the year though and it's time to separate the kids to wean them and dry up the doe. Just too much going on to handle that chore as well.

[crowinghen]

There's been lots of good tips and advice here already-- I would just add that when you either sell or wean the kids, a heavy producing doe might need to be milked 2 x a day or her udder could be damaged by the weight of all that milk. That's where we are now, milking 2x a day because we're getting 3 quarts a milking and it was really dragging her udder down we'll keep that in mind for next year... once her production goes down we'll cut back to oonce a day milking

Susie

[cathleenc]

Originally Posted by crowinghen

There's been lots of good tips and advice here already-- I would just add that when you either sell or wean the kids, a heavy producing doe might need to be milked 2 x a day or her udder could be damaged by the weight of all that milk. That's where we are now, milking 2x a day because we're getting 3 quarts a milking and it was really dragging her udder down we'll keep that in mind for next year... once her production goes down we'll cut back to oonce a day milking

Susie

you know, that goes straight to my heart.... I am a lactation consultant at the moment and mammary health is my businesss. Kinda funny moving from milk in one mammal (humans) to another (goats).

I don't think I'll mind milking 2x when it's called for - I just felt like I'd cry all day if I had to separate the kids from their mommies before it was time. I spend all my energy right now trying to get breastfeeding to go right! Goes against all my instincts to separate babies from their moms. I realize their is a a difference between lifestock and humans but ...... still, at the moment, I feel a strong need to let the mother-baby dyad exist in peace.
Cathy